Thomas Jefferson Papers
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George Washington to the Justices of the Supreme Court, [22 July 1793]

George Washington to the Justices of the Supreme Court

[22 July 1793]1

Gentlemen

The circumstances which had induced me to ask your counsel on certain legal questions interesting to the public, exist now as they did then: but I by no means press a decision whereon you wish the advice and participation of your absent brethren. Whenever therefore their presence shall enable you to give it with more satisfaction to yourselves, I shall accept it with pleasure.2

Dft (DNA: RG 59, MLR); undated; in TJ’s hand, with date, complimentary close, and names of addressees added by Tobias Lear as noted below; at foot of text in Lear’s hand: “John Jay Chief Justice James Wilson James Iredell William Paterson Associate Judges of the Sup. Court of the U.S.”; endorsed by Lear. PrC (DLC); entirely in TJ’s hand, with date added in ink as noted below. Recorded in SJPL under 22 July 1793. Enclosed in TJ to Washington, 22 July 1793. For the letter as sent by Washington under the date of 23 July 1793, which varies only in punctuation from the emended Dft, see Fitzpatrick, Writings description begins John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington, Washington, D.C., 1931–44, 39 vols. description ends , xxxiii, 28.

1. At head of text Lear added “Philada. July 23d: 1793.” At foot of text in PrC TJ added “July 22. 93.” in ink.

2. Lear here added “With sentiments of high respect I am Gentlemen Your most Ob. St.”

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    Jefferson Papers
    Title
    George Washington to the Justices of the Supreme Court, [22 July 1793]
    Authors
    Washington, George
    Jefferson, Thomas
    Recipient
    Justices of the Supreme Court
    Date
    22 July 1793

    Reference

    Cite as
    “George Washington to the Justices of the Supreme Court, [22 July 1793],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-26-02-0487. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 26, 11 May–31 August 1793, ed. John Catanzariti. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995, p. 550.]