George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-12-02-0307

From George Washington to Anthony Whitting, 26 March 1793

To Anthony Whitting

Philadelphia, 26 Mar. 1793. Writes that “Since writing to you yesterday I have bought a handsome1 . . . Enclosed you have the draught of an Advertisment which you may put into the Alexandria & Wincester. I have sent one to Fredericksburg—& shall lodge others as I go, at Baltimore, Annapolis, & George Town.”2

AL (fragment), NN: Washington Collection; ALS (fragment), owned (1973) by Mrs. Charles F. Post of Ridgewood, New Jersey. The cover of this letter, which is addressed in GW’s writing and stamped “FREE” and “27 MR,” is at NIC.

Jared Sparks cut this letter into an indeterminate number of pieces for distribution as souvenirs while working on his edition of Washington’s letters during the 1830s. He wrote “Washington’s handwriting” and signed his name on the fragment at NN, and he wrote “Washington’s handwriting 1793” on the cover at NIC.

1This fragment, which includes the dateline and greeting, is at NN: Washington Collection.

2This fragment, which was in private hands in 1973, includes GW’s closing and signature. In his letter to Whitting of 24 Mar., GW had indicated his intention to advertise in the Maryland and Virginia newspapers the stud services of his jackass Knight of Malta, and possibly other livestock. The advertisements were placed shortly after GW left Philadelphia on 27 Mar. for a brief visit to Mount Vernon (JPP, description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed. The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797. Charlottesville, Va., 1981. description ends 107). Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., wrote to James Angell from Baltimore on 30 March, “I am directed by the President of the U.S. who is now in this Town, to send you the enclosed Advertisement; & to request you to insert it in your Paper during Three weeks from this time” (ViMtvL). Dandridge also wrote the Annapolis printer Frederick Green on 30 March, “The President of the U.S. directs me to send you the enclosed Advertisement; and to request you to insert it in your Paper until the charges thereof amount to Two Dollars—wch sum I have deposited with mister Danl Grant for you, who will pay it as soon as a conveyance can be had to you” (ViMtvL). The advertisement appeared in the Maryland Gazette (Annapolis) and the Virginia Herald and Fredricksburg Advertiser on 4 April and the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser on 2 April. The covering fee for Knight of Malta was $12, while that for Traveller, a “full-blooded dark-bay” horse, was $6. An additional half dollar was charged for the groom. Traveller is undoubtedly the “handsome” horse GW was writing about in the first line of the letter. On 26 Mar., GW paid $200 to “Mr A. P. Morris for a stud Horse,” probably Traveller, and the following day, he paid $1 “for striking off 30 hand bills of Knight of Malta” (Household Accounts description begins Presidential Household Accounts, 1793–97. Manuscript, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. description ends ). An undated entry by Whitting in GW’s cash accounts for March 1793 indicates a payment of £1.10 for “Advertising the Knight of Malta in 5 places @ 6/” (Ledger B description begins General Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , 349).

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