Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to George Washington
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.03122 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 29 March 1785 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 31.8 x 19.6 cm. Order a Copy
Knox introduces Catharine Macaulay Graham and her husband, James Graham, to Washington. Writes, "a glorious enthusiasm for the cause of general liberty and human happiness, has impelled this lady and her husband, to cross the atlantic to visit that country whose inhabitants have had the hardihood to encounter unknown dangers, rather than submit to a principle of taxation, which though not grievous in the first instance, would probably have terminated in a most flagitious abuse of power-" Notes that the Grahams hope to visit Washington at Mount Vernon. Knox's retained draft.
The first noteworthy female English historian, Catharine Sawbridge Macaulay Graham (1731-1791), was best known in the 18th century for her influential eight-volume work, "The History of England from the Accession of James I to that of the Brunswick Line" (1763-1783). A radical political writer and a staunch Republican, she played an important contributory role in the shaping of American Revolutionary ideology. Among her American friends were Mercy Otis Warren, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. Graham toured the United States with her second husband from 1784 to 1785, visiting Mercy and James Warren in Massachusetts and George Washington at Mount Vernon.
[draft]
Boston 29 March 1785.
My dear Sir, I have the pleasure to introduce to your acquaintance the celbrated Mrs Mc Auly Graham & Mr Graham - a glorious enthusiasm for the cause of general liberty and human happiness, has impelled this lady and her husband, to cross the atlantic to visit that [strikeout] [inserted: Country] whose inhabitants have had the hardihood to encounter unknown dangers, rather than submit to a principle of taxation, which though not grevious in the first instance, would probably have terminated [struck: the most] [inserted: in a] flagitious abuse of power - In this visit [struck: her] [inserted: their] feelings would be but ill gratified, were she not to see and converse my dear sir with you - [struck: she] [inserted: they] go to mount Vernon for that purpose - [struck: You will I am persuaded be mutually charmed with] and I will [struck: venture to] predict, [struck: that although she may then] that [struck: she] [inserted: they] will conceive themselves richly repaid for the [inserted: trouble of their] Journey - [strikeout] [inserted: Mrs Knox unites with me in presenting our] respectful compliments to mrs Washington
I am my dear sir Your truly affectionate
humble Servant
H Knox
His Excelleny General Washington
[docket]
To his Excellency Genl Washington
29 March 1785
Introducing Mrs Mc Auly Graham -
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