Washington, George (1732-1799) to Sir John Sinclair
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC08095 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 11 December 1796 Pagination: 12 p. : docket ; 24.6 x 20.3 cm. Order a Copy
Written by President Washington to Sinclair the Scottish politician and writer on finance and agriculture. Describes the natural characteristics of various sections of the country, their chief resources, climates, interests and activities, relative land values, and the planned federal city. Says land in Pennsylvania is more valuable than that in Virginia or Maryland because of immigration and naturalization laws, and because of slavery regulations: "there are laws here for the gradual abolition of slavery, which neither of the two states above mentioned have, at present, but which nothing is more certain than that they must have, and at a period not remote."
Signer of the U.S. Constitution.
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