Letter, 1808 July 13, Washington, [D.C.] to [William] Short, Philadelphia, [Pennsylvania].

Abstract

Short will not depart on the secret mission until the next ship sails in six weeks; instructs Short to choose his own secretary, but if Short uses the polygraph he may not need a secretary; afraid that the secretary may be suspicious of the mission; Cutting will most likely not go because he will not want to be separated from his wife and because of his business arrangements; Jefferson leaves for Monticello shortly; instructs Short to choose a secretary who is a republican.