George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from Alexander Martin, 24 December 1789

From Alexander Martin

North Carolina—Fayetteville December 24th 1789

Sir,

I do myself the honour to inclose your Excellency herewith a copy of an Act of the General Assembly of this State passed at their last Session at this place, “for the purpose of ceding to the United States of America certain western Lands therein described,” which your Excellency will please to lay before the honorable the Congress of the United States at their next Session.1 I have the Honour to be with the highest respect Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant2

Alex: Martin

Copy, DNA: RG 46, First Congress, Records of Legislative Proceedings, President’s Messages; LB, Nc-Ar: Governor’s Letter Book, Alexander Martin.

Alexander Martin (c.1740–1807) graduated from Queen’s College (Rutgers) in 1756, moved to North Carolina, and soon became active in politics as a supporter of the Patriot cause. After a somewhat checkered military career—he was court-martialed but acquitted for cowardice at the battle of Germantown—he served in the North Carolina legislature and briefly in the Continental Congress. Martin was elected governor in 1782, 1783, 1784, and again in 1789, serving until 1792.

1See N.C. State Records, description begins Walter Clark, ed. The State Records of North Carolina. 16 vols., numbered 11-26. Winston and Goldsboro, N.C., 1895–1907. description ends 21:697, 25:4–6.

2GW submitted Martin’s enclosure to the State Department on 2 Feb. 1790 (Tobias Lear to Roger Alden, 2 Feb. 1790, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).

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