[Endorsed: Jo. [undecipherable] 28 [undecipherable]. 1800 [undecipherable]] [Confidential] Dear Sir This morning [undecipherable] the President has desired the opinion of the heads of departments, "Whether [strikethrough: 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 turn this subject in your mind and favour me with your ideas. [strikethrough: undecipherable] at first blush it appears to me, that [strikethrough: as neither the constitution nor] [strikethrough: the laws not have] created such an Office [strikethrough: as he [undecipherable] call] a nomination to it cannot [strikethrough: afford an official consequently, no nomination for the purpose] can be made to the Senate. But it also appears to me that the Executive [strikethrough: on] power is of itself competent to [strikethrough: such an appointment It 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: a] compensation [strikethrough: therefor] such a printer. His [strikethrough: emoluments must if appointed] must [strikethrough: also] consist in the work which would or might be furnished him by the several departments, and the considerations the appointment would attach to his paper. Is this a correct opinion? I believe in every government of Europe, there is a gazette known [strikethrough: to be the government] paper [strikethrough: if the government and under the patronage and] whose printer is appointed by the government. The gazette [strikethrough: 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 [undecipherable] [undecipherable]