From George Washington to Richard Varick et al., 24 August 1790
To Richard Varick et al.
[New York] Tuesday August 24th 1790
The President of the United States requests the Mayor, Recorder,1 Aldermen2 and Common-council men of the City of New York to dine with him on Saturday next at four O’clock.3
L, in Tobias Lear’s hand, NHi.
This invitation was covered by a letter from Lear to Mayor Richard Varick of the same date, requesting that the mayor individually notify the gentlemen of the municipal corporation, including the clerk of the city and the chamberlain, if appropriate, of GW’s dinner invitation (NHi: George and Martha Washington Papers).
1. Samuel Jones served as the recorder of the city ( 1790, 123).
2. The city aldermen were: Nicholas Bayard, Theophilus Beekman, Daniel McCormick, Isaac Stoutenburgh, Wynant Van Zandt, John Willey, and Jeremiah Wool. Their assistants were Peter T. Curtenius, William L. Elsworth, George Janeway, Stephen McCrea, John Pintard, John Van Dyck, and Tobias Van Zandt (ibid.).
3. It is not known if City Clerk Robert Benson and Chamberlain Daniel Phœnix were invited to GW’s last supper on 28 Aug. 1790, attended by the governor, mayor, and aldermen. The president informed his guests “of his intention to visit Mount Vernon—and that he should leave the city on the Monday following—he expressed the deep sense he had of the respectful attention which the corporation in particular, and the citizens in general had shewn him personally, and as first magistrate of the United States—and added that it was with the utmost regret that he should quit a residence which had been rendered agreeable to him—Mrs. WASHINGTON appeared greatly affected on the occasion” (ibid.; Gazette of the United States [New York], 1 Sept. 1790).