17 November 1789

Barrett, Samuel, 1739-1798

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to Henry Knox]

Asks the recipient, likely Knox, to pass an enclosure (not included) to George Washington. Hopes that Washington will consider him for the position of "collecting the Duties of Excise in case Congress, assuming the State Debts, shall see fit to form such an Establishment." Asks for Knox to recommend him to Washington. Recipient inferred (refer to GLC02437.04200 and GLC02437.04219 for related documents).

GLC02437.04416

January 31, 1790

Talbot, Silas, 1751-1813

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

A copy of Talbot's letter to Washington, which Talbot is now forwarding to Henry Knox (see GLC02437.04490). Applies to Washington to his "being again employed in some public service in case any should offer, in which I might be thought adequate to the performance of," and hopes in particular to obtain the position of Harbor Master of New York City, as "new arrangements will probably take place in some or all of the principal Harbours in the United States ... " Notes he can forward letters from General's [John] Sullivan and [Horatio] Gates attesting to his abilities and character. Noted as a…

GLC02437.04491

February 11, 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Wishes Washington a happy birthday, "permit me my dear dear friend to felicitate you on the return of your birth day." "I do not wish you long life as the greatest blessing, believing strongly the immortality of the mind, and that the next grade of existence will present you with joys highly superior to any attendant on the best possible situation in this."

GLC02437.04508

17 April 1790

Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Signed in text. Note left for Knox as he was not home when Bourne came to call. States that he wanted to discuss with Knox about "when the foreign arrangments [sic] will take place..." Asks Knox to speak to the President, George Washington, on his behalf regarding his candidacy for a position abroad in the public agency. Date previously inferred, added later in pencil. See GLC02437.04587 for Knox's response to Bourne's letter.

GLC02437.04585

17 April 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Sylvanus Bourne

Replies to Bourne's letter (GLC02437.04585) that he received earlier that morning. Says that he will assist Bourne with his pursuits (an appointment abroad in the public agency) and gives him advice on how to best handle the business. Recommends Bourne expresses his desires on paper before seeking assistance from the President, George Washington, or the Secretary of Treasurer, Alexander Hamilton. Mentions his wish to have the Flucker estate settled as soon as possible.

GLC02437.04587

20 June 1790

Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions acquaintances who recently arrived from Switzerland. Notes that they saw George Greene, presumably George Washington Greene, in Paris for one day. Encloses a letter from George to Mrs. [Catharine] Greene (letter not included) and asks Knox to transmit the letter to her.

GLC02437.04632

July 1790

Moultrie, William, 1730-1805

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Writes to Washington on behalf of the South Carolina branch of the Society of the Cincinnati to complain that the Secretary General "is not sending forward in proper time the notice required by the letter from the Chairman of their standing Committee & address'd to him dated the 2nd March 1790." States that by this action, the Secretary General is not showing the Society any respect; they feel justified in asking for an explanation. As a result, their branch has been "unrepresented in the last Financial meeting, but they have been precluded from having that general communication with…

GLC02437.04664

7 August 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: to George Washington

A draft of a letter to Washington from Secretary of War Knox sketching out elements of a treaty with the Creek Indians. Signed a public treaty with the Creeks, represented by Alexander McGillivray and all the Creek leaders able to attend. Additional, private articles were signed by McGillivray on behalf of the Creek Nation. Reports that since recent negotiations had failed to produce a peace treaty, and since the informal truce had almost expired, the government felt it necessary to take up new negotiations to protect settler families. Discusses the issues at stake in the negotiation,…

GLC02437.04673

14 September 1790

Bowles, Ralph H., 1757-1813

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Bowles asks Secretary of War Knox for assistance in obtaining the post of collection officer for the port of Machias. Bowles does not want to bother President George Washington about this. Bowles lists his credentials as a former soldier and good citizen of Washington County.

GLC02437.04728

23 September 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Secretary of War Knox informs President Washington that "the differences between England and Spain have been accommodated." Signed "HK." Knox's retained draft.

GLC02437.04732

22 December 1790

Barrett, Samuel, 1739-1798

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Barrett wants to know "(in confidence)" from Knox whose idea was behind a recent speech President Washington made in which he "introduces the Subject of the Consular Convention to the Consideration of Congress." Barrett asks for advice about when he should resubmit an application to the President.

GLC02437.04805

3 April 1791

Cobb, David, 1748-1830

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox that his son, William Gray Cobb, "thou by a wrong name" has accepted a military commission offered to him by President George Washington. Says he hopes to build a canal and believes that it may interest Knox as well. Asks Knox to send an engineer to survey the county for the project. They are competing with other canal companies in New England. Says, "what makes it a matter of greater consequence at this time, is, that the Company at Hartford have now, on the Files of our Genl Assembly, an Act, to empower them to clear the Falls on Connecticut River within the Commonwealth, which…

GLC02437.04897

May 29, 1791

Behague, Jean Pierre Antoine, comte de, 1727-1813

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to George Washington [in French]

The letter, which is in French, appears to be about the request of several French officers to join the Society of the Cincinnati. Behague, Governor of the French Windward Islands, requests a diploma for himself and for Fressinaux from the Society of the Cincinnati. Also sends his regards and pleasantries to Washington. Includes, on page 2, a copy of the text of a letter from Lafayette to Behargue. Recipient inferred from content of this letter and from another letter (GLC02437.05115) written by President George Washington's secretary William Jackson, dated August 12, 1791.

GLC02437.04963

10 June 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Adams

Written by Secretary of War Knox to Vice President Adams. Thanks Adams for his hospitality at Bush Hill. Mentions criticism of Adams's travels in the Connecticut and New York newspapers. Comments on the "political heresy [of the] American edition of [the] payne pamphlet mentioned in the preface." This is a reference to Thomas Jefferson's endorsement of Thomas Paine's "The Rights of Man," in which he conflated the spirit of the American Revolution of 1776 with that of the French Revolution of 1789. Knox says "he has assured me that the note he wrote to the printer never was intended for…

GLC02437.04986

19 June 1791

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Vice President Adams to Secretary of War Knox. References Knox's letter of 10 June. Is happy Knox is pleased with his situation at Bush Hill. Hopes to hear soon "of the Birth of a peaceable son of Mars." Says he did not know about the paragraphs in the New York newspapers. Just heard of the "Lyes" from New Haven yesterday. Does not think the criticism originated with Roger Sherman or Ezra Stiles. Says "The Preface to [Thomas] Paines Nonsense has occasioned much Speculation. It is thought rather early for Electioneering. My head I thank God is not easily diverted from its…

GLC02437.05014

26 September 1791

Belcher, Andrew, 1763-1841

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes, "It is often matter of great Regret... that it was out of my power to improve & to cultivate so much as I cou'd have wish'd, the Acquaintance I was honor'd with in your Family & to be recognized by Mrs. Knox as a near Relation." Introduces the Reverend Doctor Brown, a clergyman in the Church of Scotland, noting that he is "of unblemish'd Character and the fairest Reputation; a Man of great & superior Talents, of strong sense, great Ability, Science, Genius and profound Learning." Hopes Brown can be introduced to [George] Washington, [Alexander] Hamilton, and Pennsylvania…

GLC02437.05169

8 August 1789

Breck, Samuel, 1747-1809

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Left some of his books and other items in New York during his last visit. Asks if he could trouble Knox to forward them privately to Boston. Describes some of the items. Sends his respects to Mrs. Knox and their family. "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.04322

August 1789

Brooks, John, 1752-1825

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that he has not composed a letter to Knox for awhile in order not to interrupt the business of his office, and also, in order not to be a burden. Discusses his poor financial prospects and wishes for a government appointment. Asks Knox about his prospects for receiving a position, now and in the future. He and his wife send their respects to Mrs. Knox. Date taken from docket.

GLC02437.04346

16 September 1789

Bowdoin, James, 1726-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that their friend Mr. [Nathaniel] Barrett, the bearer of the letter, is applying to the President for the position in the Consulate of France. Relates that Mr. Barrett lived in France as a merchant and would be well-suited for the position. Hopes that if Knox agrees that Mr. Barrett is a good match for the position, he will second the nomination.

GLC02437.04359

27 September 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Carrington

Has received his last letter. Believes that highly respectable people have sought and been appointed to the position of Marshal, and congratulates him on his appointment to that office. Adds that the President supports his nomination. Mentions that his wife Lucy is ill and grief-stricken after the death of their child. Also discusses content of newspapers.

GLC02437.04366

27 September 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sylvanus Bourne

Received his recent letter. Did not reply because he expected to see Bourne in New York. Discusses appointments to the position of Marshal, and provides advice about Bourne's political career. Briefly comments on the Waldo patent lands.

GLC02437.04368

29 September 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Clymer

Discusses a map of the Susquehanna. Reports that someone has been hired to make a copy of the map.

GLC02437.04372

15 October 1789

Checkley, Elizabeth, fl. 1788-1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Asks for Knox's financial assistance. Explains that she was "left a widow with six young Children, whose whole support depended on the exertions she could make..." Mentions that she is a creditor to the Flucker estate and hopes Knox can hasten the estate to pay her what they owe.

GLC02437.04388

25 October 1789

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Opens by thanking Knox for his role in obtaining Carrington a presidential appointment [as marshal of Virginia]. He then discusses the French revolution, writing that "[t]he Revolution in France is as singular as it is important to the cause of Liberty. It is perhaps the first instance in the History of Nations of a King & his people uniting to extend the Rights of the latter in abridging the power and privileges of the Nobles. The Common tendency of Revolutions founded in a [sense] amongst the people of oppression from the Nobility has ever been to an implicit surrender of every thing…

GLC02437.04396

9 November 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Robert Aitken

Based on an agreement with David Ramsay, Knox was supposed to have sent Aitken a list of general and field officers to be published in the appendix of Ramsay's book, History of the American Revolution. He had another person working on the list for over two months, and upon review found the list too erroneous to publish. Also thinks the list would offend many, as it did not take into consideration those who left the service before the end of the war. Intends to let Ramsay know his reasons for not sending the list (refer to GLC02437.04778).

GLC02437.04411