To Thomas Jefferson from Bourdon des Planches, 29 March 1788
From Bourdon des Planches
[Paris] 29 Mch. 1788. Transmits letters from the son of the late Comte de Grasse to George Washington and the President of Congress requesting that he be admitted to the Society of the Cincinnati; has no doubt this request will be granted if TJ will attach to these letters a word of recommendation; wishes to take the occasion, also, to recall to TJ’s memory a request of his own to Congress in Dec. 1786; not having received a reply, fears his request has gone astray; in spite of the gratification an award of his claim would give, does not wish TJ to take up the matter unless there is a possibility of a favorable result.
RC (DLC); 4 p.; in French; endorsed. The enclosed letter from De Grasse to Washington, 11 Mch. 1788, telling of his father’s death and asking that he be permitted to assume the honor conferred on his father of membership in the Society of the Cincinnati, is printed in General Washington’s Correspondence concerning The Society of the Cincinnati, ed. Hume, Baltimore, 1941, p. 324; the letter to the president of Congress has not been found.
For Bourdon des Planches’ request of Congress in Dec. 1786, see his letter to TJ, 10 Aug. 1787; George Washington to Bourdon, 8 Jan. 1788 (Writings, ed. Fitzpatrick, xxix, 363).