From Benjamin Rush
Philada Septr 13. 1804
Dear Sir,
I am much obliged to your polite & friendly letter which I have just now received. I answer it thus promptly, to request the favor of you immediately to write to Mr Wayne to suppress the letter alluded to govr Henry, or at least the two paragraphs in it which I am accused of having acted on insinsere & inconsistent part towards the general. I mentioned the Reasons formerly, why it cannot be correct.1
To vindicate myself from the reflections thrown upon me by genl Washington, would compel me to do great violence to my present feelings to his name, and character. It would compel me further to mention several private2 military anecdotes communicated to me by persons of great respectability who were never disputed of being unfriendly to him. One of those persons was Govr Henry—tho others of them were members of his family in the years 1776 & 1777. It has been my constant wish & intention that those anecdotes should descend to the grave with me. Part of the gentlemen who mentioned them, did in habits of respect for the general. The Survivors reverate his memory.
In suppressing the letter, or passages attended to, you will prevent a great deal of pain to a large family of children, some of whom are now reading with great pleasure, the history of the general's life.
By writing immediately to Mr Wayne also to Mr John Bradford to whose friendship, I am indebted for the knowledge of the above letter, you will much oblige Dear Sir your sincere friend & most Obed. Servant
B. Rush3
Source Note
AdfS, PPL. This appears to be Rush's draft and retained copy of a letter sent to BW.
1. After the word "correct" Rush wrote the following few sentences, but crossed them out. "The impression under which I wrote continued for several months after the date of his letter to Mr Henry wch was Dated on the 27th of April. It subsided totally in the Spring and <illegible> It Afterwards subsided gradually & totally yielded to his polite & generous conduct to me at morrisown."
2. Rush originally finished the letter as follows, but crossed the entire section out, rephrasing it on the back of the page. "anecdotes communicated directly to me by & one indirectly from govr Henry[,] members of the general's family, in the years 1776 & 1777 all of which I wished to perish die with me. They all changed their opinions, and died, or still live[.] In suppressing the letter or passages alluded to you will prevent a great deal of pain, not only to me but to a large family of Children who have grown up in habits of respect for the bearer of it[.] Some of whom are now happily & attentively employed in reading with great pleasure the first volumes of his life./By writing immedy to Mr Wayne also to Mr Saml Bradford to whose friendship I am indebted for the knowledge of the above letter, you will much oblige Dr Sir your sincere friend & Hble Servt/B. Rush"
3. After his signature Rush at first included a post script, reading: "P.S. I have written to Mr Marshall the same things I have written" but he crossed it out.
Note: Because this document is only a verified first-pass transcription, it and the document metadata may still contain errors.