George Washington to Ternant

George Washington to Ternant

Papers of George Washington

A letter written by George Washington to French minister Jean Baptiste de Ternant about the disbursement of aid to the French to help them crush the Haitian Revolution.

George Washington

Founders Online: Washington Papers

Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia

24, September, 1791

Malcolm Law

Founders Online

Letter

English

Sir,Mount Vernon Sepr 24th 1791.I have not delayed a momt since the receipt of your communications of the 22d instant, in dispatching orders tothe Secretary of the Treasury to furnish the money, and to the Secretary of War to deliver the arms and ammunition,which you have applied to me for.Sincerely regreĴing, as I do, the cause which has given rise to this application, I am happy in the opportunity oftestifying how well disposed the United States are to render every aid in their power to our good friends and Alliesthe ⟨French⟩ to quell “the alarming insur⟨rec⟩tion of the Negros in Hispaniola” ⟨and⟩ of the ready disposition to effect⟨it,⟩ of the Executive authority thereof.Go: WashingtonALS, FrPMAE, France; ALS (retained copy), CSmH; LB, DLC:GW; LB (in French), FrPMAE. The words in angle brackets aretaken from the retained copy, which GW docketed: “His Excelly Mr de Tournant Ministr of France 24th Sepr 1791.”On 22–23 Aug. thousands of slaves rose up on the sugar plantations in the northern part of the French colony of SaintDomingue and threatened its chief [16] city, Cap Français. Colonial officials dispatched messengers on 24 Aug. to neighboringislands and to the United States to solicit aid in suppressing the revolt. See , , and . Ternant became the liaison between the beleaguered colonists and the federaladministration once the deputy from Saint Domingue, M. Roustan, arrived in Philadelphia (see ).For GW’s “orders” of 24 Sept. to the secretary of the treasury and the secretary of war, see , and, respectively.Cite as: The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition. CharloĴesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008.Canonic URL: hĴps://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/GEWN-05-09-02-0005 [accessed 20 Feb 2020]Original source: Presidential Series (24 September 1788–3 March 1797 [in progress]), Volume 9 (23 September 1791–29February 1792)1Samuel Wall to GW, 16 Sept., n.1 Charles Pinckney toGW, 20 Sept. Ternant to GW, 24 SeptemberAlexander Hamilton to GW, 22Sept., source n

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