George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 11 August 1793

From Thomas Jefferson

[Philadelphia] Aug. 11. 1793.

Th: Jefferson with his respects to the President, begs leave to express in writing more exactly what he meant to have said yesterday. a journey home in the autumn is of a necessity which he cannot controul after the arrangements he has made, and, when there, it would be his extreme wish to remain. but if his continuance in office to the last of December, as intimated by the President, would, by bringing the two appointments nearer together, enable him to marshal them more beneficially to the public, & more to his own satisfaction, either motive will suffice to induce Th: J. to continue till that time.1 he submits it therefore to the President’s judgment, which he will be glad to receive when convenient, as the arrangements he had taken may require some change.2

AL, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; AL (letterpress copy), DLC: Jefferson Papers; AL (letterpress copy), DLC: James Madison Papers; LB, DNA: RG 59, George Washington’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State.

1On Jefferson’s original intention to resign as Secretary of State and return to Virginia no later than the Fall, see Jefferson’s Notes on a Conversation with GW of 7 Feb. 1793. On Jefferson’s planned visit to Virginia and preparations for his permanent departure from Philadelphia, see Jefferson to James Madison, 25 Aug. 1793, Jefferson Papers description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. 41 vols. to date. Princeton, N.J., 1950–. description ends , 26:756. For Alexander Hamilton’s intention to resign at the close of the first session of the Third Congress, see his letter to GW of 21 June 1793.

2For GW’s reply, see his letter to Jefferson of 12 Aug. 1793.

Index Entries