Washington, George (1732-1799) to Henry Knox
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09314 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: Rocky Hill Type: Manuscript letter Date: 2 November 1783 Pagination: 2 p. ; 31 x 20.5 cm. Order a Copy
Later copy. Has discussed with members of Congress "in time of Peace of Uniting the Offices of Secty for War and Master of Ordinance in one person." Also upset with "stupidity of the Postmaster at Princeton" due to a great deal of his mail being lost. Letter copied on 3 February 1854 according to note at top of first page.
Signer of the U.S. Constitution.
[Draft]
No 15 Copied from the Original and compared 3d Feb'y 1854
Rocky Hill 2d Novr 1783
My dear Sir,
You will readily conceive how much I have been chagrined and vexed at a loss occasioned by the stupidity of the Postmaster at Princeton, when I tell you that the original of which the enclosed is a duplicate, and the first drafts of all my publick and private letters written in the Six Weeks preceeding were lost with the Mail on Thursday night last. Having many letters to write by the Post the week before, and being interrupted by company, I was unable to get my dispatches ready the overnight (as usual) for the mail, but sent them off by day break the next morning to the Post Office, the Manager - of which, as the mail I presume was made up the night before, being too lazy to get up, suffered the Post rider to go off without them - Ashamed to return or to acknowledge that he had not sent them, he kept them to go by the next weeks Post, by which means I have utterly lost all my dispatches but the drafts, as I have mentioned above, of all the letters which I have written for these six weeks, that were enclosed to Colnl Varick for registring -
Genl. Lincolns resignation has been offered and accepted by Congress. he has been requested to continue in the discharge of the duties of it till the adjournment from this place- [2] before which it is thought no Successor will be appointed - It is questionable indeed, whether after this day, there will be a sufficient number of States to do any business, important business there certainly will not -
I have conversed with several Members of Congress upon the propriety in time of Peace of Uniting the Offices of Secty for War and Master of Ordinance in one person, and letting him have the Command of the Troops on the peace Establishment, not as an appendage of right, for that I think would be wrong - but by separate appointment at the discretion of Congress - Those I have spoken to on the subject seem to approve the idea - which if adopted would make a handsome appointment. I will converse with others on this head, and let you know the result - my wishes to serve you in it you need not doubt - being with much
Truth dear Sir, Your Most
Affectionate
Go: Washington
Maj. Genl Knox
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