To George Washington from Henry Lee, 13 February 1794
From Henry Lee
Richmond [Va.] febry 13th 94
my dear sir
Some time ago on a rumour that the collector for the rappahannock district was about to decline his office I took the liberty to bring to your view Mr Francis Brook as a gentleman extremely well qualified in my opinion for that office.1
I mentioned then the reasons which influenced my judgement & inclination, & will not now detain your time by a repetition of them.
Persuaded you will consult the public good entirely in the appointment, I am satisfied that Mr Brook will not escape your attention if on full enquiry you consider him most proper & on no other p[r]inciple do I commend him to your notice.
I had the honor to receive your letter in reply to mine just before your return to Philadelphia; & will when a fit occasion offers again trespass on your indulgence.2
Permit me to congratulate you on the return of your natal month & to wish you every happiness this world can afford. I have the honor to be sir with most affec: respect unalterably yours
Henry Lee
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. No previous written letter from Lee to GW recommending Francis T. Brooke for appointment as the collector of customs for the District of Tappahannock, Va., has been identified. On the creation of a vacancy in this post, see Hudson Muse to GW, 27 Jan., and n.3. For GW’s subsequent appointment of Laurence Muse to this position, see GW to U.S. Senate, 5 March. For another letter recommending Brooke, see Alexander Spotswood to GW, 15 Sept. 1793.
2. For these letters, see Lee to GW, 7 Oct., and GW to Lee, 16 Oct. 1793. GW left Mount Vernon on 28 Oct., after an extended visit there due to the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia that fall, and on 1 Nov. he arrived at Germantown, a village outside Philadelphia where he took up temporary residence (, 241).