Immediately on his return to his native
country, at the organization of the government under the present
constitution, his talents and experience recommended him to President
Washington for the first office in his gift. He was placed at the head
of the department of state. In this situation, also, he manifested
conspicuous ability. His correspondence with the ministers of other
powers residing here, and his instructions to our own diplomatic agents
abroad, are among our ablest state papers. A thorough knowledge of the
laws and usages of nations, perfect acquaintance with the immediate
subject before him, great felicity, and still greater faculty, in
writing, show themselves in whatever effort his official situation
called on him to make. It is believed by competent judges, that the
diplomatic intercourse of the government of the United States, from the
first meeting of the continental congress in 1774 to the present time
taken together, would not suffer, in respect to the talent with which
it has been conducted, by comparison with anything which other and older
states can produce; and to the attainment of this respectability and
distinction Mr. Jefferson has contributed his full part.
On the retirement of General Washington from the presidency, and
the election of Mr.
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