From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1 March 1793
From Thomas Jefferson
Philadelphia Mar. 1. 1793.
Sir
In consequence of the information I received from you on the first Wednesday in January that the list of votes for President & Vice President were received at the seat of government from all the states except that of Kentuckey, I sent a special messenger to the District, judge of Kentuckey for the list of the votes of that state lodged in his custody, and by the return of the messenger received yesterday the enclosed letter for you, which he informs me contains the list.1 I have only to observe that tho’ the term between the first Wednesday of January and the second Wednesday in February was obviously insufficient at this season for the performance of the journey yet the law made it my indispensable duty to send the messenger. / I have the honour to be with the most perfect esteem & respect / Sir / Your most obedt. / & most humble servt.
Th: Jefferson
FC (DLC:Jefferson Papers); internal address: “The Vice President of the US.”
1. Kentucky district judge Harry Innes’ 8 Feb. letter to Jefferson explaining the reason for the delay in delivering the 1792 presidential electors’ votes to Congress has not been found, nor has the enclosure to this letter. At a cost of $150, Jefferson sent a special messenger to clarify the issue and collect all the votes, which were read in Congress on 13 Feb. 1793 (, 24:698–699; 25:306, 310; , 2d Cong., 2d sess., p. 874–875).