American Presidents: Life Portraits


A Site to Complement C-SPAN's 20th Anniversary Television Series, American Presidents: Life Portraits March-December 1999

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Letters

George Washington

In the following letter, a young George Washington writes to Sarah Cary Fairfax regarding a lag in correspondence from her.

[Fort Cumberland, Md., 7 June 1755]

Belvoir
To Mrs Fairfax,
Dear Madam

If this was your object in what manner shall I apologise for my present disobedience-
When I had the pleasure to see you last, you expressd a wish to be informd of my safe arrival at Camp, with the charge that was entrusted to my care; but at the same time requested that it might be communicated in a Letter to some friend of yours. Am I to consider the proposed mode of Comn as a polite intimation of your wishes to withdraw your corrispondence? To a certain degree it has that appearance; for I have not been honored with a line from you since I parted with you at Belvoir. If this was your object in what manner shall I apologise for my present disobedience-but on the contrary, if it was the effect of your delica[c]y, how easy is it to remove my suspicions, enliven dull hours, and make me happier than I am able to express, by honouring me with the corrispondance you had given me hope of.

Please to make my Complts to Miss Fairfax and to Mr. Bryan Fairfax to whom I shall do myself the pleas[ur]e of writing as soon as I hear he is returnd from Westmoreland. I am Madam Yr most Obedt & most Hble Servt

G.W------n

For Cumberd at Wills Creek 7th of June 1755

[The above letter is reproduced exactly as written and was obtained through the archives at the Library of Congress]

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