[Confidential] Dear Sir This morning the President has desired the opinion of the heads of departments, Whether [to the President] a printer can be appointed by the President either with or without the advice and consent of the Senate? I wish you to have the subject in your mind and favour me with your ideas. [strikethrough: at first blush it appears to me,] as neither the constitution nor the laws [strikethrough: not] have created such an office [strikethrough: as he can contemplate add.] a nomination to it cannot [strikethrough: of such an officer consequently, no nomination for the purpose can] be made to the Senate. But it also appears to me that the Executive [strikethrough: an] power is of itself competent to such an appointment. [strikethrough: however does not strike] I do not recollect however any appropriation yet made by Congress out of which money could be taken to pay [strikethrough: or compensate] such a printer. His [strikethrough: emoluments must] compensation therefore [strikethrough: appointed must also] consist in the [strikethrough: work] which would or might be furnished him by the several departments and other considerations the appointment would attach to his paper. Is this a correct opinion? I believe in every regular government of Europe, there is a gazette known [strikethrough: to the government as the government paper used as the public object and] as the [strikethrough: gazette in] France, before the revolution answered the same purpose with the London Gazette in England. Is not the printer of the London Gazette appointed the Kings printer by patent & is not and in consequence of its connexion with government the London Gazette paid by lawyers and judges to be the prima facie [undecipherable] in courts of justice, of matters of state and of the public acts of the Government? It is also the only authentic vehicle of proclamations, treaties, addresses to the King his answers &c Do any objections occur to you against the President making such an appointment as that in question and its being made public. Yours truly James McHenry [nble James Chase]