To Jonathan Trumbull, July, 21st An extract from a letter to John Trumbull-How the oppo- sition will vote-True policy of the Federalists-Cannot come Bordley's Essays-A perplexing situation-Choice of diffi- culties before the President-The charge of bribery-Should be An unendorsed draft-Abatement of rent in case of necessity -More negroes than can be usefully employed-Proposes to To Governor Jonathan Trumbull, August 30th. A different state of politics and greater unanimity desired- Evil results of factional opposition-France in Louisiana and the Floridas-Will not again ask for the suffrages of the PAGE The offer of two months' pay-His private finances in need of assistance-Will take only a reimbursement for expenses. To Alexander Hamilton, September 15th. Disposition of the force-Troops at Natchez would excite distrust in the Spaniards, and would result in hostility- Position of the corps de reserve-Fort Wayne-An engineer of real skill wanted-Most horrible mismanagement some- where-Furloughs and small garrisons fritter away the strength of the army-Armed vessels on the lakes-His sentiments more for consideration than decision. To Lawrence Lewis, September 20th His intentions to provide for the Custis children-Cannot lessen his income, but offers an estate-As to building and To Burges Ball, September 22d . The death of Charles Washington-The last of the children by the second marriage-Is prepared to follow. Is stricken dumb at the announcement of a determination to To James Anderson, December 10th. His plan for managing the farms-Advantages of a settled plan-Wishes the views of the overseers-Economy to be practised-Butter-A visit to his western lands-Deeds and number of lands-Settlement of old accounts. Instructions for the Management of Farms To Alexander Hamilton, December 12th. Extracts from a Diary, December 7th-13th Particular Account of the Last Illness and Death of George Washington, by the Attending Physicians Tobias Lear to William Augustine Washington, De- Tobias Lear to Burges Ball, December 15th To Lund Washington, August 20th, 1775 . Ill behavior of the Scotch at Port Tobacco-Simpson's mis- management of the mill-The safety of Mrs. Washington- The people of Massachusetts very indifferent-Cowardice at Bunker's Hill-The lines of defence and operations-The Massachusetts people suffer nothing to go by them that they Index of letters from Washington Index of Letters from Washington, Printed by Sparks, Omitted in this Edition THE WRITINGS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. TO JAMES ANDERSON. FEDERAL CITY, 22 May, 1798. Your letter of the 19th inst. has been received, but not with the surprise it would otherwise have occasioned had I not been prepared in some measure for the notice it gave, by the intimation contained in a former letter (not now by me, and the date forgotten) of your intention to withdraw from my employment at the end of the year. I shall repeat now, what I said upon that occasion -viz-that I had no intention then, nor have I any desire now, to part with you as a manager; but having made this declaration I shall add, (what I believe I then did) that I have no wish to retain any person in my service who is discontented with my conduct; or who has any prospect more congenial with their inclinations or their interest in the service of another-and this I must presume to be the case with you, for it can hardly be supposed that the reasons you have assigned for leaving mine, are all that have urged you to the measure. Strange and singular indeed would it be, if the proprietor of an estate (than whom no one can be so good a judge of the resources as himself) should have nothing to say in, or controul over, his own expenditures; should not be at liberty to square his œconomy thereto; nor should, without hurting the feelings of a manager, point to such alterations (admitting they were not the best, but such as he might incline to adopt, or at least propose ;) especially too when it has been requested by that manager over and over again to do so. It is a matter of regret, and if these things should operate equally on others, it might be a means of preventing my ever having another manager-for I have no hesitation in declaring that I shall never relinquish the right of judging, in my own concerns (though I may be pleased always to hear opinions) to any man living, while I have health and strength to look into my own businessespecially as my sole inducement to give standing wages was to prevent those complaints which might arise from a difference of opinion and interference, if a share of the crops was to constitute the reward for service. Having said this much upon general principles, I am a little curious, I must confess, to know in what instances your plans have been thwarted-that they have been altered by yourself, cannot be denied. I am equally desirous of knowing what improvements have been obstructed or defeated by my withholding the means of carrying them into effect? It will not be denied that you have planned your own crops (except perhaps those at Dogue Run), and that you have directed the carpenters, ditchers, millers and coopers in their work. If I have interfered in either, |