To George Washington from James McHenry, 12 April 1789
From James McHenry
Baltimore 12 April 1789.
Dear Sir.
I have the honor to inclose you, in conformity with the desire of a committee of citizens of this place a copy of an address intended to be presented to you on your way to Congress.1 It is a small tribute, but I can assure you it contains nothing which every one here does not feel.2
I recd your letter of the 1st instant. I must confess your reasons are of the most considerate kind, but you did not know that my house is very large. You no doubt will be governed by circumstances, and should you stay for eight and forty hours will permit me to dispute the point with Mr Grant.
Mr Charles Thompson slept on this side the Susquehannah last night and is expected here this evening.3 With the most sincere respect and affection I am Dr Sir Your ob. st
James McHenry
Mr Thomson is arrived and leaves this tomorrow morning.
ALS, DLC:GW.
2. McHenry wrote a second letter to GW on this day repeating the first paragraph of this letter and enclosing an additional copy of the address of the citizens of Baltimore, stating that he thought “it necessary to repeat the contents by the present oppertunity to prevent any disappointment” (DLC.GW).
3. Thomson was bringing GW the certificate of his election. See Henry Knox to GW, 23 Mar. 1789. McHenry’s brother-in-law wrote to him on 8 April from Philadelphia that Thomson was in the city “in the state coach—which crossed the ferry from New York on Monday afternoon—and for the sake of dispatch—will be drawn on by post horses supplied at the different stages—for which arrangements are made” (John Caldwell to McHenry, 8 April 1789 in 117). Thomson arrived in Baltimore on Sunday evening, 12 April, and “on Monday Morning set off for Mount Vernon” (Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, 14 April 1789).