George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Isaiah and Alexander Thomas, 24 October 1798

From Isaiah and Alexander Thomas

Walpole, N.H. Oct. 24 1798

Sir,

As a specimen of literary and miscellaneous “folio of four pages,” printed weekly in this place, we send you the paper which accompanies these. Do us the honour to accept of the numbers as they are published. We have a laudable ambition of numbering so worthy a Man among our readers.1 With profound respect, We are Sir, Your obedt & humble servts

Ish & Alexr Thomas

LS, DLC:GW. Docketed by Tobias Lear: “Answd Novr 20 98.”

Isaiah Thomas (1749–1831) was a leading American printer of his day and founder of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Mass., where he lived. From 1798 to 1809 he published the Farmer’s Weekly Museum with Alexander Thomas (d. 1809) in Walpole, New Hampshire.

1GW responded from Philadelphia on 20 Nov.: “Gentln I have recd your polite letter of the 24th Ulto requesting my acceptance, as they may be published, of the number of your literary & miscellaneous paper.

“I cannot, consistently with a rule I have prescribed to myself, accept your paper as a present, but, as I wish to promote, as much as is in my power, these publications which may be useful & beneficial to our Count[r]y, I beg you to consider me as a subscriber to your ⟨paper⟩, which you will be pleased to send me accordingly, directed to Mt Vernon, and be pleased to let me know the terms of subscription, and to whom I shall make paymt. I am Gentl. Yr mo. obdt st G. Washington” (retained copy, ViMtvL).

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