From Thomas Jefferson to John Graham, 1 December 1804
To John Graham
Washington Dec. 1. 04.
Sir
I had this morning desired a person to ask the favor of you to call on me; but learnt soon after that you had left this place for Dumfries. the office of Secretary of the territory of Orleans is vacant. it requires indispensably that the person holding it should speak the French as well as English languages: the Spanish would be an useful tho’ not indispensable addition. presuming you speak French, I meant to propose this office to your acceptance. the salary is 2000. Dollars a year, & the duties are, under the direction of the governor, to record & preserve all the papers & proceedings of the executive, & all the acts of the Governor & legislative council, & to transmit copies to the President of the US. on whom also the continuance in office depends. on a vacancy of the office of governor, the government devolves on him till a new appointment. these are offices of importance & dignity: and I should hope it would not be unacceptable to you. be so good as to favor me with an answer as soon as you can & accept my salutation & assurances of esteem & respect.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (DLC); at foot of text: “John Graham esq.”
John Graham (1774-1820), a native of Dumfries, Virginia, was a resident of Kentucky when TJ appointed him secretary of the U.S. legation in Spain in 1801. He went on to serve as secretary of Orleans Territory from 1804 to 1807, as chief clerk of the State Department from 1807 to 1817, and as a U.S. diplomat in South America from 1817 to 1819. In October 1806, after rumors of Aaron Burr’s western conspiracy reached Washington, TJ sent Graham to Kentucky to trail Burr’s movements, to consult with western governors, and to arrest Burr if necessary (; Vol. 33:335; Vol. 35:190n; Notes on a Cabinet Meeting, 24 Oct. 1806).