To James Madison from Richard Forrest, [2 March] 1811
From Richard Forrest
Capitol Hill
Saturday Night. [2 March 1811]
Dear Sir,
Judge Anderson seems to think that, some doubts exist respecting the situation of my nomination.1 Some of the Members think it still in the possession of the Senate, and others that a new one must be made, and as tomorrow is the last day, he conceives it would be well to have it ready in case it should become a question, for the new one to be used only in case of need. I think there is no doubt of the result.
I have sent my Son up to inform ⟨you⟩ of the real state of the case, and beg you to stand by me in this last extremety. I remain most sincerely Your obt. Servt.
Richd. Forrest
RC (NN). Damaged by removal of seal. Date assigned on the basis of internal evidence (see n. 1).
1. JM’s nomination of Forrest to be consul at Tunis on 22 Dec. 1809 had been the subject of hostile editorial comment in the Baltimore Whig, and on 1 May 1810 the Senate had resolved that the appointment was neither necessary nor expedient. On 3 Mar. 1811 JM responded to Forrest’s request by nominating him to be consul at Tripoli and replacing his nomination to Tunis with that of George Davis of New York. The Senate refused to give the president’s message a second reading and ordered it to lie on the table (, 2:132, 139, 140, 147, 154, 174; see also , 2:248, 325).