George Clinton draft autograph letter signed ("G. C.") with initials. One page, 8" x 13", Poughkeepsie, [New York]; August 17, 1778. New York Governor George Clinton drafts a war-dated letter in which he declines to approve a request for a prisoner exchange. Draft letter from Clinton to two prominent New York military and political figures, Brigadier General Abraham Ten Broeck and Jacob Cuyler, Deputy Commissary General of the Northern Department, responding to their request concerning a possible relative of Cuyler involving what appears to be a prisoner exchange. Clinton drafted his response on the verso the letter from Ten Broeck and Cuyler. Clinton's draft appears on the verso and reads, in part: "I have received your Letter of the 17th Instant. It will always afford me Pleasure to oblige you by complying with your Request if consistent with my Duty but with Respect to your Solicitations on Behalf of Mr Cuyler they or any other Consideration...cannot be consented to." Signed, "GC". The letter Clinton responded to is located on the recto and reads, in part: "At the Solicitation of Mr. Henry Cuyler...who Informs us that he is an Intire [sic] Stranger to your Excellency, & being Connected with him...& a former Acquaintance, We beg leave to Inform you that he prays for leave to Complete his Exchange for one of our friends out of New York which we understand from the Commissioners is your whishes to obtain which, he proposes with your approbation for leave to go down to New York to Endeavor to bring it about Speedily, for such a Person as you may think Proper, but if that Cannot be affected he will give Security for his return, If you Consent to it, he whishes you would order the security required." George Clinton (1739-1812) from New York, served his native state twice as governor (1777-1795, 1801-1804) and later served his country as vice president of the U.S. under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He was also a member of the New York General Assembly and a delegate to the Continental Congress. Clinton served in the military in both the French and Indian War as well as the Revolutionary War, reaching the rank of brigadier general in the Continental Army. The letter is accompanied by an engraved vignette portrait of Clinton by H. B. Hall & Sons. Abraham Ten Broeck (1734-1810) served two terms as mayor of Albany, New York (1779-1783, 1796-1798). Before his tenures as mayor of Albany, Ten Broeck was a member of the New York Provincial Congress. He served in the Revolutionary War as a colonel and later as brigadier general in the New York in the Albany and Tryon County militias. Jacob Cuyler (1741-1802) was a merchant from Albany, New York. He served in the Revolutionary War as Deputy Commissary General of the Northern Department of the Continental Army from June 1777 until July 1782. Condition: Archival tape repair to central horizontal fold. Near complete separation at lower horizontal fold. Edgewear with a few chips. Pencil notation to recto. HID03101062020 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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