To George Washington from William Young, 11 May 1789
From William Young
New Brunswick, State New Jersey
the 11th of May 1789
Sire,
Encouraged by the good Wishes and Persuasions of my fellow Citizens, I presume to address your Excellency, and to offer myself as a Candidate for the Collectorship of this State; my Conduct and Character as a Citizen is well known; and I trust will bear the most strict Investigation, for which, and with respect to the Abilities necessary for the Office, I humbly beg leave to refer your Excellency to my Friends, the Hon’ble Mr Paterson, senator from this state, General Stephen Moylan and any of the respectable Merchants of New York and this state, from whom I am offer’d written Testimonials if necessary, I forbear, however, troubling your Excellency with those at present, and if you should be pleased to appoint me, my utmost Abilities shall be exerted for the faithful Discharge of the Duties of the Office.1 I have the Honor to be with the most profound Respect sire Your Excellency’s most devoted and most obedient Servant
William Young
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. On 31 May Stephen Moylan, who had served as an aide to GW and as quartermaster general during the Revolution, wrote GW in support of Young’s petition: “I will not take up much of your time Sir in my Congratulations on your being elected President of the United States. they are Sincere, they come from the heart. My liveing Some distance from your rout to New York induces me to request the favor of Mr Young to deliver this to you. he is anxious to be introduced, I take this oppertunity of doing it. I have had the hapiness of Some years acquaintance with this gentleman, he means to offer himself a Candidate for the Collectorship of New Jersey. I know he is posessed of every requisite ability to fill it with honor, and wish with all my Soul he may get it—the many applications of this Sort with which you must necessarily be troubled prevents my offering myself for any office. all I can Say on this head is that I am ready and willing to Serve the United States to the best of my abilities” (DLC:GW). Young did not receive a federal post.