Blair, Samuel (1741-1818) to Tobias Lear re: turning down an invitation to dine with President
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 #: GLC02794.023 Author/Creator: Blair, Samuel (1741-1818) Place Written: [Germanton, PA?] Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1792/03/26 Pagination: 2 p. + address 20 x 16 cm Order a Copy
Blair declines the invitation to dine with George Washington because of "the badness of the road from Germanton [. . . .] [I]ll health, & partly on other considerations." Docketed on address leaf.
Allow me, Sir, the liberty, which I now assume, of addressing the President of the United States through you in consequence of the unavoidable delay of an answer to him and Mrs. Washington's invitation to Mrs. Blair and myself to dine with them on Thursday next. The delay was owing to my not being able to procure an earlier information from Mrs. Blair on the subject.
She is very sorry that it is not in her power, on account of the badness of the road from Germanton, to come into town this week. She therefore requests that her apology be made.
At the same time, allow me, likewise to communicate through you my desire of being excused on the present occasion, partly on account of ill teeth, & partly on other considerations, which render it inconvenient for me to do myself the intended honor on Thursday next.
Your respectful humble
Servant
Sam Tobias
Tuesday Afternoon
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.