William Lambert to Thomas Jefferson, 27 July 1819
From William Lambert
City of Washington, July 27th 1819.
Sir,
The certificate with which I was favored, relative to my conduct as a clerk in the department of State, while you acted as head of that department, has been unfortunately lost, with some other papers of value to me. It is with regret, that I am obliged to state a circumstance that may be justly construed into a want of due care in the preservation of those papers. Relying on the friendship I have ever received from you, permit me to request a renewal of that certificate.—As far as I can now recollect, I entered into the service of the department of State, in November, 1790, and left it some time in the month of October, 1792.
William Lambert.
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 4 Aug. 1819 and so recorded in SJL. RC (MHi); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Charles Willson Peale, 7 Aug. 1819, on verso; addressed: “Honble Thomas Jefferson, formerly President of the U.S. Monticello, Albemarle County, Virginia”; franked; postmarked Washington, 27 July.
A missing letter from TJ to Lambert of 7 Aug. 1819 is recorded in SJL.