Beschreibung:

WASHINGTON, GEORGE, President . Autograph letter signed ("G:Washington") to James Mercer of Fredericksburg; Mount Vernon, 26 December 1774. 2 1/2 pages, large folio, 370 x 235 mm. (14 x 9 in.), several folds neatly reinforced, small patch to second leaf with loss of 12 letters (supplied in careful facsimile), address panel in Washington's hand. AS WAR CLOUDS GATHER, WASHINGTON CONSIDERS THE PURCHASE OF A TRACT OF LAND AND THE SALE OF "KATE," AN AFRICAN SLAVE An unusually large, very long and remarkably detailed letter--written the day after Christmas--on multiple business concerns during a period of impending crisis between Great Britain and the Colonies, a month after the adjournment of the First Continental Congress (which Washington had attended as one of three Virginia delegates). Washington confirms the price of a slave purchased by Mercer, communicates his dissatisfaction over the size of a tract of land he may buy, then discusses a recent cattle auction and cautiously sounds out Mercer about buying his cattle: "...I do not recollect whether, in my last, I informed you that it was 29 you gave for the Negro Kate... I have heard nothing yet from Col. Peyton, respecting those Lands...at the Loudoun Sale...the Sums bid for them, will require to be added to your acct. I cannot say but that I should have liked to have had 1224 acres of land warranted to me, instead of...1200 acres more or less; for, as it was upon the presumption that the Tracts...contain'd this quantity, clear of disputed bounds, that I agreed to give the price I did; so, if it falls short (I mean more than is generally allowed for the variation for Instruments) I shall not much like, or indeed think myself bound by it; and am inclined to think that Hough must have made some mistake in his Measurements, as the original Patents contain no more than 1168 Acres. I do not pretend...to be well aquainted with the phrases with constitute a general Warranty, but the words made use of by you...are not so strong and emphatical as I have generally observed upon these occasions...It was my intention to have run round the Lines of these Tracts, and tried the Contents of them myself, [checked the survey] but I have never been a day well since my return, nor a day without Company...I have wrote to your brother..." He discusses delays in sending Mercer the wheat recently threshed at Mount Vernon, "as the Hollidays are at hand...it being difficult... to procure Craft till the Frosts are thought to be over in the Spring." Everyone reports that a recent cattle auction in Frederick was "a great one," but as he has not seen Mercer's cattle, "give me leave my friend, to tell you, that you are too sanguine in your expectations...." It is not my intention to buy at high prices...[but]...as I raise a great deal of Provender...to stock my Plantations more plentifully...if I could purchase upon such terms as I liked; and hearing you talk of selling Cattle...I thought it might answer both our purposes...The kind of cattle I should prefer, would be Cows and Heifers, as they would put me into a full stock the soonest...my intention, if we could agree upon terms, was to take of all you could spare of every kind...I would not be concern'd with Refuse Cattle at any rate..." He closes with "the Compliments of the Season." Published in Writings , ed. J.C. Fitzpatrick, 3:252-255. Washington returned to the Second Continental Congress in May 1775, and was conspicuous for wearing military uniform; on June 15, upon a motion of John Adams Washington was unanimously named Commander of the Continental Army.