As the United States of America began to take shape following a gruesome war for independence with Great Britain the young government began to establish State level governments and positions. Rhode Island is most commonly known as the smallest state in the Union but it was also one of the first colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown and the last of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution in 1790. After strong recommendations from Rhode Island Senators Joseph Stanton and Theodore Foster it didnt take long for newly elected President George Washington to appoint Rhode Island resident and current collector of revenue Ebenezer Thompson Esqr. to the task of Supervisor of Revenue for the District of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. During the Revolutionary War Thompson served as a major under General Washington in the Providence County regiment in 1776 and later a member of the Rhode Island general assembly from 1783-1784. As the Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson signed the official federal letter of appointment and included an enclosed sum of compensation from Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to Mr. Thompson upon his appointment. The document reads:

Philadelphia March 4th 1791 Sir The President of the United States desiring to avail the public of your services as Supervisor for the District of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations I have now the honor of enclosing you the Commission and of expressing to you the sentiments of perfect esteem with which I am. Sir Your most obedient and most humble servant. Thomas Jefferson

Prior to becoming the Secretary of State under President Washington and Vice President John Adams Jefferson famously authored the Declaration of Independence was a representative for the colony of Virginia during the First and Second Continental Congresses became the Governor of Virginia and succeeded Benjamin Franklin as the Minister to France in 1785. Ten years after this letter was written Thomas Jefferson would become the third elected President of the United States and Ebenezer Thompson would continue to serve his state of Rhode Island.

Set in a rich cherry wood frame measuring 20 by 21 with tweed matting and a decorative photo of Jefferson this letter bares great care in the nearly 225 years since it was originally written. Jeffersons massive bold autograph is incredibly well-preserved and the sheet of paper has maintained mostly smooth edges with very slight aging. It should be noted that the body of the letter is not in Jefferson's hand. What an impressive piece of early American history from perhaps our nations most accomplished Founding Father.

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