To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 5 October 1795
From the Commissioners for the District of Columbia
City of Washington 5th Octo. 1795
Sir,
We have the pleasure of informing you that notwithstanding the total failure in payments from Morris and Greenleaf since June last we have insured the progression of the public buildings till the first of December unless we should be Disappointed in a sale of our Bank Stock.1 It is not improbable but we shall by an immediate sale be compelled to make a Sacrifice of six or eight ⅌ Cent even this however ought not to prevent a sale if nothing else remains actively to employ the remaining season in forwarding the public buildings. The innumerable Difficulties which have occured during the present year from the want of funds leads us to take every possible step to guard against the mischeif the ensuing Season—The enclosed Memorial on the subject of Finance is forwarded that it may be Considered before your return to Philadelphia.2 If it is thought advisable that One or more of the Board should attend at Mount Vernon during your stay there to discuss its merits they will obey your Summons with pleasure or attend you here as you pass thro’ the City as may be most agreeable to you. We are with sentiments of perfect respect Sir, Your most Obt Servts
Gust. Scott
Alex: White
LB, DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent.
1. For the status of the debt owed to the commissioners by James Greenleaf and Robert Morris, see the commissioners to GW, 15 May and 27 Sept., and GW to the commissioners, 26 Sept., n.2. The charter of the Bank of Columbia had authorized the purchase of 2,000 shares by the commissioners, and on 1 Oct. 1794 they owned more than 1,000 shares (commissioners to GW, 4 Feb. 1795).
2. The enclosure has not been identified, but it surely was an early version of the memorial that GW submitted to Congress on 8 Jan. 1796 (see n.1 to that document).