A Letter from George Washington,
to John Sevier, Governor of Tennessee, 31 January 1799

This is the reply to John Sevier's letter to George Washington of 25 December 1798:

Mount Vernon January 31, 1799

Sir,

      In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 25 th of December, I must observe, that as the law for raising a provisional army was not acted upon during the recess of Congress, and whether or not a similar law will be passed in the present session is very problematical.
      I have reason to believe that the president [John Adams] has already made his selection to fill the offices which had become vacant in the Additional Army. [four lines here are marked out and unreadable.]
      I am very happy to hear that a military ardor prevails in the state over which you preside, and I trust it will be directed to the support of true interest of our common country if it should ever be called into action.

With due consideration
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most obedient servant
[unsigned]

Governor Sevier
292-43
[numbers probably written by the LOC]

[The paper is folded and the outside reads:]

Schedule
A

To His Excellency
John Sevier Gov. of Tennessee
January 31, 1799