To Thomas Jefferson from John Gibson, 14 March 1800
From John Gibson
Pittsburg March 14th. 1800—
Dear Sir,
I recieved the inclosed letter from a Mr. Luther Martin of Baltimore, requesting me to answer the Queries therein contained. But as I am fully Convinced he is actuated by party Spirit, more than by any other Consideration, I shall not return him answer until I hear from you, in the mean time permit me to request you to send me a Copy of the last letter I wrote to you, when I shall be able to Give you a deposition of every thing, I know concerning it.
Since I had the honour of addressing my last letter to you, my affairs have Become very much Embarassed, the present prothonotary of Allegeney County is very ill and cannot possibly Survive Many days, permit me Dear Sir, to Sollicit your Interest with Governor McKean in my Behalf, a single Line from you, will Insure me the Office,* and you may rest assured that nothing Shall be wanting on my part to render myself worthy of your recommendation.
I shall Esteem myself highly honoured in Recieving a Line from you by the Return of the post.
I am, Dear Sir, very respectfully your most obedient humble Servant
Jno. Gibson
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “Honble T. Jefferson Esq.” Recorded in SJL as received on 20 Mch. Enclosure not found (see TJ to Gibson, 21 Mch.).
In requesting a copy of his last letter Gibson did not mean his most recent communication to TJ, dated 2 Feb. 1798. That letter contained no substantive information relative to Luther Martin’s recent queries to Gibson, which according to TJ’s reply on 21 Mch. related to the “circumstances” of the message that Gibson had transmitted from the Mingo Indian leader Logan to Lord Dunmore in 1774. Instead, Gibson meant his letter to TJ of 17 June 1797, which contained information Gibson used to frame a part of his deposition printed below at 4 Apr. 1800.