The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
VICE PRESIDENCY
As far as the public papers are to be credited, I may suppose that
the choice of Vice-President has fallen on me. On this hypothesis I
trouble you, and only pray, if it be wrong, that you will consider
this letter as not written. I believe it belongs to the Senate to
notify the Vice-President of his election. I recollect to have heard,
that on the first election of President and Vice-President, gentlemen
of considerable office were sent to notify the parties chosen. But
this was the inauguration of our new government, and ought not to be
drawn into example. At the second election, both gentlemen were on the
spot and needed no messengers. On the present occasion, the President
will be on the spot, so that what is now to be done respects myself
alone; and considering that the season of notification will always
present one difficulty, that the distance in the present case adds a
second, not inconsiderable, and which may in future happen to be
sometimes much more considerable, I hope the Senate will adopt that
method of notification, which will always be least troublesome and
most certain. The channel of the post is certainly the least
troublesome, is the most rapid, and, considering also that it may be
sent by duplicates and triplicates, is unquestionably the most
certain. Indorsed to the postmaster at Charlottesville, with an order
to send it by express, no hazard can endanger the notification.
Apprehending, that should there be a difference of opinion on this
subject in the Senate, my ideas of self-respect might be supposed by
some to require something more formal and inconvenient, I beg leave to
avail myself of your friendship to declare, if a different proposition
should make it necessary, that I consider the channel of the
post-office as the most eligible in every respect, and that it is to
me the most desirable; which I take the liberty of expressing, not
with a view of encroaching on the respect due to that discretion which
the Senate have a right to exercise on the occasion, but to render
them the more free in the exercise of it, by taking off whatsoever
weight the supposition of a contrary desire in me might have on the
mind of any member.
to Henry Tazewell, 16 January 1797
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