To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 March 1812
From Benjamin Henry Latrobe
March 31st. 1812
Sir
By mistake I omitted to send my original appointment with the papers transmitted to You yesterday. If you think it necessary to transmit it to Congress I can I presume get it again by application to the Clerk of the House. Respectfully—Your obedt hble Servt.
B H Latrobe
P. S. Mr. Jefferson was mistaken in the Salary of the former persons employed Mr. Hoban & Mr. Hadfield1 had each 750£ p Annum or 2000$ & free house rent. This I did not discover till yesterday. Had I found it out sooner Mr. Jefferson, who committed to me the duty of both, & that of several, other measurers &c &c would certainly have corrected the error. It is now much too late to do more than make the remark.
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. Latrobe referred to James Hoban and George Hadfield, both of whom had worked on the construction of the Capitol and the President’s House before Latrobe (see Van Horne, Papers of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1:50 n. 1, 260, 261 n. 4).