From Benjamin Rush
Philada Septr 21. 1804
Dear Sir,
You have indeed misapprenhed me in supposing I intended publickly to defend myself agt the charges contained in genl Washingtons letter to govr Henry. Far from it. I had determined to submit to them in silence. To my family & friends only I intended to justify1 myself.2 Even this would have been painful, to me, for in doing so I shd not only have done violence to my present feelings, but to the habitual respect3 I have uniformly done to his illustrious character. Of this there are some proofs on record on our public papers during the last political acts of my life in the years of the formation4 of the gen. Convention & of the general's first election to the Chair of the U. States.
I neglected to mention to you formerly5 that my first interview with the general in morris county after the date of my letter to Mr Henry took place in consequence of an unexpected card to dine with him before I had waited upon him. This generous act induced me to believe he had dissmissed the remembrance of my letter from his mind, and led me constantly to pay my respects to him every time he came to Philada Afterwards. I was confirmed still more in that belief by the honor of an afternoon's visit to my family during the time he presided in the national Convention.
Of how far events, public men, or even friends do we think alike in different periods of our lives!
For your kindness in this business accept of my very sincere thanks. To a man disgusted as I have long been with6 public pursuits, anxious for retirement, & wishing7 to pass the small remnant of my days unnoticed by the world, the favor will be remembred with the most grateful emotions. from Dr Sir your sincere & obliged friend
Benjn Rush
Source Note
AdfS, PPL. This appears to be Rush's retained draft of a letter sent to BW.
1. Rush first wrote "mention" after the word "to" but crossed it out.
2. After the word "myself" Rush began and crossed out another sentence: "A public justi[ficatio]n would not only have been useless, but it wd have involved me in."
3. In place of the word "respect" Rush first wrote "language of [...] homage" and "opinions & language" of homage but crossed these words out.
4. Rush first wrote "establish" in place of the word "formation" but crossed it out.
5. After the word "formerly" Rush first completed the paragraph as follows: "two facts which <illegible> 14 months After the date of my letter to Mr Henry business carried me to Morris where the Armenian Army then lay. will Before waiting upon the Genl I recd a letter word from to Dine with him. This polite & unexpd gen. Act induced me to believe he had generously dismissed the remembrance of my letter from his mind. In consequence of it I constantly paid my respects to him when he came to Philada & was hond with a visit from him during the time he presided in the Natl Convention."
6. Rush initially finished the letter, following the word "with" with "being too long an object of public attention, & since the year 1793 the subject of persecution under depression for unpopular medical opinions & anxious to" he then wrote the words "pass" "descend" and "fly" before settling on "anxious for retirement."
7. After the word "wishing" Rush initially wrote "finally to descend to the grave."
Note: Because this document is only a verified first-pass transcription, it and the document metadata may still contain errors.