George Washington Papers
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Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-12-02-0047-0001

From George Washington to Nicholas Van Staphorst, 31 January 1793

To Nicholas Van Staphorst

Philadelphia January 31st: 1793

Sir,

I wrote to you yesterday by the Ship Holland, and enclosed the first bill of Exchange for 2310 Guilders; At the same time, I observed, that if the vessel should not sail this day, as was expected, I would write to you further on the subject of the bill. Accordingly, I have now to request that you will be so good as to convey the enclosed letter to Madame L⟨a⟩ Fayette by some safe hand,1 if you know where she is to be found, and hold the amount of the bill remitted (2310 Guilders) subject to her Order.

I have taken the Liberty, Sir, to trouble you on this business, as the place of Madame Lafayette’s residence, since she quitted France, is entirely conjectural with me; but from the vague accounts we have had in this Country it is probable that if she should not be in Holland, it would be known there where she is to be found.2 I am Sir &c.

Df, in Tobias Lear’s writing, ViMtvL; LB, DLC:GW. Lear wrote underneath the docket on the back of the draft: “Duplicate sent on the 4th Feby—by the British Packet. Triplicate sent on the 15th March by the Brgt. Betsy Capt. White.”

2On 20 Feb., GW received a letter from the marquise de Lafayette that was written at the family estate Chavaniac in south central France on 8 Oct. 1792, as was her subsequent letter to him of 12 Mar. 1793.

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