Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Tobias Lear, 31 May 1793

From Tobias Lear

May 31st: 1793

By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to return to the Secretary of State, the draughts and Copies of letters which he sent to the President this day—And to inform the Secretary, that the President is so much indisposed that he does not think he shall be able to meet the Gentlemen at his House tomorrow (the President having had a high fever upon him for 2 or 3 days past, and it still continuing unabated)—he therefore desires that the Secretary of State will request the Attendance of the other Heads of the Departments and the Attorney General at his Office tomorrow, and lay before them, for their consideration and opinion,1 such matters as he would have wished to have brought to their view if they had met at the President’s—and let the President know the results of their deliberations thereon.

The President likewise directs T. Lear to send to the Secrety. of State the Opinions of the Gentlemen expressed at their last meeting on the subject of Indian Affairs in Georgia, for their signature tomorrow, and to have the blank, which is left therein to limit the time of the service of the troops, filled up.

Also a note from the Attorney General relative to certain communications from Baltimore, which the President thinks should be laid before the Gentlemen.

Tobias Lear
Secretary to the President of
the United States

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 31 May 1793. Dft (DNA: RG 59, MLR); with several emendations and minor variations. FC (Lb in same, SDC); wording follows Dft. Enclosures: (1) Enclosures to TJ’s first letter to George Washington, 31 May 1793. (2) Cabinet Opinion on the Creek Indians and Georgia, 29 May 1793. (3) Edmund Randolph to Lear, [31 May 1793], urging that the President ask TJ to convene the Cabinet “at his office to morrow, upon the subject of the Baltimore papers, which E.R. has this moment sent to Mr. Jefferson by his messenger” (RC in DLC: TJ Papers, 87: 14994; dated “Friday P. M.”). See Washington, Journal, description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed., The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797, Charlottesville, 1981 description ends 156–7.

The communications from Baltimore were enclosed in Edmund Randolph to TJ, 31 May 1793.

1Preceding two words interlined in Dft in place of “and decision.”

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