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TRANSCRIPT GLC 2437.24.054
Samuel Barrett. Letter (copy): Boston, to George Washington,
1789 June 18. 2 p.
Boston 18 June 1789.
[inserted - different hand: (Copy)]
May it please your Excellency,
When a Person who is an intire Stranger introduces himself
to another who is in every Respect his equal, there is an
Awkwardness in the Business, which it is extremely difficult
to get over; but when he does it to one in every Respect incomparably
his Superior, the Embarrassment is proportionably encreased
& higher Reasons are necessary in his Justification: Of
my Apology your Excellency will [inserted: judge,] as it will
appear in the following Detail.
Having lost all my little Capital, with the extensive Capital
& Business of the mercantile House, into which, on leaving
the University, I was, on Prospects very flattering in Point
of Property, tho very reluctantly in every other View, introduced
by my Father, & of which I was a Partner when the late
War commenced; in Consequence of our our early & decided
Attachment to the Cause of our Country, & Liberal Advances
of Money & Credit given to public Paper (to the Amount
of many thousand Pounds) previous to any Depretiation, &
in Order to prevent it; also, of the Tender made us in Payment
of very large Sums of solid Debts in depretitiated Paper –
of the Failure of some Capital & many small Debtors by
the Operation of War; – of a great Part of our Merchandize
being carried off by the British Army; & the Residue either
sold to Government for the use of our Army, or the Produce
of Sales deposited in Government Securities; – &
being thus, through the Period of the War, deprived of our
Trading Stock, & at the same Time supporting three Families
at enhanced Expences, & paying heavy Taxes as Men of Property,
while that Property was so rapidly melting in our Hands; we
found ourselves, at the Close of the War, in the last Stage
of Declension from Affluence & Independence to absolute
Poverty.
Thus situated, I made every Effort to recover my Business,
when the Peace commenced, but did not Succeed; & indeed
such a Series of Misfortunes opposed me, that every Exertion
to meliorate my Situation made it worse, untill at length
I gave over the Pursuit; & sought my Support (having happily
the Confidence of Government & of many respectable Individuals)
in public Employments: and now scantily support, that I may
the better educate, a numerous young Family, [inserted: giving
them barely necessaries & Schooling,] from the pitiful
Fees arising from the Offices of a Justice of the Peace &
a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Suffolk.
But these Employments not being sufficient thereto, even
with the most rigid Œconomy, I have been advised to make
Application for some Appointment under the Fœderal Government.
That I might conduct this Application with Propriety &
Success, I wrote to several Gentlemen in New York for Advice,
& among many respectable Friends, to Major General Knox;
whose Letter I now take the Liberty to inclose, with one from
his Excellency, Governor Hancock.
When the Judicial Arrangements are formed some Person will
be necessary to keep the Records; & it would be, thô
a laborious, yet perhaps the most suitable Office for me;
as it might be conducted without Interference with my present
Employments, & be, thô a moderate Appointment in
itself, yet an agreable [2] Addition to my Support: should
such Appointment be made permit me to sollicit the Grant of
it, or your Excellencys Recommendation to those in whose Gift
it may be.
If any Thing more suitable or beneficial presents itself
to you, your Patronage & good Offices will lay me under
the highest Obligations & it is immaterial to me in what
Line I act, if it be but reputable, & I can perform the
Part assigned me to Acceptance.
With the Candor inseperable from your Mind, your Excellency
will excuse this Application, & Detention from more important
Concerns; & if you can consistently confer such Office
as I could sustain with Propriety & to the public Advantage,
I shall from Motives of Gratitude, Honor, Patriotism, &
even Interest, endeavour to do Credit to your Patronage &
the Recommendation of my Friends, by a faithful Discharge
of my Duties.
I can with Pleasure refer for such Information as may be
necessary to his Excellency the Vice President, & to all
the Gentlemen in both Houses of the Federal Government from
Massachusetts; and to the honorable Messrs. Johnson, Sherman,
Sturges, Wadsworth & Trumbull from Connecticut: and by
particular Desire of General Lincoln, I can with perfect Satisfaction
refer your Excellency to him.
I have the Honor to be,
may it please your Excellency
Your Excellencys most obedient
& most humble Servant
Samuel Barrett
His Excellency
The President
of The United States
Notes: Published in Twohig, Dorothy et al. The Papers of George
Washington. Presidential Series v. 3: 33-35
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