Certificate for William Jackson, 12 June 1793
Certificate for William Jackson
[Philadelphia, 12 June 1793]
I do by these presents certify, that, Major William Jackson has served in the Armies of America to the Southward, in the War between this Country & Great Britain—and (although his situation was too remote from mine for me to speak with decision of his conduct from personal observation⟨)⟩—yet I have no reason to doubt his having acted with distinguished reputation as an Officer.1 In Autumn of 1789 he became a member of my family, and remained therein until the beginning of the year 1792; during which time, his honor & integrity stood unimpeached in my estimation nor have I heard any thing since injurious to either. His leaving my family was an act of his own, proceeding as he has declared, from a desire to establish himself in some more permanent Walk.2 Given under my hand this 12th day of June 1793.3
Go: Washington
ADfS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DLC:GW. The text in angle brackets is from the letter-book copy.
1. For Jackson’s military and early legal careers, see his letter to GW of 19 April 1789 and source note.
2. For Jackson’s resignation as GW’s secretary, see GW to Jackson, 26 Dec. 1791, and note 1.
3. On this date GW wrote a letter of introduction for Jackson to Gouverneur Morris, the U.S. minister to France: “Major Jackson, with whom you are very well acquainted, is about to embark for Europe on business unknown to me having made no enquiry respecting it.
“It is natural to do so and of course I presume he will call upon you, in which case, I beg leave to recommend him to your civilities as an old acquaintance.” GW wrote a similar letter to Thomas Pinckney, the U.S. minister to Great Britain (both letters are ADfS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DLC:GW, and the letters in DNA: RG 59 appear on the reverse side of the ADfS of the certificate).