TO JOHN MARSHALL. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. XIV (1798-1799) [1893]
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. XIV (1798-1799).
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- Note.
- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1798.
- To James Anderson.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Jeremy Belknap.
- To John Adams, President of the United States.
- To James Lloyd.
- To James Lloyd.
- To John Adams, President of the United States.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Sir John Sinclair.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To John Adams, President of the United States.
- To Alexander Hamilton. [private and Confidential.]
- To Henry Knox.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To James Anderson.
- To James Mchenry. [private.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Henry Knox.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private and Confidential.]
- To William Vans Murray.
- To Jonathan Boucher.
- To Bushrod Washington.
- To — Mcdowell. 1
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Alexander Spotswood.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private and Confidential.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private and Confidential.]
- To John Adams, President of the United States.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To James Mchenry.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State.
- To Henry Knox.
- To James Mchenry. [private and Confidential.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To G. W. Snyder. 1
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of War.
- To Alexander Spotswood.
- To General Lafayette.
- To William Vans Murray. 1
- To David Stuart.
- To Bushrod Washington.
- 1799.
- To Patrick Henry. [confidential]
- To Bryan, Lord Fairfax.
- To James Washington.
- To David Stuart.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private].
- To Timothy Pickering.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Major General. [private.]
- To Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State. [confidential.]
- To John Adams, President of the United States.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Charles C. Pinckney, Major-general.
- To James Welch.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To John Marshall.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Major-general.
- To Archibald Blair. 2
- To John Trumbull.
- To Governor Jonathan Trumbull.
- To James Mchenry.
- To Robert Lewis.
- To Governor Jonathan Trumbull.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War.
- To Alexander Hamilton, Major-general.
- To Lawrence Lewis.
- To Burges Ball.
- To William Vans Murray.
- To James Mchenry, Secretary of War. [private.]
- To James Anderson.
- River Farm
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- Extract From a Diary.
- Last Illness and Death. 1
- Particular Account of the Late Illness and Death of George Washington.
- Tobias Lear to William Augustine Washington.
- Tobias Lear to Col. Burges Ball.
- In Congress.
- Mrs. Washington to President Adams.
- Mrs. Washington to Governor Trumbull.
- The Will of George Washington. 1
- Appendix.
- To Lund Washington.
- The Washington Family.
- Washington’s Aides-de-camp.
TO JOHN MARSHALL.
Mount Vernon, 5 May, 1799.
Dear Sir,
With infinite pleasure I received the news of your Election. For the honor of the District I wish the majority had been greater; but let us be content, and hope, as the tide is turning, the current will soon run strong in your favor.
I am sorry to find that the publication you allude to should have given you a moment’s disquietude. I can assure you it made no impression on my mind, of the tendency apprehended by you.
The doubt you have expressed of Mr. Hancock’s Election is as unexpected as it is painful. In these parts we had set it down as certain; and our calculations went to eleven instead of nine. A few days now will give us the result of all the Elections to Congress and the Legislature of the State; and, as you are at the fountain of information, respecting the politics of the members, give me, I pray you, the amount of the parties on each side, if you have leisure and can ascertain it. With very sincere esteem and regard, I am, dear Sir, &c.
As a delegate to Congress.
“You may possibly have seen a paragraph in a late publication, stating that several important offices in the gift of the executive, and among others that of Secretary of State, had been attainable by me. Few of the unpleasant occurrences produced by my declaration as a candidate for Congress (and they have been very abundant) have given me more real chagrin than this. To make a parade of proffered offices is a vanity, which I trust I do not possess; but to boast of one never in my power would argue a littleness of mind at which I ought to blush.
“I know not how the author may have acquired his information, but I beg leave to assure you that he never received it directly nor indirectly from me. I had no previous knowledge that such a publication was designed, or I would certainly have suppressed so much of it as relates to this subject. The writer was unquestionably actuated by a wish to serve me, and by resentment at the various malignant calumnies, which have been so profusely bestowed on me. One of these was, that I only wished a seat in Congress for the purpose of obtaining some office, which my devotion to the administration might procure. To repel this was obviously the motive of the indiscreet publication I so much regret.
“A wish to rescue myself in your opinion from the imputation of an idle vanity, which forms, if I know myself, no part of my character, will I trust apologize for the trouble this explanation may give you.”—Marshall to Washington, 1st May, 1799.
“The Elections of Generals Lee and Marshall are grateful to my feelings. I wish, however, both of them had been elected by greater majorities; but they are Elected, and that alone is pleasing.
“As the tide is turned, I hope it will come in with a full flow; but this will not happen, if there is any relaxation on the part of the Federalists. We are sure there will be none on the part of the Republicans, as they have very erroneously called themselves. It is apprehended latterly, that Mr. Hancock will not carry his Election, and that in numbers we shall not exceed nine. In point of abilities, I think the superiority will be greatly on the side of Federalism.”—Washington to Bushrod Washington, 5th May, 1799.
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