11From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 19 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
12From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 19 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
13From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 17 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
14From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 11 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
15From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 9 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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,...
16From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 7 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
17From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 31 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
18From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 27 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
19From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 24 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...
20From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 19 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
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...