Edward Newenham to George Washington, 6 June 1781

From Edward Newenham

Dublin June 6. 1781

Sir,

I trust Your Excellency will pardon the liberty I take in my earnest recommendation of Mr Collins the bearer of this letter; I know him, & his worthy brother—I know their principles and universal benevolence: I know their warmest wishes are for the freedom & independence of North America.

They have been with my most respected & worthy friend Doctor Franklin & he is convinced of their worth & integrity. They have ever been the friends of the lasting freedom of America: As such I most earnestly entreat Yr Excellency will receive them. In some time hence they mean to transfer their whole property, & settle in the land of freedom;1 and it is my wish to do the same.

I flatter myself that I shall in the course of two or three years pay my personal respects to Genl Washington whose character I so highly esteem & respect.2 I have the honor to be Your excellency’s most Obedt servt

Edward Newenham

Sprague transcript, DLC:GW. A docket in GW’s writing accompanies this document: “From Sr Edwd Newenham 6th June —81.” GW later recalled having received this letter (see GW to Newenham, 10 June 1784, in Papers, Confederation Series description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1992–97. description ends 1:438–40).

Edward Newenham (1734–1814), a member of the Irish Parliament from 1769 to 1797, strongly supported the American cause and during the Revolutionary War aided American prisoners held in Ireland. His reform initiatives to protect Irish manufactures as well as proposals for a commercial treaty with the United States proved unsuccessful. He opposed Catholic enfranchisement. During the 1790s, Newenham regularly corresponded with GW about Irish and European politics. He earlier had maintained a correspondence with Benjamin Franklin.

1. Either Thomas Collins or his brother James, both of Dublin, delivered this letter. Newenham had written a letter of introduction for Thomas Collins to Benjamin Franklin, U.S. minister to France, on 9 Sept. 1780 (see Franklin Papers description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds. The Papers of Benjamin Franklin. 42 vols. to date. New Haven, 1959–. description ends , 33:274–75). Thomas Collins had traveled to Paris and renounced allegiance to George III with a promise to defend the United States against Great Britain. Franklin granted passports to Collins that authorized him and others to travel from Dublin to the United States (see Thomas Collins to Franklin, 28 Sept. 1780, in Franklin Papers description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds. The Papers of Benjamin Franklin. 42 vols. to date. New Haven, 1959–. description ends , 33:338; see also Franklin to Sartine, 4 Oct. 1780, and Sartine to Franklin, 7 Oct. 1780, in Franklin Papers description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds. The Papers of Benjamin Franklin. 42 vols. to date. New Haven, 1959–. description ends , 33:369, 377–78).

James Collins arrived in New York in 1782, relocated to Philadelphia, and entered business as a merchant who sold imported articles. He represented Berks County, Pa., in the state legislature in 1791.

2. Newenham never visited GW. For another expression of his desire to meet GW, see his letter to GW, 16 Oct. 1790, in Papers, Presidential Series description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series. 21 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1987–2020. description ends , 6:564–66.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: Edward Newenham to George Washington, 6 June 1781
Author: Newenham, Edward
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 6 June 1781

Reference

Cite as: “Edward Newenham to George Washington, 6 June 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-32-02-0275. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 32, 6 May–4 July 1781, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2023, p. 366.]

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