University of Virginia Library

Washington Letters Pour Into University

From across the nation, copies of
letters written by and to George Washington
are pouring into the editorial offices
of "The Papers of George Washington" at
the University.

This recent influx of Washington
correspondence is a result of a massive

mailing campaign begun in January by
the staff of the papers which will be
published by the University over the next
20 years in a joint project with the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union.

"We knew that to have a truly
comprehensive edition, we would have to
obtain copies of the unknown number of
Washington letters now owned by libraries and
historical societies," says Donald Jackson,
editor of the papers.

Therefore, 1,820 letters were mailed to
small and medium-sized public and college
libraries and county and state historical
societies asking for photocopies of any
Washington materials in their collections.

The response was immediate and gratifying.
"Our inquiries have already uncovered 1,100
Washington manuscripts, even though less than
half the institutions have had a chance to
reply," says Mr. Jackson. "While many of these
documents are versions of Washington's file
copies, others have been previously unknown in
any form.

"The most important thing," he adds, "is
that these are receiver's copies of letters. It's
not unusual for a Washington letter to exist in
several forms: his original draft done in his own
hand or that of an aide; a letter book or retained
copy; the final receiver's copy; a transcript
made by his secretary, or one of Mr.
Washington's own revisions in an attempt to
improve his collected correspondence late in
life."

Mr. Jackson hopes that the University
edition will include as many receiver's copies of
letters as possible. According to associate editor
Dorothy Twohig, "Significant changes have
been found in comparing the file copy of a
letter and the copy actually sent."

The incoming mail contains not only copies
of letters but, in many cases, leads to where
other letters might be found public
repositories and private collections. Washington
letters have been ferreted out as far afield as
Seattle, Wash., and one correspondent mentioned
an alleged collection of Washington
letters in a castle in Lithuania.

Forgeries are also beginning to turn up.
"The staff is becoming adept at recognizing
the handwriting of Robert Spring, the principal
forger of Mr. Washington's writing," says Mr.
Jackson. Mr. Spring lived in the 19th century
and eventually served a prison term. "He's
becoming so notorious that the are persons
who specialize in collecting Mr. Spring," Mr.
Jackson adds.