To George Washington from Hugh Holmes, 4 August 1785
From Hugh Holmes
Dublin 4th August 178[5]
Sir,
At a time when surrounding Nations justly applaud & admire that unremitting Valour and those great abilities which have contributed in so eminent a degree to the emancipation of your Country, And in which the Liberty of so many others seem eventually concern’d; Permit me Sir, a private Citizen of the Capital of a Nation so singularly thereby interested as the Kingdom of Ireland now is, to join in feeble Congratulation on your successfull efforts; To take the liberty of informing you, that during the Period while Victory yet stood Suspended, I then had the honor of annexing your name with mine to my Only Child; And (in Testimony of that respectfull gratitude excited by your extraordinary exertions) now to offer, A piece of our Staple Linnen Manufacture; of wch I earnestly entreat your acceptance, thro’ the hands of my Nephew & name Sake.1
Permit me further Sir, to express my wish, that you may live to see the Empire in whose Glorious Superstructure you are prov’d the great Architect, arrive at that Conspicuous Eminence, fully to gratify your most sanguine Hopes; And that you may thereto long continue an usefull Ornament—evincing thro’ your Brave Fellow Citizens an animating fervor in imitation of your Virtues; And when you discharge the great Debt of Nature, that you may Continue their boast & the Admiration of future Generations. I have the honor to be with great deference & respect Sincerely Sir Your most obedt very Humble Servant
Hu: Holmes
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW acknowledged Holmes’s letter on 10 Mar. 1786: “Sir, For the honor you have done me in calling your only child by my name, & that too, you add, when the issue of the american struggle stood suspended—I pray you to accept my best acknowledgments.
“My thanks are also due for your politeness in sending me a peice of Linen of your staple manufacture: and I am particularly indebted to you for the favorable wishes & flattering expressions of your letter to me of the 4th of August last.
“Your Country has my best wishes for the fullest fruition of every thing which is interesting to the rights of mankind—& you, Sir, that you may be a principal sharer of them, being, Your most Obt &c. Go: Washington” (LB, DLC:GW).