Memorandum for Henry Remsen, Jr., [2 September 1791]
Memorandum for Henry Remsen, Jr.
[2 Sep. 1791]
Mr. Remsen will be so good as to get the bill of excha. for 40.£ sterl. on London from Mr. Franks in time to put into Mr. Short’sletter, and to endorse to Mr. Franks the check on the bank for 186⅔ Dollars which I leave with him.1
Put Mr. Short’s letters under cover to M. la Motte.
To pay Herbst & Lex 115D. 80C2 as soon as he shall have received my quarter’s salary, and take in my order given them.
I leave in the bank about 80 or 90 dollars, over which as well as my salary, I leave a power with Mr. Remsen.3
Furnish Mr. Eppes what money he may have occasion for.4
After I shall be gone, give Ducomb the 6. dollars I leave with Mr.Remsen, and his certificate and discharge him. If he asks the reason, he may be told that I do not find that he understands house business well enough.
Pay Francis 6. Dollars the 1st. day of October.
Answer any other expences for my house or affairs, which Mr.Remsen may judge necessary. I have great confidence in the discretion of Petit and Francis, and in any applications of this kind they may make to Mr. Remsen. My horses particularly will have occasion for provender.5
The balance now in the bank will cover the above purposes. As soon after my quarter’s salary is recieved, as the stable loft shall be in readiness, to recieve hay, I shall be obliged to Mr. Remsen to purchase five ton of good clover hay for me: as also 18. cords of oak wood for the kitchen, and 9 cords of beach or ash, for the house.6
As also to pay Mr. Barton 40. dollars for Dr. Currie.7
Beach’s and Fenno’s newspapers to be sent to me till the 15th. inst.and all letters, not appearing to cover newspapers and other large packets.
Open Mr. Short’s letters which come before the President’s departure, and if they are written ‘private’ at the head seal them up again: if not, then communicate them to the President, and afterwards send them to me.8
MS (DLC); undated; at head of text: “Memorandums”; entirely in TJ’s hand except for (1) endorsement by Remsen reading: “Mr. Jeffersons direction’s Septemr.2d. 1791” and (2) marginal notations in Remsen’s hand as indicated below. Not recorded in SJL.
The bill of exchange TJ ordered obtained from Isaac Franks, a Philadelphia broker, was to be sent to Short who was told to give it to Joseph Fenwick to pay for wine TJ had purchased (TJ to William Short, 1 Sep. 1791). Herbst & Lex were grocers on Market Street in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Directory, 1791). Ducomb: Philippe Ducombe had begun working for TJ in April, perhaps in response to the following advertisement TJ placed in the Philadelphia General Advertiser in January and February 1791: “Wanted, A Genteel Servant, Who can shave and dress well, attend a gentleman on horseback, wait at table, and be well recommended. Enquire at Market-street, No. 274.” Obviously, Ducombe failed to meet TJ’s expectations. TJ personally discharged another servant, Jacob, who had worked for him since July, just prior to leaving for Virginia (Account Book, 1 July, and 2 Sep. 1791, MS in NN;see TJ to Andrew Ellicott, 15 Sep. 1791, for related information). The fee for Barton is discussed in William Barton to TJ, 1 Sep. 1791.
1. In the margin to the left of this and the following two paragraphs, Remsen indicated that the task had been “done.”
2. The “D.” and “C”, written above the amounts, have been lowered to the line and placed after the figures to which they apply.
3. Remsen wrote in the margin: “This money has not been touched.”
4. Remsen noted in the margin of this and the following four paragraphs that he had done the task.
5. In addition to writing “Do.” [Ditto] in the margin, Remsen also wrote “No. 6” next to this paragraph.
6. Remsen wrote in the margin: “The hay purchased is the best clover,” and “Bought 8 3/4 cords ash, 15 ½ do. Oak.”
7. Remsen noted in the margin that he had done this and the following request.
8. Remsen wrote in the margin: “None arrived before the Remsens departed and of course none were opened.”