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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT. - The Writings of George Washington, vol. XII (1790-1794)
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. XII (1790-1794) [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. XII (1790-1794).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1790.
- Speech to Congress.
- Fellow-citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives:
- Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
- 1791.
- To Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwestern Territory. [private.]
- To Beverley Randolph, Governor of Virginia.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Edward Rutledge.
- Address of the President of the United States to Cornplanter, Halftown, and Great-tree, Chiefs of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
- To Timothy Pickering.
- To William Deakins, Jr. and Benjamin Stoddert.
- To John Armstrong.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To David Humphreys.
- To M. Lafayette. 1
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To the Secretaries of the Departments of State, Treasury, and War.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Messrs. Johnson, Stuart, and Carroll. 1
- To James Seagrove.
- To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Edward Rutledge.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Catharine Macaulay Graham.
- To David Humphreys.
- To Gouverneur Morris.
- To M. Lafayette.
- To Thomas Johnson.
- To M. De La Luzerne. 2
- To M. Lafayette.
- To Gouverneur Morris.
- To George Clinton, Governor of New York.
- To Edmund Randolph, Attorney-general.
- Communication of Sentiments to Benjamin Hawkins. 1
- To Robert Lewis.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress October 25th, 1791.
- To Harriot Washington. 2
- To David Stuart.
- To M. Lafayette.
- To the Commissioners For the Federal District.
- 1792.
- To Gouverneur Morris. 1 [private.]
- To Charles Pinckney, Governor of South Carolina. [private.]
- To H. D. Gough.
- To Reuben Slaughter.
- To David Stuart.
- To John Armstrong. [private.]
- To Charles Pinckney, Governor of South Carolina. [private.]
- To Major-general Arthur St. Clair.
- To John Carroll. 2
- To the Earl of Buchan.
- To Thomas Paine.
- To Charles Carter.
- To James Madison.
- To Gouverneur Morris. [private.]
- To James Anderson.
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia. [private.]
- To John Francis Mercer.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private and Confidential.]
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Attorney-general. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To John Francis Mercer.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- To Mrs. Betty Lewis.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Gouverneur Morris. [private.]
- To David Stuart.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress, November 6th, 1792.
- To Benjamin Stoddert.
- To the Commissioners of the Federal District.
- To the Commissioners of the Federal District. [private.]
- To Robert Lewis.
- Agricultural Correspondence.
- Letters to Anthony Whiting, 1792. 1
- 1793.
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia.
- To Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.
- To George Augustine Washington.
- To the Commissioners of the Federal District. [private.]
- To the Marchioness De Lafayette.
- To Frances Washington. 2
- To Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox.
- To David Stuart.
- To Burwell Bassett.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Frances Washington.
- To the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War and the Attorney-general of the United States. [circular.]
- To David Humphreys.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To the Secretaries and Attorney-general. [circular.]
- Proclamation of Neutrality.
- To the Earl of Buchan.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To M. Ternant.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Frances Washington.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Burges Ball.
- To William Tilghman.
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia. [private.]
- To the Justices of the Supreme Court.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To the Heads of Departments and the Attorney-general.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Hiland Crow.
- To Burges Ball.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State. 1
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Edmund Pendleton.
- To Tobias Lear.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- To Thomas Sim Lee, Governor of Maryland.
- To James Madison.
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Attorney-general.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Francis Willis.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress, December 3d, 1793.
- Message to Both Houses of Congress; Respecting the French Minister Genet, and the Relations With France, December 5, 1793.
- To Arthur Young.
- Message to Both Houses of Congress; Relative to Transactions With Spain, December 16th, 1793.
- To Edmund Randolph. [private.]
- To William White. 1 [private.]
- Letters to Anthony Whiting, 1793. 1
- Letters to William Pearce, 2 1793.
- 1794.
- To Thomas Jefferson.
- To John Adams.
- Message to Both Houses of Congress, 20 January 1794.
- To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. [confidential.]
- To Thomas Johnson.
- To George Clinton, Governor of New York. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To James Mchenry. [private.]
- To James Monroe. 1
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State.
- To John Fitzgerald.
- To John Jay. [secret and Confidential.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State.
- To Tobias Lear.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Robert Lewis.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Gouverneur Morris. [private]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Sir John Sinclair.
- Proclamation Warning the Insurgents In the Western Parts of Pennsylvania to Desist From Their Opposition to the Laws.
- To Burges Ball.
- To Charles M. Thruston. [private.]
- To Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia. [private.]
- To John Jay.
- To David Stuart.
- To Burges Ball.
- Proclamation Concerning the Western Insurrection.
- To Major-general Daniel Morgan. 1
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. 2 [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Henry Lee, Commander-in-chief of the Militia Army.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To John Jay. [private.]
- To John Adams.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress, November 19, 1794.
- To Alexander Spotswood.
- To Tobias Lear. 1
- To John Jay. [private.]
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT.
Philadelphia, 17 November, 1792. Gentlemen,
I have duly received your letter of the 13th of October, enclosing a list of the sale of Lots in the federal City with the prices, of which I am more gratified than I am by the numbers which have been disposed of. I am pleased to find that several of your mechanics were among the purchasers of Lots, as they will not only, in all probability, be among the first improvers of them, but will be valuable citizens.
I agree with you in opinion that ground in such eligible places as about the Capitol and the President’s house, should not be sold in squares, unless there are some great and apparent advantages to be derived from specified buildings—immediate improvement, or something which will have a tendency to promote the advancement of the City.
The circumstances under which Mr. Blodget bid off the square near the Capitol, were such as occur at almost every public sale,—and, in that instance his having done so appeared very proper for the interest of the public. I agree, however, with you that it wou’d be best for the circumstance, not to be generally known.
How far the idea which Mr. Blodget suggests of having an Agent to pass through the several States to dispose of Lots, might be beneficial or not, I am unable to say; but it appears to me that if a respectable and responsible character in the principal town of each State, could be authorised to dispose of the public Lots, as purchasers might appear; provided the matter could be so arranged that no confusion or inconvenience should arise from the same Lot being disposed of by two or more Agents (which might possibly be done by monthly returns being made to the Commissioners, from the several Agents, ascertaining the day and even hour, of each sale, to be by them confirmed previous to any payment—a small per centum to be allowed the vendor—and all private sales to cease a month before every public sale,) it would be a means of accommodating persons in different parts of the Union,—and would expedite the sales of the Lots. But this, as well as Mr. Blodget’s suggestion (which rather appears to me to be hawking the Lots about,) must be weighed and determined upon according to your best judgment and information.
I think that a further public sale in the Spring, or early in the summer would be advantageous—for it is desirable that every opportunity which could be made convenient, on account of the season and other circumstances, to dispose of Lots in this way, should be embraced.
In proportion as numbers become interested in the Federal City and the public works advance, a constant attendance at the spot will be more and more requisite on the part of those who superintend or direct the business thereof; and I am of opinion it will be found necessary, as neither of the Commissioners reside there, that some active and competent character vested with proper authority by them should be constantly on the ground to superintend the business carrying on there. But who this person shall be, is altogether with yourselves to choose, and the various and essential qualifications requisite in him will readily occur to you. With great esteem,
I am, &c.
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