George Washington Papers
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Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-12-02-0038

From George Washington to Nicholas Van Staphorst, 30 January 1793

To Nicholas Van Staphorst

Philadelphia Jany 30th 1793

Sir,

Expecting to have occasion to pay a small sum in Amsterdam, I embrace the opportunity of a Vessel sailing from hence to that place,1 to enclose you the first of Exchange, drawn by George Meade Esqr. on Henry Gildermeester Esqr.,2 in your favor, for Two thousand three hundred & ten Guilders Holland Curry at 30 days, which I wish you to retain in your hands till further advice from me.3 I shall write to you by the British Packet, which sails on the 6th of february, and will then remit the second Exchange.4 And if the Ship, by which this letter goes, shou’d not sail tomorrow, as is expected, I will write to you further on this subject by her.5 with due consideration, I am Sir, Your most Obedt Sert.

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 Brig[an]t[ine] Betsy Capt. White.”

1The ship was the Holland (GW to Van Staphorst, 31 Jan. 1793).

2George Meade was a prominent Philadelphia merchant and shipowner with whom GW dealt (Lear to Meade, 1 Jan. 1793, and source note). Hendrik Gildemeester was a partner in the Dutch firm of Gogel, Pluvinet & Gildemeester.

3GW transferred this money to a Dutch banking firm in order to assist the family of Lafayette, who had been captured by Prussian forces as he fled France in August 1792. For Lafayette’s imprisonment, see Marquise de Lafayette to GW, 12 Mar., and notes 3, 7.

4On 4 Feb., GW wrote: “You will receive enclosed the second bill of Exchange for two thousand three hundred & ten Guilders—and duplicates of my letters sent by the Ship Holland from this place—w[hic]h will point out to you my wishes respectg this sum” (Df, in Lear’s writing, ViMtvL; LB, DLC:GW). GW sent a third bill of exchange in his letter to Van Staphorst of 15 March.

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