From Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Donald, 11 March 1790
To Alexander Donald
Alexandria Mar. 11. 1790.
Dear Sir
Your letters to Mr. Wilson were delivered on my arrival yesterday evening. The vessel sails tomorrow. By her I write to Monsieur Lamotte merchant at Havre and Mr. Coffin merchant at Dunkirk to receive and forward the box of plants. Be so good therefore as to have it addressed to the one or the other of these gentlemen according as a vessel may be first found going to the one or the other of these ports. In the mean time the box should be stowed in a cellar as one day’s heat if intense might destroy them. I write in haste & am Your friend & servt,
Th: Jefferson
PrC (MHi).
Donald may have sent the letters to Mr. Wilson under cover of one that he wrote TJ in Richmond, 8 Mch. 1790, a letter recorded in SJL as received the same day (not found). The letter to Francis Coffyn was written on 11 Mch. 1790, as from “Virginia,” and reads: “I have sent to Norfolk to be forwarded by the first vessel going to Havre or Ostend a box of plants addressed to ’Madame la Comtesse de Tessé à Paris.’ Should they come to your port, I beg you to receive and forward them to their address by some of the Fourgons which go from thense to Paris. Such expences as can be paid there will be paid on their delivery: but for any thing which you may be obliged to disburse at the port be pleased to draw on Mr. Short chargé des affaires des E. U. at Paris” (PrC in DLC, as is also PrC of an identically phrased letter from TJ to Delamotte at Le Havre, dated “Virginia Mar. 11. 1790.”).