R. GENET.

Germantown, November 22, 1793.

Sir,

In my letter of October the 2nd, 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,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXXIV.--TO MR. GENET, December 9, 1793

TO MR. GENET.

Philadelphia, December 9, 1793.

Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant,
which has been duly laid before the President.

We are very far from admitting your principle, that the g