To George Washington from Samuel Campbell, 23 April 1794
From Samuel Campbell
New York 23d April 1794
Hond Sir
Having lately printed an American Edition of the Trial of Thomas Muir, please allow a copy thereof a place in Your Library.1
Mr Muir since he received his rigorous sentence, intimated indirectly to me a desire that a Copy of his Trial might be presented to You, but was disappointed in sending out one of the British Editions.2
It is peculiarly gratifying to me, to have it in my power to accomplish his wish, in sending the present. I am most respectfully Hond Sir, yr hble Sevt
Samuel Campbell
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Bookseller and printer Samuel Campbell (1765–1836) was a native of Scotland. Formerly a partner in Hodge, Allen, and Campbell, he was now operating independently at 37 Hanover-Square in New York City. He sent GW a copy of An Account of the Trial of Thomas Muir, Esq. Younger, of Huntershill, before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, On the 30th and 31st days of August, 1793, for Sedition (New York, 1794). This book was in GW’s library at the time of his death (, 529).
2. Thomas Muir (1765–1799), a lawyer in Edinburgh, Scotland, was charged with sedition in 1793 for advocating radical political reform in Scotland and Ireland. Although he was found guilty on 31 Aug. 1793 and sentenced to fourteen years in the penal colony of Botany Bay, Australia, it was not until 2 May 1794 that he was put aboard a ship bound for this colony. He managed to escape in 1796 and eventually settled in France, where he died.