IV. Estimates of Funds Required for the Diplomatic Establishment, 1790–1791, [19 July 1790]
IV. Estimates of Funds Required for the Diplomatic Establishment, 1790–1791
[19 July 1790]
| Dollars | |
| Minister Plenipotentiary. His salary | 9000. |
| His Outfit. Suppose it to happen once in 7. years, will average | 1285. |
| His Return at a Quarter’s salary, will average | 321. |
| Extras. viz. Gazettes, translating, printing, aids to poor American sailors, couriers and postage about | 350. |
| His Secretary | 1350. |
| 12,306. | |
| Estimate for a Chargé des affaires. | |
| Chargé des affaires. His salary | 4500 |
| His Outfit, once in 7. years, equal to an annual sum of | 643 |
| His Return at a Quarter’s salary, do. | 161 |
| Extras as above | 350 |
| 5654. | |
| The Agent at the Hague. His Salary | 1300. |
| Extras about | 100 |
| 1400. |
| Dollars | |
| France. A Minister Plenipotentiary | 12,306 |
| London. Do. | 12,306 |
| Madrid. A Chargé des affaires | 5,654 |
| Lisbon. Do. | 5,654 |
| Hague. An Agent | 1,400 |
| Marocco. A Consul | 1800 |
| Presents to Foreign ministers on taking leave, @ 1000. Doll. each, more or less, according to their1 favour and time. There will be five of them. If exchanged once in 7. years, it will be annually | 715 |
| 39,835. |
| Dollars | ||
| France. A Minister Plenipotentiary. His Outfit. | 9000. | |
| His salary, suppose it to commence Aug. 1. | 8250 | |
| Extras | 320 | |
| Secretary | 1237.5 | 18,807.5 |
| Chargé. Suppose him to remain till Nov. 1. | ||
| Salary | 1,500. | |
| Extras | 117. | |
| His return, a quarter’s salary | 1,125 | 2,742 |
| Madrid. A Chargé. His Salary | 4,500 | |
| Extras | 350 | 4,850 |
| Lisbon. A Chargé (or Resident) his Outfit | 4,500 | |
| His Salary. Suppose it to commence Jan. 1. 1791. | 2,250 | |
| Extras | 175. | 6,925 |
| London. An Agent. Suppose to commence | ||
| Oct. 1. @ 1350. D. Salary | 1,012.5 | |
| Extras (@ 100. Doll. a year) | 75 | 1,087.5 |
| Hague. An Agent | 1,400. | |
| Marocco. Consul | 1,800 | |
| Presents to Foreign ministers. The Dye about | 500. | |
| 2. Medals and chains | 2000 | 2,500 |
| 40,112 |
MS (DNA: RG 59, MLR); entirely in TJ’s hand; endorsed by Washington: “Diplomatic Establishm. and Estimates.” PrC (DLC); after PrC was executed, TJ wrote following at bottom of page, not on MS: “given in to the President July 19. 1790.” Tr (DNA: RG 59, SDC); also dated 19 July 1790.
It is to be noted that the projected figures for the chargé d’affaires in France contemplated his return by 1 Nov. 1790, a clear indication that TJ supposed Washington had decided not to appoint William Short minister (see TJ to Short, 26 July 1790). It is also possible that TJ may have deliberately included the full cost of an outfit for a minister and those for the chargé’s salary and return (which would not have been required at all in the latter case or wholly in the former if Short had been named minister) in order to suggest to the president’s mind that a saving on these items might be applied to the cost of supporting a minister in London, thus appealing to Washington’s views in order to advance the nomination of Short. But this is not a probable motive.
1. TJ first wrote: “… according to their grade and favour” and then altered the passage to read as above.