From Thomas Jefferson to Napoleon, Emperor of the French, 24 August 1804
To Napoleon, Emperor of the French
I have made choice of John Armstrong, one of our distinguished Citizens to reside near your 1 in the quality of Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America. He is well apprized of the Friendship which we bear to 2 and of our desire to cultivate the harmony & good correspondence so happily subsisting between us. From a knowledge of his fidelity, probity and good conduct, I have entire confidence that he will render himself acceptable to you, and give effect to our desire of preserving and advancing on all occasions the interest and happiness of the two Nations. I beseech 3 to give full credence to whatever he shall say on the part of the United States, and most of all when he shall assure you of their friendship and wishes for the prosperity of 4 And I pray God to have5
Written at the City of Washington, the twenty fourth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four.
Th: Jefferson
FC (Lb in DNA: RG 59, Credences); in a clerk’s hand; at head of text: “Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America”; below signature: “By the President” and “James Madison Secretary of State.” FC (Lb in Rokeby Collection, Barrytown, Dutchess County, New York, courtesy of John Winthrop Aldrich); at head of text: “Thomas Jefferson President of the United States of America to His Imperial Majesty Napoleon Emperor of the French.” Not recorded in SJL.
A new commission for John Armstrong, also dated 24 Aug., left a blank for the name of the country in which he would represent the United States as minister plenipotentiary (FC in Lb in DNA: RG 59, Credences). Madison explained to Armstrong in a letter of 21 Aug.: “No regular notification has yet been received of the change which it seems certain has taken place in the French Government, nor are the new stile and title precisely known, by which it is to be addressed. All that can be done therefore in accommodation to the change, and with a view to obviate delays in your reception and your public functions at Paris, is to furnish you with a blank letter of credence and Commission, to be filled up there. On this the President has decided; and the documents in that state are accordingly herewith inclosed. He thinks it most proper that they should be communicated as you receive them to the Minister of foreign relations and filled up as he may state to be necessary or proper. This will not only guard against the possibility of error, but will be the strongest proof of the respect intertained here for the right of every nation to establish for itself what form of Government it pleases” (, Sec. of State Ser., 7:624-5).
1. FC in Rokeby Collection: “Majesty.”
2. FC in Rokeby Collection: “your Majesty.”
3. FC in Rokeby Collection: “your Majesty.”
4. FC in Rokeby Collection: “your Imperial Majesty.”
5. Both FCs end the paragraph here.