Paul Hamilton to Thomas Jefferson, [before 24 September 1805]
From Paul Hamilton
Charleston, So. Carolina [before 24 Sep. 1805]
Sir
Colonel Lehré intending to engage in a tour northwardly, and expecting to do himself the honor of calling on you, permit me to announce him to you as a Gentleman of respectability in both public and private life—
Not having the honor of personal acquaintance with you, I feel myself bound to offer as an apology for this intrusion, that I am anxious to render every service to my Fellow Citizens which my Official Station may be supposed to afford—
I have the honor to be with sentiments of very high respect and consideration Sir yrs.
Paul Hamilton
RC (DLC); undated; at foot of text: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 24 Sep. and so recorded in SJL, where TJ connected it by a brace and notation “recd. by mr Lehré” with entries for letters received the same day from John Gaillard of 25 May, William Johnson of 25 May, William Butler of 30 May, Peter Freneau of 2 June, and Thomas Moore of 28 June.
Paul Hamilton (1762-1816) was the governor of South Carolina from 1804 to 1806. Born in St. Bartholomew Parish, South Carolina, he suffered financial difficulties after the death of his father and withdrew from school, joining the militia in 1779 and fighting with militia and partisan units throughout the remainder of the Revolutionary War. After his wife, Mary (née Wilkinson), inherited 23 slaves from her father’s estate in 1783, Hamilton became a planter, first of indigo and later primarily of rice. He commenced his public career in 1785 as a parish tax collector and moved on to state service as a member of the state house of representatives, senator, comptroller of finance, and governor. He later served as secretary of the navy during Madison’s presidency, but he resigned at the end of 1812 after accusations of incompetence (; ; , 2:175–6n).