To George Washington from Théophile Cazenove, 25 June 1793
From Théophile Cazenove
Baltimore 25. June 1793.
Sir
On my return from my house, at Alexandria, I learnt that a letter, transmitted to me, here, for your Excellency, from Madame de la Fayette, had been put into the post-office. As I am desired, by my friend in England, through whom it was sent me, to inform him, whether it reached your Excellency’s hands, I beg leave to request you will deign to let me know, whether you received that letter: and, if your Excellency think it proper, that your answer to Madame de la Fayette should be forwarded, through my channel, I will readily take charge of it.1 I have the honor to be, with respect, Your Excellency’s most humble, and most obedient servant
Cazenove
L, DLC:GW.
1. For the recently received letter and its transmission by Englishman John Dyson, see Marquise de Lafayette to GW, 12 Mar. 1793, and note 5. GW enclosed his reply to the Marquise de Lafayette of 13 June 1793 in a letter to Gouverneur Morris of that date. On 3 July, Tobias Lear wrote to Cazenove from Mount Vernon: “I am directed by the President of the United States to acknowledge the receipt of your letter to him, dated the 25th ultimo; and to inform you, that the President has received a letter and duplicate from Madame de la Fayette—through the hands of a person in England to whose care it was committed; but whose name the Presid. does not now recollect, not having the letter with him at this place; but he thinks it was a person who had lived in the family of M. de la Fayette. Whether this is the letter which you mention to have been transmitted to you or not, the President cannot tell, as you do not mention the name of your friend in England to whom it was sent to you: He has however a proper sense of your politeness in informing him of the transmission of the letter—as well as offering to remit an answer to Madame la Fayette through the same channel—And in presenting his thanks therefor he directs me to inform you that an answer to the letter which he recd has already be[en] sent—through the safest channel he then knew of” (DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters). The interior address reads, “Mons. Casenave Baltimore.”