Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Albert Gallatin, 29 July 1801

From Albert Gallatin

Wednesday evening 29 July 1801

Dr Sir

The enclosed was delivered to me open this evening by Colo. Burr. It encloses an open letter for Mr Madison; but the whole in fact is designed for you. I had not heard that Mr Lewis the new Marshal had offered to resign. If it is thought proper that he should & he has not offered to do it, I will, if you approve of it, write to Doctor Vaughan, on the grounds of public utility, advising that step. I may do it with propriety, because his letter to you, recommending his father in law, was enclosed open to me. On that subject it is desirable that I should have your directions. The packett being delivered open to me by Colo. Burr & seeing the signature of Cesar Rodney, I guessed at the contents & asked him (Colo. Burr) his opinion. He said they seemed alive on the subject, but declined interfering.

With great respect Your obt. Servt.

Albert Gallatin

RC (DLC); addressed: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received on 29 July from the Treasury Department and “Joel Lewis” and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: Caesar A. Rodney to James Madison, Wilmington, 17 July (see below).

Rodney’s letter for Madison regarded the appointment of Joel Lewis as marshal, upon the recommendation of his son-in-law Dr. John Vaughan, who had failed to consult other Delaware Republicans. They were now protesting the appointment, and Rodney urged the administration to accept Lewis’s resignation, “agreeably to the public Will.” Rodney concluded his long postscript, dated 28 July, by reporting that he had “conversed very freely” with Burr on the subject of the marshalship. After spending an evening with the Delaware Republicans, the vice president “had an opportunity from Seeing for himself and conversing with others of discovering the real sentiment here.” Rodney wanted Burr to share the information with the administration (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser. description begins J. C. A. Stagg, ed., The Papers of James Madison, Secretary of State Series, Charlottesville, 1986–, 8 vols. description ends , 1:430–4).

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