From Thomas Jefferson to Jacob Wagner, 2 October 1801
To Jacob Wagner
Oct. 2. 1801.
Th: Jefferson, with his compliments to mr Wagner returns him Forman’s & Chancellor Livingston’s letters. the moment the gentleman returns who went express to the Secretary of state, the ultimate dispatches for Chancellor Livingston may go off. there seems to be an enquiry in his letter, as to the person to whom he is to address himself in pecuniary matters, which it is important to answer, & probably mr Wagner can answer it to him. mr Wagner can also inform him that a mr Gantt is appointed Commercial Agent at Nantes, but that the agency of L’Orient is still vacant, & that the Secretary of State shall be reminded of the Chancellor’s recommendation of mr Patterson.
Th: Jefferson asks the favr. of mr Wagner to make him out a list of all commissions given out since the 29th. of July, as he has not noted them himself since that date. the Commission of Marshal for the Western district of Virginia was filled up for Andrew Moore Aug. 8.
RC (DNA: RG 59, MLR). PrC (DLC); at foot of text in ink: “Mr. Wagner.” Enclosure: Robert R. Livingston to Madison, 16 Sep. (, 2:117–19). Other enclosure not found.
Gentleman Returns: Hazen Kimball (see Madison to TJ, 3 Oct.).
Mr Wagner can Answer it: on 2 Oct., Wagner wrote Livingston, responding to the queries in Livingston’s letter to Madison of 16 Sep. and transmitting his “commission and instructions as Minister Plenipotentiary to the French Republic” and other papers. Wagner noted that Madison had not yet returned to Washington and that he was writing under the “President’s directions.” Wagner informed Livingston that his accounts were “to be regularly and punctually transmitted by duplicate for settlement with the Treasury at the end of every quarter” and that he could draw upon the secretary of state for the whole or any part of his outfit—set at $9,000, his salary for one year—before he departed. In France, Livingston was to draw on the bankers at Amsterdam for his salary and authorized expenditures. Wagner enclosed a letter of credit for that purpose directed to Willink, Van Staphorst, & Hubbard (RC in NHi: Robert R. Livingston Papers; in an unidentified hand, with closing, signature as chief clerk, and address in Wagner’s hand; endorsed by Livingston as from Wagner in the absence of the secretary, “relative to accounts &c.”).
TJ appointed Thomas T. Gantt of Maryland as commercial agent at the French port of Nantes in place of John J. Waldo, a late-term appointment. The commission is dated 20 July, but TJ recorded the appointment on his lists at 7 Nov. Chancellor’s Recommendation: William Patterson of New York received the appointment as commercial agent at the French port of L’Orient with a commission dated 16 Oct. The appointment appears on TJ’s lists at that date with the note that he was replacing Turell Tufts, a late-term appointment (both commissions in Lb in DNA: RG 59, PTCC; Vol. 33:173n, 672, 677).