this necessary business has heretofore experienced.

I am, Dear Sir, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

* * * * *

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

Chesterfield, November 26th, 1782.

Sir,

I received yesterday the letter, with which you have been pleased to
honor me, enclosing the resolution of Congress of the 12th instant,
renewing my appointment as one of their Ministers Plenipotentiary for
negotiating a peace, and beg leave through you to return my sincere
thanks to that august body, for the confidence they are pleased to
repose in me, and to tender the same to yourself for the obliging
manner in which you have notified it.

I will employ in this arduous charge, with diligence and integrity,
the best of my poor talents, which I am conscious are far short of
what it requires. This I hope will ensure to me from Congress a kind
construction of all my transactions; and it gives me no small
pleasure, that my communications will pass through the hands of a
gentleman, with whom I have acted in the earlier stages of this
contest, and whose discernment and candor I had the good fortune then
to approve and esteem.

Your letter finds me at a distance from home, attending on my family
under inoculation. This will add to the delay which the arrangement of
my particular affairs would necessarily occasion. I shall lose no
moment, however, in preparing for my departure, and shall hope to pay
my respects to Congress and to yourself some time between the 20th and
the last of December.

I have the honor to be, &c.

THOMAS JEFFERSON.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, December 2d, 1782.

Sir,

Having lately been informed, that the business of the Court of
Chancery in the State of New York has increased so much as to demand
more of my attention than is consistent with the duties of the place,
which I have the honor to hold under the United States, I must pray
your Excellency to lay before Congress my request to be permitted to
resign the latter, and to assure them at the same time, of the
grateful sense which I shall always retain, not only of the honor done
me by the appointment, but of those distinguished marks of confi