His Own Vine and Fig Tree: Review of The Papers of George Washington: Retirement Series. Volume l-March 4-December 28,1797; Volume 2-Janual)' 2-September 15,1798; Volume 3, September 16, 1798-AprilI9, 1799; Volume4-April 20-December 15, 1799. Dorothy Twohig, editor; Philander D. Chase, senior associate editor; Beverly H. Runge, associate editor; Frank E. Grizzard, Jr., Edward G. Lengel, Mark A Mastromarino, Elizabeth B. Mercer, and Jack D. Warren, assistant editors; W. W. Abbot, editor emeritus.

Authors

Mary A. Y. Gallagher, Editor, Papers of Robert Morris

Date of this Version

9-2000

Document Type

Article

Citation

Documentary Editing, Volume 22, Number 3, September 2000.

ISSN 2476-1796 (electronic); ISSN 2167-1451 (print)

Comments

2000 © the Association for Documentary Editing. Used by permission.

Abstract

The four-volume Retirement Series of The Papers o/George Washington includes the ex-president's correspondence from March 4, 1797, the day following John Adams's inauguration as the nation's second president, until December 10,1799, four days before Washington's death. The fifth and final subset of The Papers and the third to be completed, it provides us with an immeasurably richer portfolio on the final years of Washington's life than is available from John C. Fitzpatrick's previously published The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799 (Washington, 1931-1944), While Fitzpatrick published a substantial number of the letters -written by Washington during this period, he only occasionally reproduced portions of other documents the former president generated or letters Washington received.