The inclosed letter, not found, was John McLean to TJ, 28 Jan. 1824, and enclosure, which is recorded in SJL as received 1 Feb. 1824 from Washington. McLean had been appointed postmaster general by Monroe in 1823 and would soon correspond on other matters with TJ. McLean also wrote what was probably a similar letter to James Madison on 28 Jan., reading in part “The enclosed memorandum was sent to me by the writer, with a request, that I would present it to the Department of State. In a conversation I had with the President on the subject, he requested me to ask your advice, as to the propriety of granting the application” (RC in DLC: Madison Papers; printed in Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser. description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– : Congress. Ser., Pres. Ser., Retirement Ser., Sec. of State Ser. description ends , 3:206). A copy of that enclosure, headed “Memorandum,” signed by Jacob Wagner, and dated Philadelphia, 15 Jan. 1824, was presumably also sent to TJ. In it, Wagner sought permission to publish volumes containing “the archives of the old confederation” in order to preserve them for posterity, remarking that “More than twenty years ago, they, together with the other contents of the Department of State, were saved by the writer alone, from a fire, which would otherwise have inevitably consumed them.” Anticipating concerns over making the Confederation Congress proceedings public, Wagner argued that “Doctor Franklin’s family have published his despatches; and Washington, whilst President, gave permission to Mr John Cary, to copy such parts of his own correspondence as he thought proper, for publication, which afterwards took place in London! Indeed the archives of the old government have never been regarded as secret—They were systematically perused by Dr Ramsay, Mr Coit, And others—By a standing rule of the Department they are open to the members of Congress. Notes even are allowed to be taken of their contents; but no extracts without leave.” As for their publication, Wagner continued, “Few persons can be so well acquainted with the arrangement of the papers, as the writer; he having acted in that Department during twelve years, and made indexes for some of the correspondence alluded to.” He concluded, “For the fidelity of his Conduct in the task, he has to remark, that at present he acknowledges no party, And that whilst he did, his official impartiality was so far approved, during the years of Mr Jefferson’s administration, that he was permitted to remain in the most Confidential of all the subordinate offices under government, And ultimately withdrew, against its wish” (MS in DLC: Madison Papers, in Wagner’s hand; printed in Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser. description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– : Congress. Ser., Pres. Ser., Retirement Ser., Sec. of State Ser. description ends , 3:206–8).

Wagner was formerly editor of the Baltimore Federal Republican (the baltimore federalist). The death of louis xviii did not occur until 16 Sept. 1824.