To James Madison from Maria E. Heineken, 24 March 1809
From Maria E. Heineken
Germantown Mount Airy March 24th. 1809
Sir,
Previous to Mr. Heinekens Decease he wrote Your Excellency requesting to know if Mr G J E Smissaert had received his Exequator from the president for the state of new York,1 Which not being Answered, & having some unpleasant business With the Agents under Mr. H ⟨I⟩ Presume to request it as A favor, to know wha⟨t⟩ Period Mr. Smissaert received his Exequator, also the difft states included under his appointment. My best Compts & Esteem to your Lady And Am with due respect, Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Servt
Maria E. Heineken
RC (DNA: RG 59, Misc. Letters). Docketed by a clerk, “Recd. the 27.”
1. Jan H. C. Heineken’s letter not found. Shortly after Heineken’s death Smissaert wrote JM offering to serve as the Netherlands consul (19 Oct. 1808 [ibid.]). In time Smissaert was accredited, but JM’s correspondence relating to the matter has not been found (Smissaert to the secretary of state, 1 Mar. 1812 [ibid.]; Long-worth’s American Almanac, New-York Register, and City Directory [New York, 1812], p. 33). JM turned this letter over to the State Department, and on 26 Mar., Robert Smith wrote Mrs. Heineken “that the Exequatur granted by the late President to Mr. Smissart, was dated the 20th May 1808, and that it included the States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut & New York” (DNA: RG 59, Domestic Letters).