Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-16-02-0042

Peter Poinsot to Thomas Jefferson, 24 June 1820

From Peter Poinsot

Cette 24th June 1820

Monsieur

Je profite de la Goëlette Fénélon C[a]pitaine Mayhew de Fairhaven faisant voile pour Norfolk, pour avoir lhonneur de vous écrire. Je n’ai pas été assez heureux d’être favorisé du Succés de la demande que je vous ai addressée par ma lettre du 7 Juin 1819 [à] Son Excellence Mr Le Président des EU, & de celle a lui adressée par feu mon ami le General Kosciuszko, Sollicitant pour [m]oi le Consulat du Port & Ville de Cette. Plusieurs Batimens Sont venus prendre des produits du Languedoc & il [. . .] arriver de votre Continent. Cette place a besoin d’une personne de confiance pour protéger vos Nationnaux. [. . .] digne, sous tous les rapports, de la mériter & dêtre à même d’occuper cette place, de la representer avec honneur & dist[in]ction. Mon cousin le General Poinsot étant à Paris S’est offert à Monsieur Gallatin pour la caution des $2000– exigible for [. . .] execution of the office. Permettez moi de vous donner une Copie litérale que Mr Barnet, Consul à Paris, me dit [. . .] à Monsr Le Secrétaire dEtat

=to my letter to the Secretary of the Sta[te o]f the 19 June 1819 I [. . .] compliance with the request of Mr Peter Poinsot now at Cette and a naturalized Citysen of the U.S. to [repeat?] his desire of being appointed Consul of the United States for the district of Cette. You may recollect how Strongly M Poinsot [was] recommended by the late Gal Kosciuszko his particular friend, in a letter to the Président written a Short time before his death [. . .] Officer. Mr Cuming of Georgia (a friend of Mr J Forsyth) who was lately in the South of France, represent M. Poinsot as being a man of respectable character. I presume no native Citysen will offer for the Consulship of Cette as long as no Salary is allowed, and as the duties on french Wine are reduced, there will probably be1 some trade from that port to the U.S. had I possessed the authority Gal Kosciuszko’s recommandation could, long ago have induced me to comply your wishes.=2

Je m’etais flaté d’esperance, d’aprés la lettre de mon ami [. . .] Kosciuszko, envoyée par Monsr Barnet à Monsieur le Président, d’obtenir ce quil lui demandait avec instance, & quil regardait co[m]me une faveur en accomplissant ses désirs pour Le Consulat de Cette. Sil fallait meme une recommandation de Mr Le Marquis de Lafayette [. . .] serait aisée de l’avoir. Mais vous Seul, Mon cher Monsieur, pouvez tout. Je m’addresse à vous avec une pleine confiance, e[t] l’esperance qu’il vous plaira prendre la peine de renouveller à Monsieur le President la priere que mon ami le Général Kosciu[szk]o lui a faite par ses deux lettres, dont la derniere lui a été remise par vos Soins—Je compte Sur votre protection—Je la reclame [à la] mémoire de notre ami commun—Soyez mon bienfaiteur, ma reconnaissance Sera éternelle. Mon fils ayant resté 4 ans dans [. . .] comptoir à Londres revient ici le mois prochain, dans l’esperance d’aller a New York. la place de Consul me conviendrait & me do[nne]rait plus de rapports avec le Continent. des amis de Bordeaux m’ont recommandé a Messrs Thompson & Cie de Baltimore [. . .] les tems dont je vous ai entretenus, & dont enfin, Jai trouvé le titre original à Marseille deposé chez un Notaire—ah, [. . .] Monsieur, quelle Satisfaction n’aurais-je pas Si je pouvais trouver l’occasion de vous témoigner ma reconnaissance & de pouvoir [d’]etre utile. oserais-je encore vous prier de m’instruire de ce quil vous aura plu de faire pour moi, Cest la derniere que je vous fais, v[ous pr]iant de m’excuser pour tous ce que vous faites pour moi—

& Croyez aux Sentimens d’Estime & de la plus haute Venéra[tion] avec lesquels j’ai lhonneur d’être

Monsieur   Votre trés humble & trés obeissant serviteur

Poinsot

Editors’ Translation

Cette 24th June 1820

Sir

I have the honor of writing you, benefitting from the departure of the schooner Fénelon, Captain Mayhew, of Fairhaven, which is sailing for Norfolk. I was not so fortunate as to succeed in the request I addressed to you, in my letter of 7 June 1819 to His Excellency the president of the United States, and in the one my friend the late General Kosciuszko sent him, by soliciting for me the consulship for the port and city of Cette. Several ships have come to pick up products of Languedoc and the [. . .] arrive from your continent. This place needs a trustworthy person to protect your citizens, someone who is worthy in every respect, ready to fill the position and represent them with honor and distinction. My cousin General Poinsot, being in Paris, offered Mr. Gallatin the $2,000 deposit due for the execution of the office. Permit me to give you an exact copy of what Mr. Barnet, the consul in Paris, tells me [he wrote] to the secretary of state:

“to my letter to the Secretary of the Sta[te o]f the 19 June 1819 I [. . .] compliance with the request of Mr Peter Poinsot now at Cette and a naturalized Citysen of the U.S. to [repeat?] his desire of being appointed Consul of the United States for the district of Cette. You may recollect how Strongly M Poinsot [was] recommended by the late Gal Kosciuszko his particular friend, in a letter to the Président written a Short time before his death [. . .] Officer. Mr Cuming of Georgia (a friend of Mr J Forsyth) who was lately in the South of France, represent M. Poinsot as being a man of respectable character. I presume no native Citysen will offer for the Consulship of Cette as long as no Salary is allowed, and as the duties on french Wine are reduced, there will probably be some trade from that port to the U.S. had I possessed the authority Gal Kosciuszko’s recommandation could, long ago have induced me to comply your wishes.”

The letter my friend General Kosciuszko sent through Mr. Barnet to the president gave me the flattering hope of obtaining what he insistently requested, and which he considered as a favor that would fulfill his wishes for the Cette consulate. If a recommendation from the marquis de Lafayette was needed, [it] would also be easy to obtain. But you alone, my dear Sir, can do everything. I write you with complete confidence and hope that you will take the trouble of renewing the request that my friend General Kosciuszko made to the president in the two copies of his letter, the last of which was delivered through you. I count on your protection and claim it [in] memory of our mutual friend. If you act as my benefactor, my gratitude will know no end. My son, having been in a London countinghouse for 4 years, returns here next month in the hope of proceeding to New York. The position of consul would both suit me and give me more contact with your continent. Some friends from Bordeaux, [whom] I mentioned to you some time ago and through whom I finally found the original deed deposited with a notary in Marseille, have recommended me to Messrs. Thompson & Company, of Baltimore. Ah, [. . .] Sir, what satisfaction I would have if I had the opportunity of proving my gratitude and being useful to you. Dare I ask you again to let me know what you have decided to do for me? This is the last favor I will request of you, and I beg you to forgive me for troubling you for all your prior assistance—

And believe in the sentiments of esteem and highest veneration with which I have the honor to be

Sir   Your very humble and very obedient servant

Poinsot

RC (ViW: TC-JP); mutilated at fold; endorsed by TJ as received 29 Sept. 1820 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to John Patterson, 15 May 1821, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqre late President of the United States of America Monticello”; stamped “SHIP”; franked; postmarked Norfolk, 23 Sept. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene.

For Poinsot’s letter to President James Monroe (ma lettre), see note to Poinsot to TJ, 6 June 1819. For the recommendation that Tadeusz Kosciuszko (general kosciuszko) sent Monroe, see note to Poinsot to TJ, 12 Sept. 1818.

1Manuscript: “will be probably be.”

2Omitted closing quotation mark editorially supplied.

Index Entries

  • Adams, John Quincy; and appointments search
  • Barnet, Isaac Cox; and P. Poinsot’s consular ambitions search
  • Cette (Sète), France; U.S. consul at search
  • Cuming, Mr.; and P. Poinsot’s consular ambitions search
  • Fénelon (schooner) search
  • Forsyth, John; mentioned search
  • French language; letters in, from; P. Poinsot search
  • Gallatin, Albert; and P. Poinsot’s consular ambitions search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation to search
  • Kosciuszko, Tadeusz (Thaddeus) Andrzej Bonawentura; and P. Poinsot’s consular ambitions search
  • Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, marquis de; and P. Poinsot’s consular ambitions search
  • Mayhew, Matthew (ship captain) search
  • Monroe, James; and appointments search
  • patronage; letters of application and recommendation to TJ search
  • Poinsot, Peter; family of search
  • Poinsot, Peter; letters from search
  • Poinsot, Peter; seeks consulship search
  • Poinsot de Chansac, Pierre search
  • S. J. Thompson & Company (Baltimore firm) search
  • taxes; on wine search
  • wine; French search