Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from James Maury, 9 September 1790

From James Maury

Liverpool 9 Septr 1790

Sir

I am honored with your Letter of 15th June inclosing the Commission of Consul for this Port with which his Excellency the President has been pleased to honor me. For this flattering Mark of his Confidence I beg Leave, thro’ you, Sir, most respectfully to offer my profound Acknowlegements. But as the powers appertaining to the Consuls of the United States have not been particularly defined to me, I request such farther Informations thereon as may be needful.—I have the Honor to be with great Respect & Esteem Sir your most obt St,

James Maury

Dupl (DNA: RG 59, CD); at foot of text: “The Honble Thos Jefferson Esqre Secretary of State to the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 26 Nov. 1790 and so recorded in SJL. On verso Maury pasted a newspaper clipping quoting a dispatch in the London Gazette dated “Petersburgh August 17” announcing that on 14 Aug. 1790 preliminaries of peace and a suspension of arms between Russia and Sweden had been agreed upon, with ratifications to be discharged in six days. Maury placed the following note above this clipping: “The under is a true extract.” RC (DNA: RG 59, CD); dated 8 Sep.; endorsed by TJ as received 3 Dec. 1790 and so recorded in SJL.

Maury had been in correspondence with TJ during the 1780s and understood naturally enough that the Secretary of State desired authentic political information from consuls, hence the clipping attached to the duplicate.

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