George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-13-02-0378

Henry Knox to Tobias Lear, 28 August 1793

Henry Knox to Tobias Lear

[Philadelphia] August 28th 1793

Dear Sir.

Please to submit to the President of the United States, a letter from Mr Harrison district attorney of New York, and also the draft of a letter thereon to Governor Clinton1—The draft of a letter to Governor Moultrie is also submitted.2 I am—Dear Sir—Your’s sincerely—

H. Knox

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.

1The letter to Knox from Richard Harison, the U.S. attorney for the District of New York, has not been identified, but it probably contained information similar to that in a letter of 26 Aug. from Harison to George Clinton, in which Harison reported that “sundry Depositions and Papers have been laid before me which are now enclosed, and in my opinion are sufficient to shew that the Chilcomb was taken by the Caramagnole a Privateer represented to have been originally fitted out armed and equipped in the United States.

“It is also my opinion that the Captain represents the owners of the Vessel and will in their absence be entitled to receive their property in case of restitution.

“Your Excellency will Judge how far any application in this instance to the French Consul may be proper, in whose hands all the Papers of the Chilcomb are said to be deposited, and who can give information if there is any claim to hold her upon the footing of a capture by any other vessel” (N-Ar: Papers of George Clinton). On the seizure of the Chilcomb by the New York militia, see Knox to Lear, 21 Aug. 1793, and note 1. The enclosed draft of Knox’s letter to Clinton of 28 Aug. has not been identified. For GW’s response to Knox’s draft and the final version of this letter, see Lear to Knox, 28 Aug. 1793, and note 1.

2The enclosed draft has not been identified. For the letter sent, see GW to William Moultrie, 28 Aug. 1793.

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