PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON - FOUR LANGUAGE SHIPS PAPERS SIGNED 08/18/1809 CO-SIGNED BY: ROBERT SMITH (POLITICIAN) - HFSID 253553

JAMES MADISON and ROBERT SMITH
Both sign the ship's papers of the schooner Hector, bound for Havana (1809).
Partly Printed DS: "James Madison" as President and "R Smith" as Secretary of State, 1 page, 20¼x16¼. "Countersigned David Gelston" as Collector of the Customs at New York. Washington, 1809 August 8. Four language ships' papers (French, Spanish, English, Dutch) issued at New York. In part: "Be it known That leave and permission are hereby given to William Weeks master or commander of the Schooner called the Hector...lying at present in the port of New York bound for Havanna (sic) and laden with Dry Goods - Tomaturn - Nails - Candles - Quils - Corks - Glasses - Drugs - Cutlery - Pork - Onions & Lumber...." Because ships leaving U.S. ports needed ships' papers before a voyage, the documents were signed by the President and Secretary of State ahead of time and forwarded to the port. The Collector of the Port would then fill in the required information. ROBERT SMITH served as Secretary of the Navy under Jefferson and Madison (1801-1809) and was Madison's Secretary of State (1809-1813). DAVID GELSTON was a prominent figure in New York politics and served as Collector of the Port of New York from 1801-1820. Lightly creased. Folds, vertical fold touches the "h" in Smith's signature, horizontal fold through Gelston's signature. Nicked edges. Pinhead-size holes at cross-folds, touching some text. Lightly shaded at some folds. 1¼-inch vertical stain at blank area. Two ¼-inch stains touch 2 words of text. Light vertical stain at blank area.