way of Elizabethtown, rather than by
Dobbs's Ferry. If there is any impropriety in the step I have taken,
I hope your Excellency will excuse it in consideration of the object
in view. I dare even to ask your Excellency to enforce my request.

I also take the liberty to request your Excellency to permit Captain
Asgill to return to Europe. The situation of his mother has been so
unhappy for some time past, that he has a sort of claim on your
Excellency's goodness.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

* * * * *

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO CAPTAIN ASGILL.[14]

Head Quarters, November 13th, 1782.

Sir,

It affords me singular pleasure to have it in my power to transmit you
the enclosed copy of an act of Congress of the 7th instant, by which
you are released from the disagreeable circumstances in which you have
so long been. Supposing you would wish to go into New York as soon as
possible, I also enclose a passport for that purpose.

Your letter of the 18th of October came regularly to my hand. I beg
you to believe, that my not answering it sooner did not proceed from
inattention to you, or a want of feeling for your situation; I daily
expected a determination of your case, and I thought it better to wait
that, than to feed you with hopes that might in the end prove
fruitless. You will attribute my detention of the enclosed letters,
which have been in my hands about a fortnight, to the same cause.

I cannot take leave of you, Sir, without assuring you, that in
whatever light my agency in this unpleasing affair may be received, I
never was influenced through the whole of it by sanguinary motives,
but by what I conceived a sense of my duty, which loudly called upon
me to take measures, however disagreeable, to prevent a repetition of
those enormities, which have been the subject of discussion, and that
this important end is likely to be answered, without the effusion of
the blood of an innocent person, is not a greater relief to you, than
it is to, Sir, your most obedient, and humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

FOOTNOTES:

[14] See other letters respecting Captain Asgill's case, above, pp.
105, 107, 128, 129, 133, 135.

* * * * *

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.