Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-37-02-0111

To Thomas Jefferson from Robert Smith, 29 March 1802

From Robert Smith

Nav Dep 29 Mar 1802

Sir:

The enclosed Warrant is for a young Gentleman recommended by Col Burr.

If you approve his Appointment be pleased to give the enclosed Warrant your Signature

I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect Sir, your mo obt St.

Rt Smith

RC (DLC); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Smith; at foot of text: “President U:States.”; endorsed by TJ as received from the Navy Department on 29 Mch. and so recorded in SJL with notation “a midshipman.” FC (Lb in DNA: RG 45, LSP). Enclosure not found.

The ENCLOSED WARRANT appointed Richard Blackledge Jones of Pennsylvania a midshipman in the navy. Aaron Burr had forwarded his name to Smith at the behest of Charles Biddle, who had recommended Jones to Captain Alexander Murray of the frigate Constellation. Jones joined Murray’s crew in 1802 and remained in the navy until 1808. He was appointed the United States consul to Tripoli in 1812 (NDBW description begins Dudley W. Knox, ed., Naval Documents Related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers, Washington, D.C., 1939–44, 6 vols. and Register of Officer Personnel and Ships’ Data, 1801–1807, Washington, D.C., 1945 description ends , Register, 29; Kline, Burr description begins Mary-Jo Kline, ed., Political Correspondence and Public Papers of Aaron Burr, Princeton, 1983, 2 vols. description ends , 2:663–4, 687, 694; JEP description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States … to the Termination of the Nineteenth Congress, Washington, D.C., 1828, 3 vols. description ends , 2:277; Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, J. C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, Chicago and Charlottesville, 1962–, 32 vols. Sec. of State Ser., 1986–, 8 vols. Pres. Ser., 1984–, 6 vols. Ret. Ser., 2009–, 1 vol. description ends , Pres. Ser., 4:329–30).

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