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Documents filtered by: Correspondent="Cabell, William H." AND Correspondent="Jefferson, Thomas"
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My brother Joseph C Cabell who will deliver you this letter has just returned from Europe where he has been for several years past in pursuit of health & information. I take the liberty to make him known to you; & to assure you I shall feel myself much gratified by any attentions or civilities you may do him the honor to shew him during his short stay in Washington I have the honor to be with...
This will be presented to you by Mr. Woodward, who will shortly pass through Washington on his way to New-York—Permit me to introduce him to your acquaintance as a gentleman of talents and respectability. Any attentions which you may extend to Mr. Woodward, will be acknowledged as a favor conferred on me. I have the honor to be with the highest respect Sir yr. Obt. Servt. DLC : Papers of...
I laid before the General Assembly of Virginia the letter which I had the honor to receive from you enclosing the Act of Congress for laying out and making a road from Cumberland in the State of Maryland to the State of Ohio, together with the partial report of the Commissioners: and I have now the honor to enclose you the Copy of an Act of the General Assembly, giving the assent of this State...
Mr. William McKindley, a member of the General Assembly from the County of Ohio, having informed me of his intention to return to his County by way of the City of Washington, I have requested him to take charge of a letter to you enclosing the copy of an Act of the General Assembly “giving the assent of this State to an Act of Congress for laying out and making a road from the river Patowmac...
I have the honor to enclose you a copy of a letter this morning received from General Mathews covering the Copy of another which he had written to the Secretary of State; and also a Copy of a letter, without Signature, which I this morning received from Hampton. They State the daring insult offered to our Flagg, in the illegal and savage attack made by the British Ship of War Leopard on the...
Your favor by express was safely recieved on Saturday night, and I am thankful to you for the attention of which it is a proof. considering the general & state governments as co-operators in the same holy concerns, the interest & happiness of our country, the interchange of mutual aid is among the most pleasing of the exercises of our duty. Captn. Gordon, the 2d in command of the Chesapeake...
I received by Express last night the copy of a correspondence between Commodore Douglass and the Mayor of the Borough of Norfolk, together with information that the British Squadron had taken its station in Hampton Roads at the mouth of Elizabeth river, for the declared purpose of preventing any Vessel from going to or from Norfolk—I should have taken measures to give you early information of...
You will have recieved from the Secretary at War a letter requesting that the quota of the state of Virginia of 100,000. militia be immediately organised and put in readiness for service at the shortest warning; but that they be not actually called out until further requisition. the menacing attitude which the British ships of war have taken in Hampton road, the actual blockade of Norfolk, and...
I have received your letter of the 8th. authorizing the Executive of this State to call into immediate service such a portion of the Militia as might be judged necessary & most convenient, for the defence of Norfolk, & the Gunboats at Hampton & in Mathews, & for the protection of the Country against the hostile acts of the British Squadron now blockading Norfolk—You will before this, have...
I do myself the pleasure to enclose for your perusal, a copy of a letter this morning received from General Mathews, together with copies of certain other papers accompanying it, giving the latest intelligence from Norfolk—you will perceive that the British Vessels have left Hampton Roads, but it does not appear from any information afforded by the enclosed papers, that they have left our...
Your letter of the 10th. has been recieved, and I note what is said on the provision which ought to be made by us for the militia in the field. an arrangement by the Secretary at war to meet certain other persons at N. York to concert a plan of defence for that place has occasioned necessarily his temporary absence from this place, and there is no person sufficiently informed to take the...
Your letter of the 15th. was recieved yesterday, and the opinion you have given to General Matthews against allowing any intercourse between the British Consul & the ships of his nation remaining in our waters in defiance of our authority, is entirely approved. certainly while they are conducting themselves as enemies defacto, intercourse should be permitted only, as between enemies, by flags...
Since my letter to you of the 15th. positive information has been received that all the British Vessels had left the waters of the Chesapeake, and had taken their station off Cape Henry, but still within our jurisdictional limits. This apparent respect to the authority of the Government, added to the assurances of General Mathews that the force now under his command, exclusive of the...
I am sorry that the information I must now give is not calculated to strengthen those hopes which might have been excited by my last that the British Squadron intended to respect the authority of our Government—I enclose for your perusal a copy of a letter this morning received from General Mathews, together with copies of his instructions to Captains Shepard & Taylor, and also of the report...
Yours of the 19th. was received by yesterdays mail—On the order for discharging that portion of the Militia that had been sent to Norfolk from this place and Petersburg, some farther explanation is necessary than what I had time to give when I wrote to you before on that subject. That information should be asked from you, and that a decision should be made before time has been given to impart...
Yours of the 20th. has been duly recieved. the relation in which we stand with the British naval force within our waters is so new, that differences of opinion are not to be wondered at respecting the captives who are the subject of your letter. are they insurgents against the authority of the laws? are they public enemies acting under the orders of their sovereign? or will it be more correct...
The Secretary at War having returned from New York, we have immediately taken up the question respecting the discharge of the militia which was the subject of your two last letters, and which I had wished might remain undecided a few days. from what we have learnt of the conduct of the British squadron in the Chesapeake since they have retired from Hampton roads, we suppose that until orders...
I shall tomorrow set out for Monticello, considering the critical state of things, it has been thought better, during my stay there, to establish a daily conveyance of a mail from Fredericksburg to Monticello. this enables me to hear both from the North & South every day. should you have occasion then to communicate with me, your letters can come to me daily by being put into the...
Your favor of the 24th. was duly received, and I immediately gave to General Mathews the necessary instructions for permitting the return of the Captives. I have not yet heard of the manner in which he has executed them. I had not supposed that the Proclamation, altho it authorized and required the use of force, had carried us quite so far into a state of even qualified war, as to justify the...
Yours of the 31st. of July has been duly received, and I shall by this days mail give the instructions which you require, so as to ensure the most direct information as to the movements of the British Squadron—The papers from Norfolk represent them as being quiet at present, but I have not received any letters from General Mathews for several days—I have not heard from him since he received my...
Your letters of July 31. & Aug. 5. were recieved yesterday. the ground taken, in conformity with the act of Congress, of considering, as public enemies, British armed vessels in, or entering, our waters, gives us the benefit of a system of rules, sanctioned by the practice of nations in a state of war, and consequently enabling us with certainty & satisfaction to solve the different cases...
I enclose for your perusal the only letters I have received from Norfolk since those forwarded to you by Mr. Coles—My letter by him was written in very great haste, and amidst much interruption, and since reflecting more maturely on the subject, I find that Mr. Tazewell has not, in his construction of my letters on the subject of intercourse, differed so widely from what was intended, as I at...
In my letter of the 7th. I informed you that on consultation at Washington it had been concluded best to commit the whole business of flags to Capt Decatur. I now find that I had not recollected our conclusion correctly, and that it had been understood that the commanding officers, by land & water should have equal authority to license the sending & recieving flags: which is not only proper,...
Your favor of the 7th. is recieved. it asks my opinion on several points of law arising out of the act of Congress for accepting the service of 30,000 volunteers. altho’ your own opinion, & those of some of your counsellors, more recent in the habits of legal investigation, would be a safer guide for you than mine, unassisted by my ordinary & able associates, yet I shall frankly venture my...
your letter of the 7th was received yesterday morning. My last, by the way of Fredericksburg, will have corrected a mistake into which I had fallen in my letter by Mr. Coles, on the subject of Mr. Tazewell’s report—That mistake, however, was productive of no inconvenience, as it was discovered before I wrote to General Mathews; to whom, no instructions have been given variant from those I have...
I am this moment favored with yours of the 9th, but I fear the direct mail to Charlottesville is already closed—No inconvenience will arise from the circumstance mentioned in your letter because as I understood that Capt. Decatur was not in Norfolk. I did not state to General Mathews that he no longer had the power to receive and regulate the intercourse by flag with the British Squadron—Your...
I send you the letter which I received this morning from Norfolk—I regret that the Norfolk mail does not arrive in time for me to send you the letters the same morning by the Fredericksburg Mail—I have written to General Mathews for copies of the papers referred to in Capt: Taylors report, which shall be forwarded to you without delay—I have not seen, nor have I been informed of the nature of...
I am sorry it is not in my power to give you any information from Norfolk, as I received no letters by this mornings mail. I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
There was no mail this morning beyond Petersburg. I have therefore again to regret that I can give you no information from Norfolk. Should I receive any letters of importance tomorrow morning, I will send them by express to overtake the Fredericksburg mail, which generally leaves this place before the arrival of the Norfolk mail— I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St. DLC : Papers of...
I have the honor to enclose you General Mathew’s letters of the 12th & 13th of this month, which were both received at a very late hour yesterday morning. Not knowing whether you take the Norfolk Ledger, I take the liberty to send you a paragraph from that paper, which gives information very interesting if true— I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
Your favors of the 11th. 12th. & 14th. were recieved yesterday being the first day for some days past that the obstruction of the water courses has permitted the post to come through. I now return you the letters of Genl. Matthews & Capt. Hardy. I inclose you also two offers of volunteers from Montgomery & Fauquier counties, because they are expressly made, under the late act of Congress. I...
No mail has been received from Norfolk since Saturday morning; but one is expected this morning, so that I shall be able to communicate, by the Charlottesville mail this Evening, any interesting intelligence that may be received—But even that mail has not yet arrived altho it has been due since Sunday Evening— I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I have the honor to enclose you two letters from General Mathews received by this mornings mail—As to the packet mentioned in one of the letters, and addressed to Capt: Hardy, I consider it as coming within the prohibition of the Proclamation, & your instructions. You will perceive that General Mathews considers it in the same light—I should direct its return to the British Consul at New-York,...
I return you the papers recieved in your letter of the 16th. the Secretary of State communicated to me yesterday a letter from mr Erskine containing assurances from Sr. Thomas Hardy that he should carefully abstain from acts of violence, unless he recieved orders from his superiors. altho’ Barclay’s character does not give the same confidence, yet I see no reason to doubt that matters will...
Your letters of Aug. 11. 12. 13: had been before acknoleged, and in mine of this morning I acknoleged yours of the 16th. and returned the papers inclosed in it. since writing that I have recieved another letter of yours of Aug. 11. which by an error of the post-office had been sent to a wrong office. I now inclose the papers recieved in that. they call for but one observation which is, that...
I now enclose you General Mathews’s last letter, by which you will perceive that the Triumph and the Colunbine have gone to sea—From the opinion given by General Mathews to the Collector, that the supplies for the Colunbine should be regulated by a regard to the nearest Port, & not to the port from which she came, it would seem that he could not have received my letter of the 10th. enclosing...
After having written an answer to your letter of the 17th—I have barely time to acknowledge, with many thanks, the receipt of your particular favor of the 11th which did not come to hand until to day—It has removed every doubt from my mind—I will answer it more particularly tomorrow— Accept my assurances of the highest respect. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
Your favor of the 11th. on the subject of the Volunteers, was not received until yesterday—I feel myself much indebted to you for the trouble you have been pleased to take in the solution of the questions propounded in my letter of the 7th. The difficulties I experienced, related principally to the appointment of the Majors and Colonels—Those relating to Captains yeelded to my own mature...
Th: Jefferson salutes the Governor with esteem and respect, & returns him the papers recieved in his letter of the 18th. he thinks there can be no doubt but that the sealed letter from the British Consul at New York to the Commander of the Bellona should be returned. Vi .
General Mathews’s letter of the 18th states that the British remain as mentioned in his letter of the 17th. which I forwarded to you yesterday. I am with great respect Sir yr. Ob. St. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
Your two letters of the 19th. were received today—I received no letter from Norfolk this morning, and therefore can communicate no information from that quarter—Directions have been given for the discharge of the Cavalry—The Company of Artillery, and the company of Infantry will be immediately placed under the command of Major Newton, who will receive all necessary instructions—A daily express...
Yours of the 21st. has been received, and I have accordingly directed that the packet addressed to Sir Thomas Hardy shall be returned by the mail to the British Consul whose seal it bears—I now enclose you General Mathews last letter. I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. Servt. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I now enclose you the last letter from Norfolk. The next will I presume be from Major Newton to whom the command has been transfered, & to whom I have communicated your opinion on the subject of supplies for the Columbine. I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I have the honor to enclose you General Mathews’s letter of the 24th. I am with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob. St. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
A letter from Norfolk, of the 25th. states, “the force of the British Squadron at 2. P.M this day, consisted of the Triumph, Leopard, Cleopatra, and two armed Brigs; their position as yesterday”—Nothing is said of the Columbine— I am with great respect Sir yr. Ob. St. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I do myself the pleasure to forward to you Genl. Mathews’s letter of the 26th. Augt. which is the latest information I have received from Norfolk. I have the honor to be with the highest respect Sir yr. Ob St. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I have the honor to forward Major Newtons letter of the 31st. of Augt. You will observe what he states with respect to the conduct of some of the Boats of the British Squadron, in frequently coming near the shore, rowing in different directions, as if with intention to land, & sometimes taking soundings of the Coast, and the entrance of Lynhaven River—I have not thought that this conduct,...
I now forward you Major Newtons letter of the 2nd. to whom I have mentioned the assurance of Sir Thomas Hardy that he should attempt no act of hostility unless he should receive orders from his Superiors. This will account for the Chesapeake having left Norfolk— I have the honor to be with great respect Sir yr. Ob. St DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
I now return you Majr. Newton’s letters. the intention of the squadron in the bay is so manifestly pacific, that your instructions to him are perfectly proper, not to molest their boats merely for approaching the shore. while they are giving up slaves & citizen seamen & attempting nothing ashore, it would not be well to stop this by any new restriction. if they come ashore indeed, they must be...
I have the honor to enclose you Major Newton’s letters from the 4th to the 11th instant inclusive. In all cases of sealed letters coming from the Squadron, addressed to persons residing in Norfolk, I have informed him that he would be authorized to open them, with the consent of the persons to whom they are addressed, and after having examined them, to deliver or withhold them according to the...