Broadside from William Hartshorne & Company, 1 April 1793
Broadside from William Hartshorne & Company
Alexandria. [Va.] April 1, 1793
George Washington Esqr.1
we request your attention to the foregoing circular from the late firm of HARTSHORNE and DONALDSON, and to assure you our best endeavours shall be exerted to merit the recommendation there given.2—Our Exports consist of Flour, Bread, Wheat and Indian Corn, these are the principal; besides these we have some Tobacco, Pine Plank, Shingles, Staves and Hemp. Flour and Bread may be had at all seasons; the time for shipping Wheat is generally from November till April; Indian Corn from January till December, when the new Crop is gathered, but not fit to ship.—The articles imported here, that may be conveniently sold on Commission, are Sugar, Teas, Rum, Molasses, Coffee, Wines, Salt, Raw Hides, Tanned Leather, Sail Cloth and coarse Linens.
At foot are our different signatures to which only be pleased to attend.
The Signature of Thy3 respectful friend, Wm Hartshorne
Wm Hartshorne & Co.
The Signature of your most obedient servant, James Cavan
Wm Hartshorne & Co[mpan]y
The Signature of your most obedient servant, John Muir
Wm Hartshorne & Co.
Signed broadside, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters.
1. This salutation and the word “late” in the first sentence were added by hand to the printed document.
2. The accompanying broadside, of the same date, announced the end of the partnership of Alexandria merchants William Hartshorne and Robert Donaldson because Donaldson was “intending for Europe.” It recommended the new firm of William Hartshorne & Co., which would operate “principally in the Commission line, for which they are well qualified.” The new company consisted of “WILLIAM HARTSHORNE, who has the benefit of near twenty years experience in this country, JAMES CAVAN, who has been for some time past an active and useful assistant in our business, and JOHN MUIR [Jr.], a nephew to our ROBERT DONALDSON, who is a sober industrious young man.” This copy of the broadside was addressed to “George Washington Esqr.” and signed by Hartshorne and Donaldson (signed broadside, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters).
3. This word was written in the blank space left at this point on the broadside. Hartshorne, Cavan, and Muir each signed the document and wrote the name of the firm below their individual signatures.