much obliged

Near Philadelphia on April 19, Lear wrote to Washington’s friend Clement Biddle, “Will appears to be in too bad a state to travel at present; I shall therefore leave him—and will be much obliged to you if you will send him on to New York as soon as he can bear the journey without injury, which I expect will be in two or three days.”

“Indeed, even at this late date in the republic, it is not uncommon in the American West to hear the phrase ‘much obliged’ in the place of ‘thank you.’

Think about the phrase ‘much obliged’ for a moment, and you will understand the nature of gratitude and obligation.”

TED's congregation arrives "with a hand full of gimme/and a mouth full of much obliged," as Taj Mahal sang.

"Also - BIG thanks to Fox & Friends, who played the song in its entirety this morning, and plugged the heck out of it. Much obliged!" he added.