Morris
proposes to leave, taking his mangle instead; [a mangle was a machine
for washing or pressing, then in use, and a fixture, I think;] he would
not object provided his was as good, but not if he would be the gainer
by exchanging. He concludes, Mrs. Washington and all the family joining
in best wishes to Mrs. Lear and himself, "I am your sincere friend and
affectionate servant," signing his name as before.
The next is dated Mount Vernon, October 3, 1790. In this letter he
refers to the declaration of the ministers of Britain and Spain as
published in the newspapers,[A] and requests Mr. Lear to give him the
earliest information of these or any other interesting matters, beyond
what the newspapers say; remarking that Mr. Jefferson's absence from New
York [Mr. Jefferson was then Secretary of State] might be the means of
delaying the receipt of official advices to him longer than usual. He
requests Mr. Lear to use his endeavors for ascertaining the best schools
in Philadelphia with a view to placing Washington Custis, Mrs.
Washington's grandson, at the best. If the college is under good
regulations, and they have proper tutors to prepare boys of his standing
for the higher branches of education, he makes a quaere if it would not
be better to put him there at once, the presumption being that a system
may prevail there by which the gradations are better connected than in
schools which have no correspondence with each other.
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