To George Washington from “A feeling Sufferer,” 7 September 1796
From “A feeling Sufferer”
New-England, Sept. 7, 1796
Much respected Sir,
Pardon the seeming Indecency of an anonymous Epistle, for which the Occasion may be some Apology.
The Growth of the City of Washington was supposed an Object near your Heart. On this Presumption, great Numbers of Tickets in the present Lottery were purchased in New-England, which the Adventurers have long since had Cause to regret. Do not suffer that unblushing, Bottle-conjuring Villain (Blodget) any longer to gull and bubble us. A bare Recommendation from you, Sir, to proceed in the Drawing with Celerity, he would not dare to disrespect.1 Yours most devotedly,
A feeling Sufferer
P.S. At a late Meeting, a Collection of the Tickets was Proposed, in order to a personal Demand being made of the Money paid for them, with Interest. This was over-ruled, in the Hope that the triple-bronzed Manager would draw more than 150 Numbers per Week. What an Insult on the People of the United States!
ALS, DLC:GW. The cover is dated 10 Sept. and bears a Providence postal stamp.
1. For the Federal City lotteries, see Commissioners for the District of Columbia to GW, 9 April 1793 (second letter), n.1. “A feeling Sufferer” is referring to the second lottery, which the commissioners had disavowed (see Commissioners to GW, 23 Dec. 1793, n.7). In the Gazette of the United States and Daily Evening Advertiser (Philadelphia) for 30 Aug. 1794, Samuel Blodget, Jr., advertised that the drawing would begin no later than December 1794. He offered 50,000 tickets for sale: 16,739 winners and 33,261 “Blanks” that would receive no prize.
Drawings did not commence until 4 July 1796, and results published for the second and third drawings (9 and 11 July) showed 150 numbers drawn and 44 prizes awarded (see Centinel of Liberty and George-town Advertiser, 8 July 1796; Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser, 16 July 1796).