A Funeral Eulogy, Occasioned by the Death of General Washington. Delivered February 22d, 1800, Before the New-York State Society of the Cincinnati.

LINN, William. [George Washington].

Item Number: 120490

New York: Printed by Isaac Collins, 1800.

Rare first edition of American Presbyterian minister William Linn’s Funeral Eulogy delivered before the New York State Society of the Cincinnati upon the death of President George Washington. Octavo, disbound. William Linn was the second President of Queen’s College (now Rutgers University), serving in a pro tempore capacity from 1791 to 1795. He was also the first Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives and an outspoken Federalist. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Small inscription.

"The father of his country" and the first president of the United States, General George Washington died on December 14th, 1799 and was buried at Mount Vernon in Virginia. In his Last Will and Testament, written only months before his death, Washington left explicit directions for the emancipation of each of his 123 slaves, to be carried out after the death of his wife Martha. Legislature was passed in Virginia toward the end of the American Revolution in 1782 making it legal for slave holders to emancipate their slaves without an special action by the government. In his will, Washington left a detailed slave census as well as stipulations regarding the treatment of the emancipated slaves who were sick and elderly, orphaned children, and the binding of children to masters and mistresses who would provide them with an education. Upon his death, memorial processions were held in every major city and thousands wore mourning clothes for months; Martha Washington was known to have worn a mourning cloak for over a year.