MONROE, JAMES. (1758-1831). Fifth president of the United States. ALS. (“Jas. Monroe”). 1p. 4to. Richmond, January 15, 1802. To former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and U.S. Senator, JOHN TAYLOR OF CAROLINE (1753-1824) addressed as “Co[mma]nd[er] Taylor,” who had been appointed head (or “Commander”) of a special joint committee formed in the final days of 1801 by the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate to examine all executive expenditures of public money made by order of the Governor during the preceding year. That committee reported on expenditures and their conformity with appropriation laws in January 1802. Our letter by Governor Monroe responds to the legislature’s communication about that inquiry and authorizes a Council committee to meet with the legislative committee to provide information relating to the expenditures to review executive expenditures in Virginia. Though members of the state’s legislatures generally headed such committees, it would not have been unusual for a respected individual outside of government at the time (like Taylor) to head such a committee.
“In consequence of your communication of yesterday that it wo[ul]d be agreeable to the committee appointed by both houses of the Gen[era]l Assembly to examine into the expenditures of publick money made by order of the Executive in the course of the last year, to receive information from this department notation relative to such expenditures, a committee of the council is appointed with authority to meet the committee of the legislature in their chamber, for that purpose as soon as I am notified that you are ready to proceed in the business. I have the honor to be with great respect yr. most obt. & very humble servant…”
