Thomas Jefferson to John Melish, 8 February 1820
To John Melish
Feb. 8. 20.
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to mr Mellish for the copy of his lre to the President on the subject of manufactures which he has been so kind as to send him.1 enfeebled by constant ill health with little prospect of it’s becoming better, he is obliged to withdraw from all cares beyond the walls of his chamber. as to those of his country and2 of the different classes composing it3 he has entire confidence in the wisdom of Congress and that they will do equal justice between our Manufacturing, Commercial & Agricultural fellow4 citizens, requiring each to favor the industry of the others, & especially where it5 will be advantageous to themselves and to their country in the end. unable to write the shortest note but with pain and difficulty, he can only add to mr Mellish the assurances of his great respect & esteem.6
Dft (DLC); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ.
1. Preceding ten words interlined.
2. TJ here canceled “the interests.”
3. Sentence to this point interlined.
4. Word interlined.
5. Preceding twelve words interlined in place of “from each those preferences in favor of the others which.”
6. Ending reworked from “add <the> his salutations with great respect & esteem for mr Melish,” with “his” prior to “salutations” left uncanceled.
Index Entries
- Congress, U.S.; and manufacturing search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; receives works search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; fatiguing or painful to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Health; illness of search
- Letter to James Monroe, Esq. President of the United States, on the State of the Country: with a plan for improving the condition of society (J. Melish) search
- manufacturing; encouragement of in U.S. search
- Melish, John; and promotion of industry search
- Melish, John; letters to search
- Melish, John; Letter to James Monroe, Esq. President of the United States, on the State of the Country: with a plan for improving the condition of society search