Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Rivington, James (1724-1802) to Henry Knox

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00024 Author/Creator: Rivington, James (1724-1802) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 15 January 1773 Pagination: 2p. + addr. + docket 31.9 cm. x 20.4 cm. Order a Copy

Rivington thanks Knox for accepting the charge of receiving his newspapers in Boston and delivering them to the subscribers to relieve the burden on the postmaster there. Inquires as to how he can repay Knox for the favor. Asks Knox to send Boston newspapers to him in New York. Rivington was a bookseller, printer, and journalist who came to America in 1760. He published Rivington's New-York Gazetteer.

[draft]
NYork Jany 15. 1773
S:
In consequence of your Consent to Mr. Quincys application on my behalf, I have directed my Newspapers to your Care, and intreat the favor of you to let them be delivered to the Subscribers at Boston.
They have hitherto been sent to the post office, but the demands of the postmaster for delivering them being more than the proceeds of the subscription, I must beg to be beholden to your kind attention & will allow you a reasonable consideration for doing it.
I am much [straightned for time] at present or would write upon other matters of Bussiness, but will take an early opportunity to do it. In the mean time I beseech you to let it be made known to the Subscribers that the papers in future will be delivered by yourself. I have forwarded a List of the Subscribers names to each of whom a paper is to be delivered. When you mention what I am to pay for you kindly undertaking this good office for me pray include that of collecting the Subscriptions annually, as the Names are very respectable it is hoped littled trouble will arise on that account. I beg you will command every ability in my sphere to serve you and I am Sir Your most obed & obliged Servant Jam Rivington
Pray charge me with the Post age of this Letter. Please to turnover.
[2] Upon an arrival at Boston I shall be very much obliged to you to send me any of the latest newspapers or such occurrances & post as may assist me with intelligence but pray observe that there must be nothing wrote withing the Cover that Contains the Newspapers to prevent the Charge of postage, & that one side of the Pacquet of printed papers be cutt a Slit into With a pair of scissors. You have generally earlier arrivals & Intelligence from England than we have which occasions my applying for this favor.

Be pleased to present my very humble Respect, and a thousand thanks to Good Mr Quincy for his gracious attention to my request.

I sincerely wish my papers being delivered by you may be a means to doing some material service to you in your bussiness.

[address leaf]
To
W Knox
Bookseller
at Boston

[docket]
Jas Rivington
New York
July 15 1773

Rivington, James, 1724-1802
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources