APRIL 13th
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“To establish good rules, and a regular system, is the life, and the soul of every kind of business.”
To William Pearce
Philadelphia, 18 December 1793
I have had but little opportunity of forming a correct opinion of my white Overseers, but such observations as I have made I will give.
Stuart appears to me to understand the business of a farm very well, and seems attentive to it. He is I believe a sober man, and according to his own account a very honest one. As I never found him (at the hours I usually visited the farm) absent from some part or another of his people I presume he is industrious and seldom from home. He is talkative, has a high opinion of his own skill and management, and seems to live in peace and harmony with the Negroes who are confided to his care. He speaks extremely well of them, and I have never heard any complaint of him. His work however, has been behind hand all the year, owing he says, and as I believe to his having too much plowing to do, and the last omission, of not plowing when he knew my motives for wishing it, has been extremely reprehensible. But upon the whole, if he stirs early, and works late, I have no other fault to find than the one I have just mentioned. His talkativeness and vanity may be humoured.
Library of Congress
Crow is an active man, and not deficient in judgment. If kept strictly to his duty would, in many respects, make a good Overseer. But I am much mistaken in his character if he is not fond of visiting, and receiving visits. This, of course, withdraws his attention from his business, and leaves his people too much to themselves which produces idleness, or slight work on one side and flogging on the other; the last of which besides the dissatisfaction which it creates, has, in one or two instances been productive of serious consequences.
I am not clear either, that he gives that due attention to his Plow horses and other stock which is necessary, although he is very fond of riding the former, not only to Alexandria &ca. but about the farm, which I did not forbid as his house was very inconvenient to the scene of his business.
McKoy appears to me to be a sickly, slothful and stupid fellow. He had many more hands than were necessary merely for his Crop, and though not 70 acres of Corn to cultivate, did nothing else. In short to level a little dirt that was taken out of the Meadow ditch below his house seems to have composed the principal part of his Fall work; altho’ no finer season could have happened for preparing the second lot of the Mill swamp for the purpose of laying it to grass. If more exertion does not appear in him when he gets into better health he will be found an unfit person to overlook so important a farm especially as I have my doubts also of his care and attention to the horses &ca.
As to Butler, you will soon be a judge whether he will be of use to you or not. He may mean well, and for ought I know to the contrary may, in some things have judgment, but I am persuaded he has no more authority over the Negroes he is placed, than an old woman would have; and is as unable to get a proper days Work done by them as she would unless led to it by their own inclination wch. I know is not the case.
Davy at Muddy hole carries on his business as well as the white Overseers, and with more quietness than any of them. With proper directions he will do very well and probably give you less trouble than any of them except in attending to his care of the stock of which I fear he is negligent as there are deaths too frequent among them.
Library of Congress
Thomas Green (Overlooker of the Carpenters) will, I am persuaded, require your closest attention, without which I believe it will be impossible to get any work done by my Negro Carpenters, in the first place, because, it has not been in my power, when I am away from home, to keep either him, or them to any settled work; but they will be flying from one trifling thing to another, with no other design, I believe, than to have the better opportunity to be idle, or to be employed on their own business; and in the next place, because, although authority is given to him, he is too much upon a level with the Negroes to exert it from which cause, if no other[,] every one works, or not, as they please and carve out such jobs as they like. I had no doubt when I left home the 28th. of Octr. But that the house intended for Crow would have been nearly finished by this time for in order to facilitate the execution I bought Scantling, Plank and Shingles for the building instead of this I do not perceive by his weekly report that a tool had yet been applyed in it, nor can I find out by the said report that the Barn at Dogue run is in much greater forwardness than when I left it.
To correct the abuses which have crept into all parts of my business, to arrange it properly and to reduce things to system; will require, I am sensible, a good deal of time and your utmost exertions; the last, from the character you bear, I entertain no doubt; The other, I am willing to allow, because I had rather you should probe things to the bottom, whatever time it may require to do it, than to decide hastily upon the first view of them as to establish good rules, and a regular system, is the life, and the soul of every kind of business.
These are general thoughts. In my next letter (which, if possible shall be by the next Post) I will go more into detail upon some particular matters. In the mean while I remain Your friend & Servant
G:o Washington
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