From George Washington to Andrew E. Belknap, 8 October 1798
To Andrew E. Belknap
Mount Vernon 8th Oct. 1798.
Sir,
Your letter of the 20th Ult. came duly to hand.1 William Herbert Esqr. of Alexandria will receive, distribute, & collect the money agreeably to the subscription I sent you; but it will be necessary to accompany the Books with the original Paper, or a copy thereof for his information with respect to the subscribers; & Instructions.
You will please to recollect that I am in possession already of the first volume of the American Biography written by your deceased & worthy father, and I will just add that, if to my name is annexed more than one Copy, it was done with a view to encourage the work in continuation; more therefore would be useless to me. And if the surplus could be disposed of where they are, it would be more agreeable to me. but do as you please in this respect. I am—Sir Your Very Hble Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, PPRF; ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. Belknap’s letter of 20 Sept. from Boston reads: “The second volume of American Biography written by my father (Jeremy Belknap) is now published and ready to deliver to subscribers. As I have no acquaintance at Alexandria, I have to request of you to inform me to whose care I shall send the Books which were subscribed for on the paper which you obligingly returned some time since” (DLC:GW).