To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Marston Green, 3 February 1803
From Thomas Marston Green
Washington City February 3rd 1803
Sir,
In looking over the Acts of Congress passed last Session, I discovered the following, which in my opinion, will supersede the necessity of my resolution—It is, “An Act to provide for the establishment of certain districts, and therein to amend, “An Act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnages”; and for other purposes.—See page 145, Sect. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to establish, when it shall appear to him to be proper, in addition to the port of entry & delivery already established on the Mississippi, &c.
Should this provision, in your opinion, be sufficient for the establishing a port of delivery at Natchez I shall withdraw my resolution, if not, it will be my duty to endeavor to have one made to that effect—
With respect and consideration I am Sir, your obt. servt.
Thomas M. Green
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 3 Feb. and so recorded in SJL.
The act for the establishment of certain districts cited by Green was passed by Congress on 1 May 1802. Section 5 authorized the president to establish a second port of entry and delivery on the Mississippi River (, 2:181–2).
port of entry & delivery already established: John F. Carmichael was appointed collector for the Mississippi Territory in January 1800, to reside at Fort Adams (Vol. 38:255n; Vol. 39: Appendix I).
my resolution: on 10 Feb., Green presented the House of Representatives a memorial and resolutions from the Mississippi Territory General Assembly, which detailed the inconveniences suffered in consequence of the closing of the port of New Orleans and the lack of an alternate place of deposit on the Mississippi River. After being read, the papers were referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union (, 4:332).