To George Washington from William Barton, 28 February 1797
From William Barton
Arch-Street, No. 223 [Philadelphia]
Feb. 28. 1797.
Sir,
The near approach of the period of your leaving this city, suggests the propriety of my making a request, previous to Your departure,1 which I hope You will find no difficulty in granting—It is, Sir, that You will do me the favor of directing Your Secret[ar]y to return to me sundry Testimonials in my behalf, which I deposited in Your hands, soon after the Commencement of the Government.2 With a sincere wish for Your Happiness, I have the honor to be, Sir, Yr most obedt servt
W. Barton
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW left Philadelphia for Mount Vernon on 9 March (see , 6:236, 239).
2. GW’s secretary Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., wrote Barton from Philadelphia on 1 March: “By direction of the President of the U.S. & in conformity to the request in your letter of yesterday to the President, I now return to you sundry testimonials and letters in your behalf, which have from time to time been presented to the President” (ViMtvL). The enclosed testimonials undoubtedly were recommendations that had been sent to GW on Barton’s behalf for the various diplomatic appointments and other positions that Barton had solicited early in GW’s presidency. Appointed in 1792 as principal clerk for Commissoner of the Revenue Tench Coxe, Barton is listed as “counsellor at law” at 223 Arch Street in the Philadelphia directory for 1797 (see , 23; see also Barton to GW, 29 July 1790, and the source note to that document; and List of Persons, 1790).