Mount Vernon, April 10, 1787.
Dear Sir: I have received your favor of the 13th. of July and 28th of Septr.
I am pleased to hear of your safe arrival in London and of the happy meeting with your friends. I wish you success in the publication of your work and that your future establishment (which you say was not then fixed) may be agreeable to your wishes.
The bill which was sent to Rhode Island had the good fortune to come back protested. Mr. Watson the drawer immediately gave me another (including interest) upon a Gentleman in Salem for £43.3.8 this Currency, which was forwarded to your friend Mr. Mason of Boston and paid.
It is not in my power to give you such accurate information of our Settlements in the Western Country as might answer the purposes of a publication, my own knowledge of it being more general than particular, and information you know is not always to be relied upon. The idea however, of it being made up of the scum and refuse of the Continent, that the people are opposed to Congress, and attached to the British government is of a piece with other doctrines and consequent publications which have recoiled upon the authors, and which one would think was enough to discourage such unfounded and short sighted reports.
Mrs. Washington having of late been much less troubled with the billious cholick than formerly has made no use of the prescription you were so obliging as to transmit but is not less thankful on that account for your kind attention to her in this instance and joins me, as does the rest of the family in every good wish for yourself and Mrs. Gordon. With great esteem and respect I am, etc. 19
[Note:From the "Letter Book" copy in the Washington Papers. ]