From George Washington to Châteaufort, 15 June 1785
To Châteaufort
Mount Vernon 15th June 1785.
Sir,
By the Post I had the honor to receive the letter which you did me the favor to write to me on the 19th of last month, together with those of the Chevr De la Luzerne & the Baron de Viominel. I pray you to be assured Sir, that I shall have great pleasure in seeing you at this Seat on your way to Charleston. Your own merit is sufficient alone to entitle you to every attention from me; but the letters above mentioned, bring with them the force of Law.1 I have the honor to be &c.
G: Washington
LB, DLC:GW.
1. Châteaufort’s letter has not been found, but on 5 Sept. 1785 GW acknowledged the receipt of Vioménil’s letter enclosed in Châteaufort’s and the receipt of letters from La Luzerne dated 20 Dec. 1784, 15 Feb. 1785, and 25 Mar. 1785. La Luzerne’s letter of 20 Dec. 1784 is a letter introducing the chevalier de Châteaufort, who was coming to America as French consul for the Carolinas and Georgia; this is presumably the letter to which GW is referring here. On 5 Sept. 1785 GW responds to Vioménil’s missing letter in this way: “Every occasion which presents you to me, & assures me of your health, cannot fail to give me pleasure: your letter therefore by Mr de Chateaufort did me honor & was flattering; & I should have been very happy in an opportunity of testifying to that Gentleman the respect I wished to shew to your recommendation & his own merits; but being longer delayed with Congress than he expected, added to the heat of the weather; he found it more convenient to pass from Philada to Charleston by water, than by Land; by which means I had not the honor of seeing him” (LB, DLC:GW).