President Thomas Jefferson's letter to the President of the Senate regarding the Annual Message, December 8, 1801
For his first annual message to Congress, Thomas Jefferson had his private secretary deliver copies to the House and Senate to be read by clerks. In this letter accompanying the message Jefferson states that appearing in person is too time consuming and he wants to give Congress the "relief from the embarrassment of immediate answers on subjects not yet fully before them."
President Thomas Jefferson's letter to the President of the Senate regarding the Annual Message, December 8, 1801; Records of the U.S. Senate, RG 46.