To Thomas Jefferson from Robert Smith, 10 December 1802
From Robert Smith
Nav Dep
10 Decr 1802
Sir!
By the accompanying package, you will perceive, that the statements called for by the House of Representatives, in their resolution of the 5th. May, have been duly prepared, so far as the resolution respects this Department. Before I forward these statements to the Speaker, I deem it proper to submit them to you.
I have the Honor to be, with the greatest respect & esteem Sir, your mo ob st
Rt Smith
RC (DLC); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Smith; at foot of text: “President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received from the Navy Department on 10 Dec. and “report of exp. in Navy deptmt by ord. H.R.” and so recorded in SJL. FC in Lb (DNA: RG 45, LSP). Enclosures subsequently printed as a 569-page document entitled Documents Accompanying a Message from the President of the United States, with Sundry Statements of Expenditures; Containing Detailed Accounts of the Expenditures of Public Monies, by Naval Agents; from the 1st January, 1797, to 31st December, 1801, Contingencies of the Navy Department, and Copies of Contracts for Cannon, Timber, and Other Military and Naval Stores, during the Same Period (Washington, D.C., 1803; , No. 5285).
Smith’s package included a second letter to the president dated 10 Dec.: “The accompanying papers, exhibiting detailed accounts of the expenditure of all public Monies which have passed through the Navy Agents, and an account of monies drawn out of the Treasury for the contingencies of the Naval Establishment, from the Establishment of the Department to the 31 Decr. 1801: also copies of contracts made by this department for the purchase of Timber and Stores, and the amount of monies paid under such contracts, have been prepared in obedience to a Resolution of the Honorable The House of Representatives, of the 5 May 1802” (FC in Lb in DNA: RG 45, LSP, not recorded in SJL).
resolution of the 5th. may: that is, the 3 May resolution of the House of Representatives, requesting an account of certain expenditures by the War and Navy Departments (, 4:237; TJ to Gallatin, Dearborn, and Smith, 5 May 1802).