From George Washington to Mathew Carey, 22 May 1789
To Mathew Carey
New York May 22d 1789.
Sir,
In addition to what I wrote to you formerly on the subject of a loan,1 I now inform you (and desire that this letter which conveys the information, may be destroyed as soon as read) that my utmost exertions were ineffectually used to borrow a sum of money (even at a high interest, and for me, disadvantageous terms) to comply with contracts of my own, before I left Virginia. Having made this communication, it is unnecessary to adduce further proof of my inability to comply with the request contained in your letter of the 18th instant.2 I am Sir Yr Most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, MH; LB, DLC:GW.
1. See Carey to GW, 21 April, 18 May 1789.
2. Instead of destroying it, Carey returned this letter to GW in a letter of 27 May. For GW’s angry response and Carey’s apologies, see GW to Carey, 29 May, 10 June, and Carey to GW, 4, 15 June 1789.