434 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



where we mit'ht live at a distance from the c:ilamities of Europe, which seemed more likely 

 to increase than to diminish. I was thence induced to apply to a most respectable coiTe- 

 spondent (tho President of the United States) to know what part of America was the most 

 desirable as a place of residence for a British emigrant. 



" Tliis short narrative will explain to the reader the circumstances which led General 

 Washin-^ton to transmit to me the following account of the several States of America. Owing 

 to the difficulty, however, of removing a numerous family, and unwillingness to quit a coun- 

 try for which I had naturally a strong predilection, and whose commercial interests and agri- 

 cultural prosperity I still hoped it might be in my power to promote, the plan of emigration 

 to America was, after much deliberation, relinquished. This was attended with fortunate 

 consequences to the country. The Minister was hiduced to adopt a measure recommended 

 jjy me — that of issuing two millions of E.xchequer bills, by the loan of which the commercial 

 interest was saved from almost general bankruptcy — and soon aftei-ward he supported with 

 his influence the plan of instituting ' a Board of AgriniHure,' moved by me in the House 

 of Commons, where it met with considerable opposition, but whose establishment (to which 

 the support of the Mmister certainly materially contributed) I trust will fonn an important 

 era in the history of the first of arts. 



" It is only necessary to add that, by various accidents, neither the original copy nor the du- 

 plicate of the subjoined letter reached me ; but, fortunately, ' a triplicate' was sent, which 

 safely arrived. It was accompanied by a letter, in General Washington's hand-wniting, 

 which I thought it proper to have engraved, ' That, with an account of the United States 

 of America, drawn up by that great statesman, every public-spirited native of America 

 mi^ht have it in his power not only to possess himself, but to bequeath to his posterity ' the 

 autograph' of the founder of American Independence, and of one who is justly ranked 

 among the greatest and most illustrious characters the world has liitherto produced.' " 



Answer. 



Letter from his Excellency General Washington, to the Right Hon- 

 orable Str John Sinclair, Baronet, containing an account of the several 

 States of America, as they ajypeared calculated for the residence of a 

 British emigrant, in the year 179G. 



[Ti-iplicate.] Philadelphia, Uth Dec, 17P6. 



Sir • The near view which you liave of the Revolution in France, and of the 

 political state of things in Europe, especially those of Great Britain has enabled 

 vou to form a judgment, with so much more accuracy than I could do, ol the 

 probable result of the perturbated state of the countries which compose that 

 Quarter of the globe, and of the principal actors on that theatre, that u would be 

 presumptuous in me, at the distance of 3,000 miles, to give an opiniun relatively 

 to either men or measures ; and therefore I will proceed to the inlormalion re- 

 auired in your private letter of the 11th of September, Avhich I will give from 

 the best knoAvledge I possess, and with the candor you have a right to expect 



The United States, as you well know, are very extensive— more than 1,500 

 miles between the north-eastern and south-western extremities— all parts oi 

 which from the sea-board to the Apalachian Mountains, (whiah divide the east- 

 ern from the western waters,) are entirely settled, though not as compactly as 

 thev are capable of, and settlements are progressing rapidly beyond them. 



Within so great a space, vou are not to be told tliai there is great variety of 

 climates • and you will readilv suppose, too, that there are all sorts of land, dif- 

 ferently improved and of various prices, according to the quality of the soil ; its 



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