Thomas Jefferson to Sylvanus Bourne, 2 May 1810

To Sylvanus Bourne

Monticello May 2. 10.

Sir

Having recieved a letter from the perpetual Secretary of the first class of the royal institute of Sciences, of literature & of fine arts at Amsterdam, I take the liberty of returning the answer under the protection of your Address. it is not always easy to make out foreign names, & especially when subscribed as is frequent, in singular forms of character adopted by each individual to particularize his signature. if I have mistaken the characters of the Secretary’s name, will you do me the favor to correct the error, before delivery, & to accept the assurances of my great esteem & respect.

Th: Jefferson

PoC (DLC); at foot of text: “Sylvanus Bourne esq. Consul of the US. at Amsterdam.” Enclosure: TJ to Gerardus Vrolik, 2 May 1810. Enclosed in TJ to John Graham, 15 July 1810.

Sylvanus Bourne (ca. 1756–1817), a native of Barnstable, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard College in 1779. He served successively as United States consul at Hispaniola, 1790–94, vice consul at Amsterdam, 1794–97, and consul general there from 1797 until his death (Helen Bourne Joy Lee, The Bourne Genealogy [1972], 89; Washington, Papers description begins W. W. Abbot, Dorothy Twohig, Philander D. Chase, and others, eds., The Papers of George Washington, 1983– , 46 vols.: Colonial Ser., 6 vols.; Confederation Ser., 10 vols.; Pres. Ser., 12 vols.; Retirement Ser., 4 vols. ; Rev. War Ser., 14 vols. description ends , Pres. Ser., 2:364–7; JEP description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States description ends , 1:48, 49, 158, 247 [4, 7 June 1790, 28, 29 May 1794, 24, 26 June 1797]; PTJ description begins Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, and others, eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 1950– , 31 vols. description ends , 16:264–5, 22:386–8; Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– , 29 vols.: Congress. Ser., 17 vols.; Pres. Ser., 5 vols.; Sec. of State Ser., 7 vols description ends , Sec. of State Ser., 2:417–9; Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– , 29 vols.: Congress. Ser., 17 vols.; Pres. Ser., 5 vols.; Sec. of State Ser., 7 vols description ends , Pres. Ser., 2:529; Boston Columbian Centinel, 18 June 1817).

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Source Project: Jefferson Papers
Title: Thomas Jefferson to Sylvanus Bourne, 2 May 1810
Author: Jefferson, Thomas
Recipient: Bourne, Sylvanus
Date: 2 May 1810

Reference

Cite as: “Thomas Jefferson to Sylvanus Bourne, 2 May 1810,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-02-02-0309. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, vol. 2, 16 November 1809 to 11 August 1810, ed. J. Jefferson Looney. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2005, p. 352.]

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