To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, [ca. 24 July 1793]
From Edmund Randolph
[ca. 24 July 1793]
Mr. J. rightly supposed, that the approbation of E.R. was by mistake written upon the answer to the letter of the 22d. of June, instead of that of July. The latter is the only one, which attracted my particular attention; as the other seemed to be a subject of future deliberation. The propriety of the addition intended to accommodate Genl. K. depends upon the measures to be pursued in regard to Mr. Genet. If no movement is to be made towards his removal, by inclosing his offensive correspondence to the Executive council of France, or some other step, I should think, that the paragraph proposed is well suited to call him to his senses. If, however, something farther is to be done, I should be inclined to reserve every communication of sensibility to his indecorums, until it was1 absolutely decided to take some decisive measure, to which your reply might be adjusted.
As to the letter at large, if to be sent now2 I cannot find room for criticism; unless it may be better to strike out the word complete, as connected with admiralty. For how can France in right establish an admiralty, under any modification?
Perhaps too the latitude of power eventually assigned to the President, at the bottom of the second page, is capable of some reduction. But I question, whether the letter ought not to be delayed. For if Genet is to be recalled, the subject ought in all respects to be prepared for the eyes of the world.3
Mr. Fisher of Va. eats ham with me to-day between 2 and 3—Will you come down.
RC (DLC: TJ Papers, 91: 15617); undated. Recorded in SJPL under 1 Aug. 1793.
Despite TJ’s entry in SJPL, internal evidence suggests that this document was written between TJ’s 23 July 1793 letter to Randolph and Randolph’s 25 July 1793 letter to TJ. The answer to the letter of the 22d. of June was the draft of TJ’s unsent letter to Edmond Charles Genet, [ca. 16 July 1793], for which TJ prepared an addition intended to accommodate Henry Knox. that of July: TJ to Genet, 24 July 1793.
1. Randolph here canceled “complete.”
2. Preceding five words interlined.
3. Preceding two sentences inserted after Randolph wrote the next paragraph.