Ezra Stiles to George Washington, 26 April 1781
From Ezra Stiles
Yale College [New Haven, Conn.] April 26th 1781.
Sir
As a Testimony of their most affectionate Respect, the President and Fellows of this University have this day unanimously conferred upon your Excellency the Degree of the Doctorate in Laws; of which I am now in their Name to ask your Acceptance. We cannot add to the Accumulation of Glory which shines around the Name of Washington, and which none but himself thinks unmerited. But we are ambitious of the Honor of enrolling his Name in our Registers and Archives, among those, whose Literary Merit entitles them to the highest academical Dignities. The Diploma cannot be prepared and authenticated till the next meeting of the Senatus Academicus, when it will be duely transmitted to you.1 With the highest Respect for the Patriot, the Warrior, and the Civilian, I have the honor to be Your Excellency’s most Obedient Very humble Se[r]vant
Ezra Stiles President
ALS, DLC:GW.
GW replied to Stiles from New Windsor on 15 May: “For the honor conferred on me by the President and Fellows of the University of Yale College, by the Degree of Doctorate in Laws, my warmest thanks are offered—and the polite manner in which you are pleased to request my acceptance of this distinguished mark of their favor demands my grateful acknowledgements.
“That the College in which you preside may long continue a useful Seminary of learning—and that you may be the happy instrument in the hands of Providence for raising it to honor and dignity, and making it advancive of the happiness of Mankind is the sincere wish of Sir Yr Most Obedt & most Hble Servt” (ALS, CtY: U.S. Presidents Collection; ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW addressed the cover of the ALS to Stiles at New Haven). On his draft, GW wrote a different conclusion to the first paragraph: “and for the flattering expression, in which my acceptance of this distinguished mark of their favor is required by your letter of the 26th Ulto, you will please to receive my grateful acknowledgments.” He then wrote “the polite manner in which you are pleased to request my acceptance of this distinguished” and “demands” above struck-out material.
Stiles returned to Yale College from a trip on 28 May and wrote in his diary entry for that date: “Received a Letter of Thanks from his Excelly Gen. Washington acknowledging the Doctorate of Law which we conferred upon him” (, 2:534).
1. Stiles transmitted the diploma, dated 12 Sept., when he wrote GW on 8 Dec. (both DLC:GW).