Henry--

Leonard D. White, back in the 1950s, did a series of histories on the US
Civil Service. The one on the period in quesiton, I believe, is entitled _The
Jacksonians_. May give you a definition of an "undermessenger".

Jim Hershman

Henry Wiencek wrote:

> A fellow researcher has turned up a document dated Sept. 13, 1833 from
> an unnamed person who identified himself as the “undermessenger” of the
> US Secretary of State. Would that have been the lowest-level of gopher?
> I’d like to try to identify this person, but I don’t know if State Dept.
> Records would list “undermessengers.” The document is of great interest
> as it involved a back-door attempt to manumit a slave. The Secretary on
> that date was Louis McLane, a “Non-career appointee,” according to the
> State Dept. Website, from Delaware.
>
> Henry Wiencek
> Charlottesville
>
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