The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
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The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
I have the honor to be, with much respect, Sir, your most obedient
servant.
TO MR. GENET.
GERMANTOWN, November 22, 1793.
SIR,--In my letter of October the 2d, I took the liberty of noticing
to you, that the commission of consul to M. Dannery, ought to have been
addressed to the President of the United States. He being the only channel
of communication between this country and foreign nations, it is from him
alone that foreign nations or their agents are to learn what is or has
been the will of the nation, and whatever he communicates as such, they
have a right and are bound to consider as the expression of the nation,
and no foreign agent can be allowed to question it, to interpose between
him and any other branch of government, under the pretext of either's
transgressing their functions, nor to make himself the umpire and final
judge between them. I am, therefore, Sir, not authorized to enter into
any discussions with you on the meaning of our Constitution in any part
of it, or to prove to you that it has ascribed to him alone the admission
or interdiction of foreign agents. I inform you of the fact by authority
from the President. I had observed to you, that we were persuaded in
the case of the consul Dannery, the error in the address had proceeded
from no intention in the Executive Council of France to question the
functions of the President, and therefore no difficulty was made in
issuing the commissions. We are still under the same persuasion. But in
your letter of the 14th instant, you _personally_ question the authority
of the President, and in consequence of that, have not addressed to him
the commission of Messrs. Pennevert and Chervi. Making a point of this
formality on your part, it becomes necessary to make a point of it on
ours also; and I am therefore charged to return you those commissions,
and to inform you, that bound to enforce respect to the order of things
established by our Constitution, the President will issue no Exequatur to
any consul or vice-consul, not directed to him in the usual form, after
the party from whom it comes has been apprized that such should be the
address.
I have the honor to be, with respect, Sir, your most obedient, and most
humble servant.
TO MR. PINCKNEY.
GERMANTOWN, November 27, 1793.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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