To James Madison from José Corrèa de Serra, 9 September 1813
From José Corrèa de Serra
Philadelphia 9th. September. 1813.
Sir
Being about to Leave this continent, and return to Europe, I consider it my duty to express to you my grateful acknowledgements for the goodness and civility with which you were pleased to receive me when I had the honour of presenting myself to you. Unluckily this year the state of your health, did not allow me the pleasure of seeing you in my passage through Washington to Monticello, and when I returned, you had just Left that city. The only equivalent I can find to this disappointment, is to tender you my ready compliance with any commands you will honour me with, whenever or wherever you may judge that I can be of any service to you, and which you may forward to me by Mr. J. Vaughan of Philadelphia.
At Monticello I asked Mr. Jefferson on the propriety of speaking to you, about a concern of Mr. Warden your Consul at Paris, he not only approved of it, but kindly promised to interfere in it. I dare consequently expose the matter to you in the inclosed paper, not from any application from Mr. Warden, but because I esteem and Love the man, as every body does in Paris who is acquainted with him.1
I shall consider myself very happy to find occasions of showing to you the sentiments of respect and high esteem with which I am Your Excellency’s Most humble obedient servant
J. Corrèa de Serra
RC and enclosure (DLC). For enclosure, see n. 1.
1. The enclosure (1 p.) was Corrèa de Serra’s recommendation that David Bailie Warden receive the title of consul general because it would please the Paris officials who already addressed him as such and would not do business with him otherwise, and because it would end the “vexations” Warden experienced at the hands of other American consuls in France. Corrèa de Serra added that Sylvanus Bourne’s designation as consul general at Amsterdam had provided a precedent, and that giving Warden the requested title would be “quite in the fitness of things, he being the Consul of the Metropolis.”