To Thomas Jefferson from Robert Smith, 27 March 1804
From Robert Smith
Navy Deptmt March 27. 1804
The President
The motion for abolishing the office of Lt. Colo. Commdt. of the Marine Corps having been rejected, I take the liberty to enclose a nomination for that office. The Gentleman proposed is now the senior officer of the Corps.
Robt. Smith
FC in Lb (DNA: RG 45, LSP); in a clerk’s hand. Enclosure: suggested message to Senate, “Gentlemen of the Senate, I nominate Franklin Wharton, now Senior Officer in the Corps of Marines, to be Lieutenant Colonel Commandant of the Marine Corps” (FC in Lb in same, subjoined to letter).
motion for abolishing the office: following failed attempts by the previous Congress, Michael Leib of Pennsylvania introduced a bill on 2 Dec. 1803 that reduced the number of officers in the Marine Corps and eliminated the position of commandant. The House passed this measure on 13 Feb. 1804, and the Senate rejected it the following day. On 23 Feb., the House again attempted to eliminate the commandant position by amending a bill on the naval peace establishment. The Senate rejected this measure on 14 Mch. By the time Congress adjourned on 27 Mch., no agreement had been reached regarding the elimination of the position of commandant ( , 13:252-3, 302-3, 640, 987-90, 1046; , 3:377; Vol. 39:484, 565-6).
the gentleman proposed: on 6 Mch., Marine commandant William Ward Burrows resigned his commission due to ill health and a congressional investigation into his public finances. In the next session of Congress, TJ nominated Major Franklin Wharton to become the commandant (; , 13:987-90; TJ to the Senate, 13 Nov. 1804).