Draft autograph letter signed by George Washington
WASHINGTON, George (1732-1799). Draft autograph letter signed ("GW") as President, to James Keith, Mount Vernon, 7 April 1793.
Two pages, 224 x 185mm, (silked, clean separation along top horizontal fold), laid-in to a larger sheet.
Washington tends to a series of complex financial affairs. An edited draft of his letter to James Keith concerning a long and drawn-out affair concerning outstanding funds due from a judgement. Washington writes, "On my way to this place - at George Town on the tuesday the 2d. instant Messrs Wilson & Dunlap applied to me respecting the Judgement which had been obtained against the Assignees of John Semple in fav[o]r of Colville's Estate." Washington details the amounts in question and the decision of various courts, in what Washington had described to another correspondent in February as a most "tedious & perplexing" affair (see GW to Robert Townshend Hooe, 7 Feb. 1793). In that spirit he concludes, "Whatever may be the determination of those against whom judgement is obtained, my earnest request to you is, that no measure may be left unessayed on my behalf, to bring the matter to as speedy a close as possible." Published in Fitzpatrick, Writings, vol. 32, pp. 410-411.Provenance: J. Macy Willets (his sale, American Art Association, 11 November 1937).