From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 18 February 1801
To John Adams
In Senate, February the 18th. 1801.
Sir,
I do myself the honor to enclose to you a Resolution of the Senate of this day.
I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and very humble servant
Th: Jefferson
RC (DNA: RG 59, MLR); at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; in hand of Samuel A. Otis, signed by TJ. Not recorded in SJL. Enclosure: Senate resolution of 18 Feb. (same, in Otis’s hand; see below).
The Senate on 18 Feb., after receiving official notification from the House of Representatives that the presidential election had been completed, passed a resolution requesting the president of the U.S. to send Aaron Burr notification of his election to the vice presidency. In accordance with the resolution, TJ as president of the Senate signed a certificate that confirmed the opening and counting of the electoral votes on the second Wednesday in February and the subsequent breaking of the electoral tie by the House, “by all of which it appears, that Aaron Burr Esquire, of New York, is duly elected, agreeably to the Constitution, Vice President of the United States of America.” The resolution called for TJ to transmit the certificate to Adams (MS in PHi, certificate dated 18 Feb., in a clerk’s hand, signed by TJ, sealed; , 3:127–8).