To John Jay from George Washington, 13 June 1790
From George Washington
Sunday Morning, 13th. June 1790
Dear Sir,
Would there be prudence, justice or policy in extending Mercy to the Convict mentioned in the enclosed Papers?—1
Under this cover I send you for perusal two letters, just recd., from Mr. Gouvr. Morris.—2 Yours sincerely and Affectionately
Go. Washington
ALS, NNC (EJ: 07246). Enclosures: David Sewall to GW, 5 June 1790, DLC: Washington, enclosing a copy of the process of the District Court of Maine against Thomas Bird for a capital offense.
1. On 28 June 1790 GW replied to Judge David Sewall (John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington … 1745–1799 … [39 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1931–44], 31: 62–63, following JJ’s recommendation of 13 June, below.
2. Probably Gouverneur Morris to GW, 7 and 13 Apr. 1790, mentioned in GW to Morris, 7 July 1790: “as far as your intercourse with the british ministry has then gone to assure you of my entire approbation of your conduct with respect to the former. I shall await the answer which your address of the 30 of April will extort from the Duke of Leeds (if he does not mean to be silent) before I shall write to you more fully on that head.” , 6: 22.