IF.07.] Letttr of General Washingion to Sir J. Sinclair. 615 



that the lands of the waters of Potomac 

 will in a few years be in greater detnantl, 

 and in higher eltimation, than in any 

 other part of the United States. But as 

 I ought not to ad\'ance this doctrine 

 without aihgnini; reafons for it, I will re- 

 fjucll you to examine a general map of 

 the UiHted States, and the following 

 farts will ftrike you at the firft view : 

 that they he in the moll temperate la- 

 titude of the United States; that the 

 main river runs in a dircit courfe to the 

 expanded part of the weftern country, 

 und approximates nearer to the prniti- 

 jial branches of the Ohio tlian any other 

 eallcrn water ; and of courfe mult be- 

 come a great, if not (under all circum- 

 Itances) the beft highway into that re- 

 gion : that the upper ^lea-port of the 

 Potomac is confiderably nearer to a huge 

 portion of the ftatc of Pennlylvania, 

 than that portion is to Philadelpiiia ; 

 bcfides accommodating tlie fettlers tlierc- 

 of with inland navigation for more tlian 

 ttOO miles : that the am*/,ing extent of 

 tide navigation atlorded by the bay and 

 rivers of Chefapeak, has fcarcely a pa- 

 rallel. When to thefe are added, that a 

 fite at the junction of the inland and tide 

 navigation of that river is chofen for 

 the permanent feat of the general go- 

 vernment, and is in rapid prepantion 

 for its reception ; that tlie inland navi- 

 gation of the river is nearly completed 

 to the extent above-mentioned ; and 

 that its lateral branches art capable of 

 great improvement, at a fmall expence, 

 through the moll fertile parts of Virginia 

 in a fbuthcily direction, and crolhng 

 Maryland and extending into Pennfyl- 

 vania in a northerly one, through which 

 (independent of what may come from 

 the weftern country) an immenlity of 

 produce will be water-borne, thereby 

 niakin;; the federal city the great em- 

 porium of tlie United States — I fay, 

 when thefe things are taken into conli- 

 neration, I am under no apprehenlion 

 of having the opinion I have given re- 

 lative ti3 tlie value of land on Potomac 

 controverted by impartial men. 



There are farms always, and every 

 where, for falc : if, therefore, events 

 lliould induce you to caft an eye towards 

 America, there need be no aiiprehcn- 

 fion of your being acconnnodated to your 

 liking; and if I could be made ufefui t(j 

 you therein, you might command my 

 ferviccs with the grcatell freedom. 



Within full view of Mount Vernon, 

 feparated therefrom by water only, is 

 one of the molt beautiful feats on the 

 river for fale ; but of greater magnitude 



tliaii yon feem to have contemplated. 

 It is called Belvoir, aud did belong to 

 George William Fairfax, Elii., who, were 

 he living, would now be Baron of Ca- 

 meron, as his younger brother in this 

 country (he, George William, dying with- 

 out iiVue) at prefent is, though he docs 

 not take upon himfelf the title. This 

 feat was tlie rchdence of the above- 

 named gentleman before he went to 

 England, and was accommodated with 

 very good buildings, whkh were burnt 

 foon after he left thein. 



liiere are near C?()OU acres of land be- 

 longing to the tract, furrountled in a 

 manner by water. The iiianfion-houfe 

 flood on high and commanding ground. 

 The foil is not of tiie tirlt r|uality ; hut a 

 confidcrable part of it lying level, may, 

 with proper management, be profitably 

 cultivated. There are fome fmall tene- 

 ments on the cllate, but the greater pare 

 thereof is in wood. At prefent it be- 

 longs to Thomas Fairfax, Ion of Bryan 

 Fairfax, the gentlenian who will not, as 

 I faid before, take upon himfelf the title 

 of Baron of Cameron. A year or two 

 ago, the price he lixcfl on tlie land was, 

 as I have been informed, '6o\ dollars 

 per acre : whether not getting that fumj 

 or whether he is no longer difpofed to 

 fell it, 1 am unable with precifion to fay; 

 for I have heard nothiiij^ concerning his 

 intentions lately. 



With refpect to the tenements I have 

 olTered to let, a)»pintaiiiing to my Mount 

 A'ernon efiate, 1 can give no better de- 

 fcription of them, and of their appur- 

 tenances, than what is contained in the 

 printed advertifement hcrewitii incloled: 

 but, that you may have a more (hfiiadt 

 view of the farms, and their relative litu« 

 ation to the manlion-lioute, a Iketch 

 from actual furvey is allij iiiclofed ; an- 

 nexed to which I have given you, from 

 memory, the relative iituatiou and tbnii 

 of the feat at Belvoir. 



The terms on which I have aiithorifed 

 the fuperintendaiit of my concerns at 

 Mount Vernon to leaii? the farms there, 

 are alio iiicli)fe(l; which, with the other 

 pa[)ers and the general infonnutiou 

 herein detailed, uill throw all tlie light I 

 am enabled to give you upon the fubject 

 of your enquiry. 



i'o have fuch a tenant as Sir John 

 Sinclair, however delirable it might be, 

 is an honour I dare not hope for; aud to 

 alienate any part of the fee hniple eltate 

 of Mount \'crnon is a meafiire 1 am not 

 inclined to, as all the f:uins are connect- 

 ed, and form parts of a uliolc. 



With very great clleem aiul relpcA, I 

 3U2 liave 



