From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Montgomery, 20 February 1793
To Robert Montgomery
Philadelphia, February 20th. 1793
Sir
The President of the United States desiring to avail the public of your services as Consul of the United States for the Port of Alicant, in the Kingdom of Spain, I have now the honor of inclosing the Commission and a copy of the Laws of the United States, together with the copy of a Circular letter written to our Consuls and Vice-Consuls, the 26th. of August 1790, to serve as their standing Instructions. I am with sentiments of perfect respect, Sir, &c.
Th: Jefferson
FC (Lb in DNA: RG 59, DCI); at head of text: “To Robert Montgomery Esqre.”; note at foot of text: “A similar Letter to the foregoing was written to the following Gentlemen, and a copy of the Laws of the United States, and Circular Letter mentioned therein, transmitted to each:
To Edward Fox, as Consul for the Port of Falmouth, in the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Nathaniel Cutting, for the port of Havre de Grace, in France.
John Parish, for the port of Hamburgh.
Joseph Yznardi, for the port of Cadiz, in the Kingdom of Spain.
David Matthew Clarkson, for the Island of St. Eustatia.
Benjamin Hamnell Phillips, for the Island of Curracao.”
Not recorded in SJL. Enclosures: (1) Circular to American Consuls, 26 Aug. 1790. (2) Consular Commission for Montgomery, 20 Feb. 1793 (FC in same, Commissions of Consuls and Consular Agents).
TJ this day wrote a variant text of this letter to Henry Cooper, notifying him of his appointment as consul at Santa Cruz but not enclosing a copy of the laws (PrC in DLC, in the hand of George Taylor, Jr., unsigned, at foot of text: “Henry Cooper Esqr.”; FC in DNA: RG 59, DCI). Joseph Yznardi, Jr., acknowledged TJ’s letter in a brief note from Philadelphia of 2 Apr. 1793 accepting the appointment as consul at Cadiz and promising his endeavors to serve satisfactorily (RC in same, CD; at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Secratary of State &ca. &ca.”; endorsed by TJ as received 3 Apr. 1793). For the background of these appointments, see Memorandum on Consuls and Consular Appointments, 15 Feb. 1793, and Memorandum on Consuls Recommended for Appointment, 18 Feb. 1793.