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Your desire that I should come on as quickly as possible is a sufficient reason for me to postpone every matter of business, however pressing, which admits postponement. Still it will be the close of the ensuing week before I can get away, & then I shall have to go by the way of Richmond, which will lengthen my road. I shall not fail however to go on with all the dispatch possible nor to satisfy you, I hope, when I shall have the honor of seeing you at New York, that the circumstances which prevent my immediate departure, are not under my controul. I have now that of being with sentiments of the most perfect respect & attachment, Sir

Your most obedient & most humble servant

С

TH. JEFFERSON.

The President of the U. S.*

Shortly afterwards he assumed office, the records were turned over to him, and the Department of State was fairly started in its career. The compensation of the Secretary was fixed by the Act of September 11, 1789, at $3,500 per annum, that of the Chief Clerk at $800, and of the other clerks at not more than $500.

*Department of State MS. archives.

The number of the latter was left to the Secretary's discretion, being limited, of course, by the amount of money set apart for the Depart

ment.

III.

THE NEW DEPARTMENT-DUTIES THAT ARE NO

LONGER UNDER ITS SUPERVISION.

WH

HEN Jefferson entered upon his new duties, he found in the Department two officials whose services under the Government had extended over a number of years. They were Roger Alden and Henry Remsen, jr. The former had been Deputy Secretary, under Thomson, to the old Congress, and, when the Department of State was created, received from Tobias Lear, Washington's Secretary, orders to retain in his possession the records and public acts, to be delivered to the Secretary of State whenever the latter should enter upon the duties of his office. He served as Chief Clerk of the Department for a few months after Jefferson became Secretary, and in a letter dated

*Department of State MS. archives.

July 25, 1790, tendered his resignation, in order, as he said, to enter into a more lucrative engagement.* Henry Remsen, jr., had been connected with the conduct of the foreign affairs of the Government from March, 1784, when, just before Jay's election as Secretary for Foreign Affairs, he was elected Under Secretary.† When Alden retired, Remsen succeeded to the rank of Chief Clerk, and held the position until 1792, when he was appointed First Teller to the new United States Bank, and George Taylor, jr., who had been a clerk in the Department for seven years, took his place.‡

From the very beginning the Department of State, more than any other Executive Department, was closely connected with the President, and was, in a measure, the President's office. Washington not only referred to it all official letters bearing upon its business, but made it

*Department of State MS. archives. There is evidence that he was subsequently an applicant for office, being recommended by his old chief, Charles Thomson. † Ante, p. 35.

Department of State MS. archives.

the repository of the drafts of his public letters, and, to a more limited extent, of his private correspondence. It must be borne in mind that at that time the business of the Government was sufficiently light to render it possible for the President to attend personally to matters such as are now rarely, if ever, brought to his attention. The Secretaries of the Executive Departments were then more literally secretaries than they are now, and the President was literally the fountain from whence all Executive action sprang. It was Jefferson's custom to consult his chief frequently. Notes, of which the following is an example, were going constantly from the Secretary to the President:

Mr. Jefferson has the honour of enclosing for the perusal of the President, rough draughts of the letters he supposes it proper to send to the court of France on the present occasion. He will have that of waiting on him in person immediately to make any changes in them the President will be so good as to direct, and to communicate to him two letters just received from Mr Short.

April 5. 1790. a quarter before one.*

5

*Department of State MS. archives.

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