I am, Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Office of Foreign Affairs, May 8th, 1782.
Sir,
The enclosed account of the annual expense of the Department of Foreign Affairs, exclusive of contingent expenses, was made out at the request of the Superintendent of Finance, that measures might be taken to discharge the salaries of the gentlemen in Europe, who express great uneasiness on the subject; but as it is incomplete till the allowance to the private secretaries of Dr Franklin and Mr Adams are ascertained, I have thought it proper to lay the whole before Congress, for their direction thereon.
Congress were pleased to order by their resolution of the 2d of January last, that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs should lay before them an estimate of the expenses, which will probably be incurred by the foreign Ministers of the United States respectively, and their secretaries. I find myself under great embarrassments in preparing a report agreeably to their order, from not being able to enter fully into their views. I should presume, that the expense of foreign Ministers ought to be regulated by their salaries, though I feel that the desire of supporting the dignity of an office, to which the salary is incompetent, often urges men to quit the line, how much soever they may be embarrassed thereby. Justice and policy suggest, that the salaries of officers, who are engaged in so delicate and difficult a department as that of Foreign Affairs, should have such appointments as to free them from embarrassments with respect to their private affairs. I believe Congress had this in view when they settled those of their foreign Ministers, none of whom complain of their being inadequate, unless it be Mr Jay, who has given us some reason to think his salary, in his opinion, is barely sufficient for his support, and that his manner of living is not equal to what he conceives the dignity of the United States requires. With respect to the salaries of the secretaries to the Embassies, it is in my opinion, (founded upon the practice of other nations) at least the double of what it ought to be.
If, as I presume, Congress intended by their resolution, that I should lay before them an account of the manner in which our foreign Ministers live at present, that they might themselves be enabled to judge of the proportion it bore to their appointments, I can only say, that the result of inquiries on this head must necessarily be extremely uncertain. I submit them as far as they have come to my knowledge.
Dr Franklin has a part of M. Chaumont's house at Passy; he keeps a chariot and pair, and three or four servants, and gives a dinner occasionally to the Americans and others; his whole expense is, as far as I can learn, very much within his income.
Mr Adams lives in lodgings, keeps a chariot and pair, and two men servants; he has hitherto retained a private secretary in the absence of Mr Dana, who will, if is to be presumed, be paid by Congress. I have lately heard that Mr Adams was about to take a house.