221To George Washington from “An Observer,” 1 October 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your wisdom and patriotism have been trumpeted forth by your admirers, till a kind of belief of their transcendant magnitude was forced on the minds of your fellow citizens, and till it was hardly safe to offer a modest doubt whether you were not the first of men. You have, however, unfortunately for yourself and ungratefully and cruelly for your country, silenced your advocates and deceived...
222To George Washington from “An Old Soldier”, 25 December 1789 (Washington Papers)
I hope it is a moment of leasure if this luckely should fall into your hands—urgent necessity induces me thus humbly to approach your Excellancy—I will not Sr long divert your attention from your arduous employment—but beg leave to observe—that on the first alarm of war I entered the Service of my Country being a minute Man in the then Massachusetts State—and having a fervant zeal to see the...
223To George Washington from Anonymous, 11 November 1793 (Washington Papers)
The purport of this Epistle will I presume apologize for the liberty I take in addressing you. By the accounts we receive from Philadelphia we are inform’d that a dreadful disease rages there which proves fatal to most people, & that the Contagion probably will spread to other parts of the Country; an Idea has occurr’d to me that this Malady may be obviated, & I therefore think it my duty to...
224To George Washington from Anonymous, 20 January 1792 (Washington Papers)
Your knowledge of the world makes it hardly necessary for me to remind you how difficult it is to dislodge a cunning bad man when he has once got possession of the heart of a great & good one. The strongest evidence of this fact is derived from the history of Princes. Be not offended at my mentioning Tiberius. There is no similitude between your characters. He, a brutal Tyrant. You possessed,...
225Instructions for Maneuvers at West Point, 17 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
The regiments will immediately recieve ten cartridges pr man. At 7 o’clock precisely the regiments will be on the grand parade formed in battalion according to the plan laid down in the regulations: the light Infantry companies at twenty paces distance on the right of each regiment. The first part of the manouvre will be performed by motion only without firing. 1st Four discharges by platoons...
226To George Washington from Anonymous, March 1792 (Washington Papers)
I know you to be good—and you are great, independent of public opinion—I mean intrinsically great, if you were not possessed of that opinion. But you are possessed of it, and stand higher, beyond all comparison in the estimation of persons of every description than any man. The virtuous part of the community who have for years put everything to hazard to obtain a Government, likely to insure...
227To George Washington from an Anonymous French Officer, 1 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
Fort-Dauphin [Saint-Domingue], 1 April 1776 . Offers his services to GW. He says that he served in Germany during the last war as a lieutenant in the Royal Grenadiers and was dismissed three years after the peace. He came to Saint-Domingue to advance himself but has not been able to obtain a company. He does not sign his name for fear that this letter might be intercepted and injure him at the...
228To George Washington from Anonymous, 20 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
un malheureux Homme Ce trouvent dans une mauvais etat, prie a monsr le President Washington, de vouloir lui assistér avec 60. dolls.; d’quelle bonté, Cet malheureux Homme sera toujour dans la Reconoissance, & Remerciment de un bon Ami de l’humanité Comme Monsr le Precident Washington. Si Cet malheureux Homme mérite la Grace de Monsr le president Washington, Il Lui priê de lui envoier Cette...
229To George Washington from Anonymous, 3 January 1792 (Washington Papers)
Beware. Be upon your guard. You have cherished in your Bosom a Serpent, and he is now endeavouring to sting you death. Under the Mark of a Democrat, he thinks he conceals his ambition which is unbounded. His vanity makes him believe that he will certainly be your Successor. But he can not wait with patience untill it shall please God to take you from this world. He wishes to precipitate his...
230To George Washington from Anonymous, 9 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
The fear of this not reaching your hands induced the form of the superscription. The motive of my assuming the liberty to address you, is from my often having read with the utmost concern that several of the back settlers have been scalped &C. by the savage Indians; and of the very ineffectual means taken to prevent a repetition of their barbarities by the Small force sent against them, which...