George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, 3 March 1784

To Thomas Jefferson

Mount Vernon Mar. 3d 1784

Dear Sir,

The last Post brought me the enclosed letter, under cover from the Marquis de la Fayette.1

If you have any News that you are at liberty to impart, it would be charity to communicate a little of it, to a body.

It is unnecessary, I hope, to repeat to you the assurances of the pleasure I should feel at seeing you at this retreat, or of the sincere esteem & regard with which I am—Dear Sir—Yr Most Obedt & very Hble Servt

Go: Washington

P.S. Has not Congress received a Memorial from Mr DeWitt, now, or lately Geographer to the Northern Army? The propositions which are contained in the Copy, which he sent me, seem founded in equity. and with respect to himself, I can assure you that he is a modest, sensible, sober, and deserving young man—Esteemed a very good Mathematician, & well worthy encouragement.2

G.W.

ALS, DLC: Jefferson Papers; LB, DLC:GW.

1Lafayette’s letter to GW was probably the one dated 11 Nov. 1783. See GW to Lafayette, 4 April 1784, n.1. The enclosed letter, presumably from Lafayette to Jefferson, has not been identified, but see Boyd, Jefferson Papers, description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. 41 vols. to date. Princeton, N.J., 1950–. description ends 7:7–8.

Index Entries