To Thomas Jefferson from Arthur Fenner, 12 May 1802
From Arthur Fenner
Providence 12th May 1802
Sir.
Permit me to introduce to you Coll Henry Smith the bearer of this Letter. He is a Gentleman of Respectable Character in this State, much esteemed by the Citizens of the Town of Providence in which he was Born and now resides He has expressed a wish of being made known to your Excellency.
Coll Smith can inform you of the result of our late Election—
I pray you to accept assurances of my high consideration & esteem
Arthur Fenner.
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “President United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 4 June and so recorded in SJL; also endorsed by TJ: “by Colo. Smith.”
HENRY SMITH was a prominent Rhode Island merchant who, along with four other Providence citizens, had sent congratulations to TJ on his inauguration. As president of the state senate, Smith succeeded Arthur Fenner as governor upon Fenner’s death in office in 1805 (Robert Sobel and John Raimo, eds., Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978, 4 vols. [Westport, Conn., 1978], 4:1334–5; Vol. 33:187–8).
For the results of the ELECTION in April 1802 in which Fenner was reelected governor for the twelfth consecutive time, see TJ to Joel Barlow, 3 May.