The Library of Congress has just opened a major exhibition on the two most famous Georges in history. “The Two Georges: Parallel Lives in an Age of Revolution,” which will be on view for a year, brings together their letters, diaries, maps, and historical artifacts. Drawing on collections from around the world, the exhibition “seeks to reveal the real men behind the myths.”
This remarkable endeavor, part of the library’s “America 250” celebration, inspired us to take a closer look at the historical documents signed by George Washington and by King George III offered at Raab. Documents signed by either man can reveal glimpses into the people and events that shaped not only a nation but a new world order, making them desirable to collectors everywhere.
George Washington
George Washington began his life as a British subject in colonial Virginia. As a planter, he felt increasingly antagonized by unfair British taxation, leading to his break with loyalism and his embrace of what would come to be known as American ideals. In turn, he would lead the Continental Army to victory during the Revolutionary War and would then serve as the first President of the United States. He was worshipped as the hero of his day, and his legacy today is largely undiminished.
Important documents signed by Washington are rare. Below are two exemplary examples from his time as President.
As George Washington began his second term as President, Vice President John Adams, in his capacity as president of the Senate, transmitted a message to Washington to congratulate him and express approval of his platform. Washington responded with a remarkable message to the Senate, filled with patriotism, affirming his steadfast devotion to his nation, his enduring commitment to the welfare of the United States, and his hope that his administration would make a positive difference to the American people.
Formerly in a major private collection, this document is historic and unique. We are aware of only one other Address to Adams and the Senate having reached the market, which was carried and sold by Raab.
“The pleasure, expressed by the Senate, on my reelection to the station which I fill, commands my sincere and warmest acknowledgments. If this be an event which promises the smallest addition to the happiness of our country, as it is my duty so shall it be my study to realize the expectation.”
In 1789, Washington signed the Judiciary Act, establishing the federal court system in the United States. The office of the United States Marshal was thereby also established, and the country was divided into sixteen districts, each to be headed by a marshal. In the document signed by Washington pictured above, the president appoints the Revolutionary War hero Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Ramsay of Maryland as one of those first U.S. Marshals.
King George
King George III assumed the British throne in 1760. Though he opposed colonial independence, Parliament was much to blame for the policies that ultimately led to both war and great losses for Britain. As the new Library of Congress exhibition demonstrates, he and Washington were close in age and extraordinarily alike in their values, perhaps making them an even match for one another in the fight that would determine the future of Anglo-American relations.
Royal autographs have been coveted for centuries, and documents signed by George III the more so, fueled by his role as the last king to rule the American colonies and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars. Below are two significant examples from his almost 60-year reign.
In the document pictured above, signed by George III in early 1805, he confirms the appointment of an ambassador to negotiate the Treaty of Saint Petersburg and thus form an alliance with Russia against the French. This “Third Coalition” was further bolstered by Austria and Sweden, and yet, within a year, the Battle of Austerlitz would result in a victory for Napoleon.
During the Napoleonic Wars, King George III Appoints the Duke of Wellington’s Military Secretary
Here again, in 1807, George III is at work on military matters, signing his approval of Henry Torrens as Assistant Adjutant General on the Staff to accompany the Duke of Wellington to Portugal during the Iberian Campaign against Napoleon. Torrens continued to rise through the ranks. This is the most important British military appointment we have ever carried.
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