Apr 10, 2025 - Sale 2699

Sale 2699 - Lot 37

Price Realized: $ 1,000
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500
NAPOLEON "COULD MAKE AN EASY CONQUEST OF US" WASHINGTON, BUSHROD. Autograph Letter Signed, "BWashington," to Edward Burd ("My very dear friend"), explaining his delayed reply, hoping to hear from him and [Benjamin] Rush in the future, promising to send news about Congress, and hoping that Napoléon has no designs on the U.S. because he would conquer it easily. 2 pages, 4to, with integral address leaf addressed in holograph; faint scattered foxing, short closed tear at right edge, folds. [Washington, 7 January: from postmark] circa 1804
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". . . Your letter was directed to me at Washington & I was in Virginia . . . . I did not . . . receive it until I passed through there on my way to this place. Since my return I have been obliged to apologize to my friend, Rush, in the same way. I am now established for the winter, & shall expect to hear from you & him very often. . . . [W]hen I can amuse you with the proceedings of Congress it shall be my delight to do so.
". . . All that we can hear from Europe confirms Bonapart's almost universal sovereignty & power over that continent. I wish his ambition may never extend to this country: for, I think, he could make an easy conquest of us.
". . . This was merely to . . . let you know that I am not dead. For nothing but that could effectively stop this correspondence."
On May 18, 1804, Napoléon was proclaimed Emperor of the French by the Sénat.