The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

386 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [AlET. 42
call it the greatest distance, any commodity made upon
any part of these lands of mine may be transported
along a very easy water-communication to the settlement of Red-stone, where the land-carriage at this time
begins. To say nothing, therefore, of the advantages
of raising stock of all kinds, and horses, which will carry
themselves to market, and are now and will, from the
nature of things, continue to be in great demand in the
interior parts of this great continent, hemp, flax, potashes, indigo, and the like, will well afford the expense
of this land-carriage, admitting it never may be reduced,
and can be cultivated to advantage on the river bottoms
in that country.
Having thus exhibited a general view of my design,
I shall now be obliged to you, Sir, to inform me with
as much precision as you can, what certainty there is
that your ship will go to Holland; what probability
there is of her getting Palatines, if she does go; when
they may be expected in this country; what would
be the freight; and, as near as you can judge, the
whole incidental expense attending each person delivered at Alexandria; and, moreover, whether it
would be expected, that the whole of these charges,
including freight, should be paid down immediately on
the arrival of the ship here, as it must appear rather
hard to make a certain provision for. an uncertain event.
It may not be amiss further to observe, that I see no
prospect of these people being restrained in the smallest
degree, either in their civil or religious principles; which
I take notice of, because these are privileges, which
mankind are solicitous to enjoy, and upon which emigrants must be anxious to be informed.
I wrote to Philadelphia by the last post for full information of the manner and charge of importing these
people from Holland; and, if your account in answer to