To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Tudor Tucker, 5 November 1801
From Thomas Tudor Tucker
New York Novr. 5th. 1801.—
Dear Sir
The Letter of the 31st. Octo. with which you have honor’d me has been just now put into my hands, & I beg you to accept my hearty acknowledgments for the polite & friendly terms in which it is conceiv’d, as well as for the confidence you evince by the offer to my acceptance of a respectable & important station in the Government of the United States. The office is agreeable to me & I accept it with pleasure, but with diffidence; for I am sensible that my little experience in business will give me an awkwardness in any office for a considerable time. But it will be my earnest endeavour to acquire as early as possible the due qualifications & expertness in business, & I trust that my fidelity to the public interests will never be liable to impeachment. I was about to engage my passage this day for Charleston, where I have business of consequence, but the call you have made on me, renders it necessary for me to put it into other hands, & as some little time will be required for the proper arrangements, I will request of you a short indulgence, especially as Mr. Meredith’s politeness will induce him to favor the accomodation. By the end of this month at farthest it will be in my power to receive your commands at the seat of government, & I shall, if possible, shorten the time.
With perfect respect I have the honor to be Sir Your obedt. Servt.
Thos. Tud. Tucker
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 9 Nov. and so recorded in SJL.
Just now put into my hands: on 4 Nov., Robert Patton, writing from the post office in Philadelphia, notified TJ that Tucker had left Philadelphia for New York “a few days since.” He forwarded the president’s 31 Oct. letter to the New York postmaster, therefore, with instructions to inquire for Tucker at “No 18 William street” (RC in DLC; at foot of text: “The President U.S.”; endorsed by TJ as received 8 Nov. but recorded in SJL at 7 Nov.).
In response to the short indulgence Tucker requested, TJ wrote Samuel Meredith on 9 Nov., informing him that Tucker had accepted the appointment but would not be able to assume the duties until the last of the month. The president thus apprised Meredith of the “time when he can probably be relieved from his continuance here in consequence of his obliging offer to Th:J.” (RC in NN: Clymer-Meredith-Read Papers, addressed: “Mr. Meredith”; Meredith to TJ, 29 Aug.).