Mass. Congressman writes about lighthouse and Beaumarchais repayment claim

Recipient

Date Written

Nov. 29, 1812

History Referenced

Nathaniel Silsbee was 39 years old when this was written.
Nathaniel Silsbee died 37 years, 7 months, 15 days after writing it.
It was written 210 years, 10 months, 4 days ago.
It was a Sunday.

Washington 29 Nov. 1812

Dear Sir,

I have not yet heard that your memorial (from Proctor) for a Beacon on half way Rock has reached here—to have it acted upon this session it had best be here & presented early—I shall delay presenting that from Salem till yours & your plans thereof is here. Our friend Commodore Bainbridge left here this morning for Baltimore, on his way home & has a rainy day to begin with, tho’ not stormy—his health as good as ever & I hope he will reach home without injury to it.

You may have noted in the Intelligencer a resolution which I offered a few days since instructing the Committee of Ways & Means to inquire into the expediency of allowing twenty days for completing the export entry & oath in cases of exportation of goods entitled to debenture in lieu of ten days, as the law now stands—in that the same time may [be] allow’d for the entry & oath as is allow’d by the act of last session for completing the Bond. Yesterday Gen’l Smith the present chairman of the Committee of W. & M., told me, while dining with him at Mr. L Crawford’s that the Committee had directed him to report a bill if favor of the resolution.

We have not yet done much if the House, Beaumarchais claim is now in committee of the whole & may & may occupy a day or two longer, but will not I think succeed.

The new lead of the Navy Department not yet here & is not expected till the latter part of Dec. Wishing you health. Yours truly,

Nathaniel Silsbee

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