Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn recommending W. Duncanson for Librarian of Congress - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC06826
From Archive Folder	Documents Relating to 1807
Title	Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn recommending W. Duncanson for Librarian of Congress
Date	21 April 1807
Author	Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826)
Recipient	Dearborn, Henry
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Jefferson, writing to his Secretary of War, discusses nominations for various posts, particularly W. Duncanson for Librarian of Congress, because of his distressed condition. "He was in the worst days of terror, one of the 4 or 5 who alone stood their ground as republicans in Washington and Georgetown. [...] He is warm in temper, and on account of some communications with Col. Smith in Miranda's affair and perhaps some acquaintance with Burr, might, I fear be rather unpopular with the members [of Congress]; but my confidence is that he vowed to be, & has been, an honest man in all his purposes. I am a little puzzled therefore between doubt & inclination." John J. Beckley, Clerk of the House, had served as first librarian until his death two weeks before this letter. Jefferson's doubts about Duncanson's judgment eventually swayed him as he withdrew Duncanson. Patrick Magruder was appointed in November to serve as Clerk of the House and Librarian.
Subjects	President Library Congress Government and Civics Letter of Introduction or Recommendation Politics Republican Party Global History and Civics Foreign Affairs Neutrality Latin and South America Filibuster
People	Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Dearborn, Henry (1751-1829)
Place written	Monticello, Virginia
Theme	The Presidency; Government & Politics; Foreign Affairs
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide Monticello Apr. 21. 07. Dear Sir I return the nominations of Gansevoort[?] and Forsyth approved. I send you also a letter from a Mr. Shaw who asks emploiment [sic], & one from a Lieut. Sebastian to whom I will ask you to give an answer, if one be proper. your letter of the 11th, 12th, & 16th were received yesterday only, by the missing certainly of more than one mail. With respect to the office of librarian, I have thought it best generally to give it to the clerk of the H. of R. who being dependant on the house is of course bound to be complaisant to the members. In the present case I am strongly disposed to depart from the rule [struck] in favor of W. Duncanson. He was in the very worst day of terror one of the 4 or 5 who alone stood their ground as republicans in Washington & Georgetown. He is I think a very honest man, came here a very wealthy one, [struck] has been swindled out of his whole property, & is now in real distress. He is warm in his temper, and on account of some communications with Col. Smith in Miranda's affair and perhaps some acquaintance with Burr, might, I fear, be rather unpopular with the members: but my confidence is that he would be, & has been, an honest man in all his purposes. I am a little puzzled therefore between doubt & inclination. Affectionate salutations. Th: Jefferson The Secretary at War ( gen. Dearborn)

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