Washington, George | Rare broadside of Washington's Newburgh Address

Washington, George

Washington's Farewell Address to the Continental Army; Washington's Last Legacy; a circular letter … dated June 11, 1783. [Philadelphia?, 1783]

Broadside (482 x 292 mm). Printed in four columns. Mounted to mat board, hinged to a mat frame with mylar window. Quarter red morocco slipcase and cloth chemise.

Extremely rare broadside edition of General George Washington’s famous address, announcing his intention to resign his command of the Continental Army and retire into private life, and expounding in detail on the serious issues facing the nascent United States government. Delivered at the army’s headquarters in Newburgh, New York, on 11 June 1783 (and sometimes called the “Newburgh Address”), this essay predates Washington’s official resignation before Congress at the end of 1783 by more than half a year, and was issued before the Treaty of Paris officially ended the War. In this instance, the circular takes the form of a public letter to the governor of Rhode Island, William Greene. It begins: “The great object for which I had the honour to hold an appointment in the service of my country, being accomplished, I am now preparing to resign it to the hands of Congress, and return to that domestic retirement, which, it is well known, I left with the greatest reluctance.”

REFERENCE

Celebration of My Country 97; Bristol B5844; ESTC W14286 (listing only 3 copies in American institutions); Sabin 101638; Shipton & Mooney 44492