IX. The President to the Secretary of State, 19 March 1791
IX. The President to the Secretary of State
March 19th. 1791.
The President concurs with the Secretary of State in opinion that, circumstances make1 it advisable to commit Mr. Short and the Marqs. de la Fayette to press in a discreet manner our Settlement with the Court of Spain on a broader bottom than merely that of the case of Ste. Marie, and authorises him to take measures2 accordingly.
Go: Washington
RC (DLC); addressed: “The Secretary of State”; endorsed by TJ as received 19 Mch. 1791. Entry in SJPL for that day reads: “G. W. to Th: J. on a settlement with Spain.” Dft (DNA: RG 59, MLR); containing two differences as noted below; docketed by Lear. FC (DNA: RG 59, SDC); text agrees with RC.
1. Dft reads “render.”
2. Washington first wrote “write to him” in Dft and then altered the passage to read as above.