George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Abijah Hart, 21 April 1792

From Abijah Hart

New Haven 21st April 1792

Sir,

The establishment of a national Mint presents me an opportunity of petitioning your Excellency for the Office of Treasurer in that Department—Being disengaged from other Business, my wish will be to serve my Country, in that way, by faithfully discharging the Duties of my Station, so long as I may preserve the Confidence of the Public. My Character I submit to my friend the Hon. J. Hillhouse Esq.1 & shall gratefully acknowledge every public Favour. I am Sir, with the most perfect esteem your obedient and most humble Servant

Abijah Hart

ALS, DLC:GW.

For discussions of the establishment of the U.S. Mint and the position of treasurer, see William McCrea to GW, 27 Mar., n.1, and John Hall to GW, 19 April 1792, n.1.

By the time Hart next wrote GW, in the spring of 1796, he was a New York City merchant engaged in trade with Portugal (see Hart to GW, 13 June 1796, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters). GW nominated Tristram Dalton treasurer of the U.S. Mint in May 1792, not Hart (see GW to the U.S. Senate, 3 May [second letter]).

1James Hillhouse (1754–1832), a graduate of Yale College who had served in a military capacity during the Revolutionary War, was a member of the Connecticut state house of representatives 1780–85, the state council 1789–90, the U.S. House of Representatives 1791–96, and the U.S. Senate 1796–1810.

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