|
|
Front Page  Titles (by Subject) TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT. - The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIII (1794-1798)
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIII (1794-1798) [1892]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. XIII (1794-1798).
About Liberty Fund:Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. Copyright information:The text is in the public domain.
Fair use statement:
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.
- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1794.
- To Tobias Lear.
- To Henry Knox, Secretary of War.
- Letters to William Pearce, 1794. 1
- 1795.
- To Daniel Carroll.
- To Tobias Lear.
- To Eleanor Parke Custis.
- To Edmund Pendleton.
- To the Commissioners of the Federal District.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Robert Lewis.
- To Joseph Ceracchi. 1
- To Charles Carter.
- To Thomas Jefferson.
- To Robert Brooke, Governor of Virginia.
- To Major-general Daniel Morgan.
- To Alexander White. [private.]
- To Secretaries of State, Treasury, and War, and the Attorney-general. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private and Perfectly Confidential.]
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State.
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War.
- To Ezekiel Price, Thomas Walley, William Boardman, Ebenezer Seaver, Thomas Crafts, Thomas Edwards, William Little, William Scollay, and Jesse Putnam, Selectmen of the Town of Boston.
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State.
- To Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To Edmund Randolph.
- To John Adams, Vice-president of the United States.
- To Robert R. Livingston.
- To James Ross.
- To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To John Jay. [private.]
- To George Cabot. [private and Confidential.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Henry Knox.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Edmund Randolph.
- To Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury. [private.]
- To Thomas Jefferson.
- To Edward Carrington. [private and Confidential.]
- To Patrick Henry.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War.
- To Edmund Randolph.
- To Edmund Randolph. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private and Confidential.]
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To John H. Stone, Governor of Maryland.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress, December 8th, 1795. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Gouverneur Morris.
- Letters to William Pearce, 1795. 1
- 1796.
- To James Mchenry. [private.]
- To Bushrod Washington.
- To Dr. James Anderson.
- To Thomas Pinckney.
- To Gouverneur Morris.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, War, and the Attorney General.
- Message to the House of Pepresentatives.
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To Henry Knox.
- To George Lewis.
- To Edward Carrington. [private.]
- To John Jay, Governor of New York.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Thomas Pinckney. [private.]
- To Cyrus Griffin.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To David Humphreys.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Gustavus Scott.
- To Thomas Jefferson.
- To Charles Lee, Attorney-general.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. [private and Confidential.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private and Confidential.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To the Duke De Liancourt.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To James Anderson.
- To James Monroe.
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private.]
- To John Quincy Adams.
- To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. [private.]
- Farewell Address. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private]
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Charles Lee, Attorney-general. [private.]
- To George Washington Parke Custis. 1
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To the Commissioners of the City of Washington.
- Speech to Both Houses of Congress, December 7th, 1796.
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To John H. Stone, Governor of Maryland.
- 1797.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To David Stuart.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [private.]
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To Benjamin Walker.
- Message to Both Houses of Congress; On the Injury Sustained By American Commerce From French Cruisers.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To the Commissioners of the City of Washington.
- To Henry Knox.
- To Jonathan Trumbull.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To William Heath.
- To Rev. Samuel Stanhope Smith.
- To Thomas Pinckney.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury.
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To David Humphreys.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Samuel Washington.
- To William Strickland.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To General Lafayette.
- To Bushrod Washington.
- To William Gordon.
- To John Langhorne.
- To Bushrod Washington.
- To John Marshall.
- 1798.
- To George Washington Parke Custis.
- To James Mchenry. [private.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To William Augustine Washington.
- To Alexander White.
- To Bushrod Washington.
- To John Nicholas.
- Remarks On Monroe’s “view of the Conduct of the Executive of the United States.” 1
- To Alexander White.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Ferdinand Ferot.
- To Timothy Pickering.
- To George Washington Parke Custis. 1
- To Mrs. Sarah Fairfax. 1
- Mrs. Washington to Mrs. Sarah Fairfax.
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE FEDERAL DISTRICT.
Philadelphia, 28 January, 1795. Gentlemen,
A plan for the establishment of an university in the Federal City has frequently been the subject of conversation; but, in what manner it is proposed to commence this important institution, on how extensive a scale, the means by which it is to be effected, how it is to be supported, or what progress is made in it, are matters altogether unknown to me.
It has always been a source of serious reflection and sincere regret with me, that the youth of the United States should be sent to foreign countries for the purpose of education. Although there are doubtless many, under these circumstances, who escape the danger of contracting principles unfavorable to republican government, yet we ought to deprecate the hazard attending ardent and susceptible minds, from being too strongly and too early prepossessed in favor of other political systems, before they are capable of appreciating their own.
For this reason I have greatly wished to see a plan adopted, by which the arts, sciences, and belles-lettres could be taught in their fullest extent, thereby embracing all the advantages of European tuition, with the means of acquiring the liberal knowledge, which is necessary to qualify our citizens for the exigencies of public as well as private life; and (which with me is a consideration of great magnitude) by assembling the youth from the different parts of this rising republic, contributing from their intercourse and interchange of information to the removal of prejudices, which might perhaps sometimes arise from local circumstances.
The Federal City, from its centrality and the advantages, which in other respects it must have over any other place in the United States, ought to be preferred, as a proper site for such an university. And if a plan can be adopted upon a scale as extensive as I have described, and the execution of it should commence under favorable auspices in a reasonable time, with a fair prospect of success, I will grant in perpetuity fifty shares in the navigation of Potomac River towards the endowment of it.
What annuity will arise from these fifty shares, when the navigation is in full operation, can at this time be only conjectured; and those, who are acquainted with the nature of it, can form as good a judgment as myself.
As the design of this university has assumed no form with which I am acquainted, and as I am equally ignorant who the persons are, that have taken or are disposed to take the maturation of the plan upon themselves, I have been at a loss to whom I should make this communication of my intentions. If the Commissioners of the Federal City have any particular agency in bringing the matter forward, then the information, I now give to them, is in its proper course. If, on the other hand, they have no more to do in it than others, who may be desirous of seeing so important a measure carried into effect, they will be so good as to excuse my using them as the medium for disclosing these intentions; because it appears necessary, that the funds for the establishment and support of the institution should be known to the promoters of it; and I see no mode more eligible for announcing my purpose. For these reasons, I give you the trouble of this address, and the assurance of being, Gentlemen, &c.
|
