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Subject Area: War and Peace
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO DOLPHIN DREW. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. X (1782-1785) [1891]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. X (1782-1785).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

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TO DOLPHIN DREW.

The case of the depending petitions in the General Court, is as follows.—

Sir,

The Land was obtained under a proclamation of Mr. Dinwiddie; issued by the advice of his Council, Feby. 19th, 1754, for encouraging the raising of Troops for an Expedition to the Ohio. It was surveyed pursuant to warrants granted by Lord Dunmore & patented Decr. 15th, 1772.—

For10,990acres, in Fincastle.
4,395 }—in Botetourt.
2,448 }
2,314 }

Yesterday evening brought me your favor of the 13th —

In the Month of March, 1774, I encounter’d in preparation only, an expence of at least £300; by the purchase of Servants, Nails, Tools & other necessaries for the purpose of seating and cultivating the above Lands, agreeably to our Act of Assembly; & for transporting the same over the Allighaney Mountains—but this was entirely sunk. The disturbances occasioned by the Indians, which immediately followed, put a stop to my proceedings—the Servants, some of them, engaged in the Militia—others squandered—& the whole were lost to me; while my Goods as I am informed, were seized for the use of the Militia & a fort which was built, upon the Expedition under Lord Dunmore, and no compensation made me for them—nor, if I am rightly informed, any thing given upon which I can found a claim.

Two things induced me to Lease my Lands in small tenements; the first was to accommodate weak handed people who were not able to purchase, thereby inviting and encouraging a number of useful Husbandmen and Mechanicks to settle among us: The other, that I might have them restored to me at the expiration of the term for which they were granted, in good order and well improved. One step towards which was to prevent a shift of property without my consent, and a covenant was inserted in the Leases accordingly.

The March following I went thro’ the second edition of a similar expence, and find by having recourse to my papers, (since I came home) the certificates which I enclose herewith.

From the first I laid it down as a maxim, that no person who possessed Lands adjoining, should hold any of mine as a Lease, and for this obvious reason, that the weight of their labors, and burden of the crops, whilst it was in a condition to bear them, would fall upon my Land, and the improvement upon his own, in spite of all the covenants which could be inserted to prevent it. Having no cause to depart from this opinion, and without meaning to apply the obsertion particularly to Mr. Throckmorton, whose person and character are entirely unknown to me, he must excuse me for declaring in very explicit terms, that I will not suffer his purchase of Collet, to be carried into effect. Of this, Mr. Lund Washington, who was acquainted with my sentiments on all these matters, and who superintended my business, informed me he acquainted Mr. Throckmorton (hearing he was about to purchase,) either directly or by means of his acquaintance in September last:—he has not paid his money therefore, or erred in this business, without warning of the consequences.

Not knowing what had been, or might be done in this second essay to cultivate my Lands (for I left home in May, while my people were out)—I wrote from Cambridge (in Septr., 1775)—to Mr. Everard requesting as a further security, that they might be covered by friendly Petitions; and presume I must have required Colo. Bassett to take measures accordingly. But never knew what, or whether any steps had been taken in this business, ’till Mr. Mercer (whom I saw at Fredericksburg the other day) and your Letter of the 19th of Feby. since, informed me of the depending Petitions.

A good price and ready Money might induce me to part with the fee-simple of Collet’s Lot—perhaps of the other also. Without these I do not incline to sell, as Lands are rising very fast in their price; which will be enhanced by the emigration of Foreigners, and the demand for them. I am, &c.

Under this information and what follows, you will be so good as to do what shall appear necessary and proper in my behalf. The Lands, by the Proclamation and Patents, are exempted from the payment of quit rent, ’till the expiration of fifteen years from and after the date of the latter: but my ignorance of the existing Laws of this State, since the change of its constitution, does not enable me to determine whether the old Act requiring cultivation and improvement, is yet in force, or not; consequently I can give no opinion upon the proper line of conduct to be pursued. Admitting however that this act is in force so far as it may apply to Lands under the circumstances mine are—yet the two principal tracts are nevertheless saved; as will appear by the records of Fincastle and Botetourt, where the aggregate of the valuations amount to £1583 15 7½, and the sum required to save the number of acres contained in them amounts to no more than £1538 10 0—And had it not been for the hostile temper of the Indians towards the close of 1775—which rendered it unsafe for my people to remain out, and who were actually driven in, to my very great loss in other respects (besides the non-cultivation) I should most undoubtedly, have saved the whole agreeably to Law.