Description:

A month before he would agree to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Washington thanks a correspondent for his update on Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts

GEORGE WASHINGTON (1732-1799) Autograph Letter Signed, "Go: Washington," 1 page, 8.25" x 9", [Alexandria], "Tuesday Afternoon," [February 20, 1787], to Colonel [Jeremiah] Wadsworth (1743-1804), his former Commissary General in the Continental Army who had sent him intelligence on the progress of Shays' rebellion in Massachusetts. Partial fold separations stabilized by silking, light toning, else very good.

Washington writes in full: "I thank you kindly for sending me the enclosed. — The Post of this day, brought letter from Genl Knox to me containing similar information of yours. — The Gentleman at whose house I am (Mr. Fendal) presents his compliments to you , and desires me to add, that he should be exceedingly happy to see you at it."

Knox, Secretary of War under the Articles of Confederation, had been keeping Washington abreast on developments in western Massachusetts, which had been plagued in the fall of 1786 by angry mobs of indebted farmers closing down courts in order to prevent creditors from pressing foreclosure proceedings against them. The movement, led nominally by Daniel Shays, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, threatened to spread to neighboring states and potentially destabilize the fragile republic. In Knox's last communication to Washington, which arrived the same day as Wadsworth's, the Secretary of War wrote that he had "the great satisfaction of informing you hat this ugly affair, in in a train of being speedily and effectually suppressed...The legislature of Massachusetts convened in Boston on Saturday evening, the 4th instant. The Governors speech detailed to the progress of the insurrection – A committee was immediately appointed to consider it – who reported the existence of a rebellion, in the state...and an assurance of the utmost support to Government..." (Henry Knox to G.W., February 12, 1786, George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress). By the end of January, General Benjamin Lincoln had raised a militia of 3,000 to march into western Massachusetts, and upon hearing of Daniel Shay's abortive attack on the federal armory at Springfield, immediately marched his troops westward to meet the threat. On the night of February 3, 1787, Lincoln's men surprised the rebel camp in Pelham, Massachusetts, surprising the insurgents so that they immediately scattered—effectively ending the rebellion. Washington congratulated Lincoln for his easy victory observing that "The suppression of those tumults and insurrections with so little bloodshed, is an event as happy as it was unexpected..." (G.W. to Benjamin Lincoln, March 23, 1787, Writings, 29:81-182)

Despite Lincoln's victory over Shays, the specter of domestic insurrection had already spooked Washington sufficiently to support the organization of a convention to consider revisions to the Articles of Confederation. After Knox reported on the progress of stopping Shays in his letter of February 12, he added that "Several Gentleman in the legislature in Massachusetts to whom I wrote on the subject assure me of their hearty concurrence in the proposed convention be held next May and that they there urge the matter in the Legislature with all their might — I am persuaded that they will appoint delegates..." (Henry Knox to G.W., February 12, 1786, George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress).

The question which still loomed large in Washington's mind, and in his contemporaries', was whether he would attend the Philadelphia convention personally. If he had resolved to attend at this point is unknown, but he must have been giving the matter serious consideration, surmising that his presence would lend the convention increased legitimacy. On March 28, five weeks after this writing, Washington informed Virginia Governor Randolph that, health permitting, he would accept election to the Virginia Delegation to the proposed Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, scheduled to begin in May 1787 (G.W. to Edmund Randolph, March 28, 1787, Ibid, 29:186-188).

Washington composed the present letter from the home of Philip Richard Fendall in Alexandria, where he and Martha Washington had dined that evening. His physician, Dr. James Craik was also present at the dinner. (The Diaries of George Washington, 5:107). Fendall's house remains standing today in Alexandria.

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