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George Washington Autograph Letter Signed....
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Description
George Washington Autograph Letter Signed. Two pages of a bifolium, 7 1/2 x 9 inches, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; November 27, 1793. Washington writes to New York Governor George Clinton in response to Clinton's letter of November 24, regarding an unanswered letter sent on September 8, and discussing the sale of Washington's land along the Mohawk River. Marked "Private" at the top of the first page. Docketed on page four in Clinton's hand.Washington writes, in full:
"Dear Sir,
Not having the letters at hand, I am unable to refer to dates; but the one with which you were pleased to favour me, dated sometime in September, did not reach my hands before I had left this City. Immediately, however, upon the receipt of it (at my own house in Virginia) I put it under cover to the Secretary of War with directions to answer it conformably to the rules which had been adopted for Government in such cases; but before my letter got to this place he also had left it, for Boston. This being the true state of the case will, I hope, apologize for your being so long without an acknowledgment of the first letter, whilst those of subsequent date have been answered with more promptitude.
Whenever it shall be perfectly convenient to you, I would thank you for a statement of our joint concern in the Mohawk Land-that is-for information of what Lots have been sold, and what remain on hand, with the numbers of each. My compliments & best wishes attend you, Mrs Clinton & the family-& with real regard & friendship I am-Dear Sir Your Affecte & Obedt Servt."
Signed, "Go: Washington."
On September 2, 1793, Clinton wrote to Washington to inform him that two French privateers and a captured British brigantine, the HMS William Tell, had recently arrived in New York. Concerned that their presence might violate America's fragile neutrality in the ongoing war between England and France, Clinton had urged Edmond-Charles Genet, the first minister to the United States from the Republic of France, to ensure the ships left American waters immediately. However, Genet's response, dated September 6, was not what Clinton had hoped for. He wrote, "I have defended, as long as I was able, the incontestible [sic] right of the [French] Republic to fit out armed vessels in the ports of the United States, by virtue of the treaties of commerce and alliance subsisting [between] the two nations. It now belongs to my country to direct me on what course I am finally to pursue."
On September 8, Clinton forwarded Genet's response to Washington, seeking his advice on how to proceed, as "the measures proposed with respect to the privateers by the Minister cannot be considered as a direct compliance with your [requisition] in such cases." Unfortunately, weeks passed before Clinton received a reply. Washington, upon receiving Clinton's letter on September 14, forwarded it to Henry Knox, his Secretary of War, in Philadelphia. Knox, however, had just left the city to escape the deadly yellow fever epidemic, and was unable to respond until November 15. When he finally replied, he instructed Clinton that the ships could not remain in American waters and, if they ever returned, they would be stripped of their war equipment.
By that time, the ships had already departed for France. Clinton wrote to Washington again on November 24 to update him on these developments. In response, Washington penned this letter, apologizing for the delay in communication.
The latter half of Washington's letter refers to 6,071 acres of land that he and Clinton purchased along the Mohawk River in 1783. By 1787, Clinton had begun selling portions of their shared property, reducing their holdings to just 2,019 acres by 1793. In this letter, Washington requests an update on the remaining land under his ownership. Although records of these transactions are scarce, Washington's will indicates that he still owned approximately 1,000 acres at the time of his death in 1799.
The correspondence between Washington and Clinton can be found at the National Archives website at founders.archives.gov. The correspondence between Clinton and Genet is housed in the New York State Archives.
Condition: Smoothed folds. Slight separations at bottom and center of integral fold. Separation measuring 1 1/2 inches near bottom margin of page one, touching text but not affecting legibility. Remnants of previous binding at integral fold. Very light foxing throughout.
Provenance: Collection of Dr. Jeffrey Rudolph.
Auction Info
2025 August 8 Historical Manuscripts Including Texana Signature® Auction #6322 (go to Auction Home page)
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