From George Washington to John Eccleston, 6 September 1793
To John Eccleston
Philada 6th Septr 1793.
Sir,
By the post of Wednesday last, I enclosed you an answer to an address of the Landholders & other citizens of the county of Dorchester.1
An answer to this address had been before transmitted to you; and the address having, without my knowledge, been put into the hands of Mr Murray, on it’s being returned, received a second answer, without my adverting to the circumstance of it’s being already answered.2 This explanation will be sufficient to show you, why two answers were given to the same Address. I am Sir &c.
Go. Washington
LB, DLC:GW.
1. See GW to Eccleston, 4 Sept., and n.1.
2. Neither the transmittal of the address to Maryland Congressman William Vans Murray nor Murray’s return of the address to GW has been identified. GW’s earlier answer to the address was published in the Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia), 4 Sept.: “YOUR approbation of the measure which I have taken to declare to the world the Neutrality of the United States, towards the belligerent powers of Europe, gives me sincere pleasure. And it is no less pleasing to me to observe the disposition which you manifest to preserve our country in a state of peace, as the only means of promoting our national prosperity, and ensuring a continuance of those blessings which our country enjoys in an eminent degree.”