1Editorial Note (Jefferson Papers)
Using the French manuscript that he received from the author in 1809, Jefferson undertook to see into print an English edition of Destutt de Tracy’s commentary on Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois . He recruited Philadelphia printer and journalist William Duane for the task with the letter and sample translations printed below. Duane engaged his own translator, even for the portions Jefferson had...
2Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 12 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of July 16. has been duly recieved, with the paper it inclosed, for which accept my thanks, and especially for the kind expressio sentiments expressed towards myself. these testimonies of approbation, and friendly remembrance, are the highest gratifications I can recieve from any, and especially from those in whose principles & zeal for the public good I have confidence. of that...
3Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [ca. 12 June 1809] (Jefferson Papers)
Livre Second: Des Loix qui derivent directement de la Nature du Gouvernement. Esprit des lois Copies liv. 2 e Il ny a que deux especes de Gouvernemens, Ceux qui Sont fondés Sur les droits généraux des hommes, et ceux qui Se pretendent fondés Sur Des droits particuliers. La division ordinaire des gouvernemens en republicains, monarchiques, et despotiques, me parait essentiellement mauvaises...
4Thomas Jefferson’s Translation of Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [ca. 12 … (Jefferson Papers)
Book II. ‘of laws flowing directly from the nature of the government.’ that there are but two kinds of government, those founded on the general rights of man, & those pretending to be founded on particular rights. The common division of governments into republican, monarchical & despotic, appears to me essentially bad. The word republican is a very vague term, under which is comprehended a...
5Contemporary Translation of Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
BOOK II. of laws originating directly from the nature of the government. There are only two kinds of government: those founded on the general rights of man, and those founded on particular rights. spirit of laws. book ii. T he ordinary division of governments into republican, monarchical, and despotic, appears to me essentially erroneous. The word republican is itself a very vague term,...
6Extracts from Destutt de Tracy’s Reflections on Montesquieu’s First Twelve Books, [ca. 12 June 1809] (Jefferson Papers)
nous trouvons dés le livre second que les gouvernemens viennent tous Se ranger dans deux classes, Savoir ceux qui Sont fondés Sur les droits généraux des hommes, et ceux qui Se pretendent fondés Sur des droits particuliers . Montesquieu n’a pas adopté cette division. Il classe les gouvernemens d’après la circonstance accidentelle du nombre des hommes qui Sont les depositaires de l’autorité: et...
7Jefferson’s Translation of Extracts from Destutt de Tracy’s Reflections on Montesqueiu’s First Twelve Books, [ca. 12 … (Jefferson Papers)
Extracts from the author’s r R eflections on Montesquieu’s 12. first books. ‘I have divided governments into two classes, to wit, those founded on the general rights of man, and those pretending to be founded on the rights of particular individuals. Montesquieu classes governments from the accidental circumstance of the number of men who are the depositories of the public authority: and he...
8Contemporary Translation of Extracts from Destutt de Tracy’s Reflections on Montesquieu’s First Twelve Books, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
In the second book, we shall perceive, that all governments may be classed under two heads, namely . . . . those which are founded on the general rights of man . . . . and those which are supposed to be founded on particular rights. Montesquieu has not adopted this distribution; he classes governments according to the accidental circumstances of the number of men invested with authority; and...
9William C. C. Claiborne to Thomas Jefferson, 13 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to enclose you attested Copies of a Petition to Congress from sundry Inhabitants of Orleans , and also of certain Resolutions entered into by the Legislative Council & House of Representatives of the Territory of Orleans upon the subject of the Batture . These Documents support all the facts on which you relied, in directing possession to be taken of the Batture by the Marshal...
10Henry Dearborn to Thomas Jefferson, 15 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your friendly & instructive letter has been received and perused with peculier satisfaction & pleasure.— When people in pursuit of an important object abandon the regular & direct road, and pursue a wrong course a conciderable distance, it is with reluctence they can prevail on themselves to admit the error & tread back the erroneous steps and return to the road they had injudiciously...
11James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 15 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I am offered the Services of a M r Magee , now living with M r Randolph , as an overseer . I have discountenanced his offer, partly from an ignorance of his character, but particularly from the uncertainty whether M r R. means to part with him. Will you be kind eno’ by a line, merely to say 1 st whether it is decided that he is not to remain where he is, the only condition on which I w
12Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 16 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night a letter from mr Short dated Liverpool June 19. covering the inclosed papers, to wit, 1. Extract from the Register of the Prerogative court of Canterbury. 2. Power of Attorney from Hibbert’s exrs to Smith for selling the stock now inclosed. 3. a blank power of Atty from Smith to transfer the stock to W m Short . 4. the original certificates for 5000. 1000. 1000. 1000....
13Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 16 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of July 14. with the welcome paper it covered, has been most thankfully recieved. I had before recieved from your office, and that of State, all the printed publications on the subject of the batture, that is to say the opinions of the Philadelphia lawyers & of E. Livingston himself, the publications of Derbigny , Thierry , Poydras , & the Pieces probantes. I had been very anxious to get...
14Louis Philippe Gallot de Lormerie to Thomas Jefferson, 16 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Je Respecte vos occupations, même privées, et garde le Silence. Mais mon véritable autant qu’ancien attachement a la prospérité des Etats unis m’engage a vous Ecrire persuadé que vous conservés toujours une grande influence dans leur Gouvernement par vos Lumiéres Je viens vous communiquer une idée que je crois utile. L’importance de la floride Occidentale et même des deux florides vous est...
15Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of yesterday was recieved last night. the M c Gehee who is the subject of it, is an overseer of mine at a place, which on account of it’s importance to me, mr Randolph takes care of. he employed M c Gehee , & solely superintends him. We consider him as an extremely industrious, active, attentive, and skilful in the old practices, but prejudiced against any thing he is not used to. we...
16Thomas Jefferson to William Chamberlayne, 17 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Towards the latter end of the last year Col o Tho s M. Randolph informed me he had in his possession, on hire, 4 negroes of the property of the late mr Shackleford which he did not mean to keep another year, & knew that they would be to hire, & at the same price of £50. which he had given. I agreed to take them at that price, and they were to come to me after the Christmas h H ollidays when...
17William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the satisfaction to receive your very kind letter of the 12 instant . It is singular enough that I should have before me at the moment, a history of England in 4to, which I take to be the same which you mention. Several years ago you mentioned the same book to me, and through M r G. Erving then in London I obtained the book before me. Having just completed my Military Dictionary...
18John R. Fenwick to Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have forwarded by this day’s Mail two Packages Containing four volumes of a work given me in Charge by the Author with his Request to present it to You [...] . in hopes of finding a private Conveyance to insure the safe arrival of these Books has induced me to Keep them thus long in my possession. apprehensive such an Opportunity will not offer, I am Compell’d to trust them to the post. I...
19Robert Patterson to Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I am directed, by the Philosophical Society , to acknowledge the reciept (under cover from you) of a paper from M. Du Jareau of New Orleans , on the construction of a saw-mill to be worked by a horse. This paper, according to the usage of the society, was referred to a committee , who have reported, in substance, —That the paper does not appear to be intended by the Author as a communication...
20Thomas Jefferson to Littleton W. Tazewell, 18 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Soon after the service of mr Livingston’s writ on me, I applied to the offices at Washington and obtained the letters & papers they possessed respecting our proceedings on the Batture of N. Orleans . I before possessed the printed opinions which had been given on the occasion; and having in my own mind an intimate knolege of the whole transactions, I thought it best to make a full statement of...
21Jean Potocki to Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
ayant bien voulu témoigner de l’Estime pour mes ouvrages je la prie de vouloir bien agreer le present exemplaire; qui contient toute ma doctrine Chronologique. J’ai plusieurs renseignements à demander sur l’Amérique , et Si votre Excellence vouloit entrer en correspondance avec moi, de la prierois de me faire parvenir sa réponse par le canal de Consul Américain Levet harris . Je suis avec une...
22Archibald Thweatt to Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose Mr Ladd’s report—I beg leave to invite your attentive perusal, and receive your remarks.—as to the balances amongst ourselves, we can adjust them to our satisfaction after a decree.—If you wish any exceptions taken, you can draw and inclose them to me.—I am at present inclined to think we had better not except. We can may call for a further account of Fleming’s estate— as I see no...
23Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Ladd, 20 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 8 th was recieved on the 14 th inst. and I now inclose you fifty Dollars, my portion of the fee for your report, with many thanks for your patient & candid attention to this case, and great satisfaction at the prospect of seeing it terminated in my time. Accept the assurances of my great esteem & respect. PoC ( DLC ); at foot of text: “M r Thomas Ladd”; endorsed by TJ. Ladd’s...
24Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Wirt having suggested to me that he thought the explanations, of in my case of the Batture , respecting the Nile & Missisipi not sufficiently clear, and that the authority cited respecting the Nile might be urged against me, I have endeavored, by a Note, to state their analogies more clearly. being a shred of the argument I put into your hands I inclose it to you with a request, after...
25Henry Wheaton to Thomas Jefferson, 20 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of enclosing to you an Essay on the history & means of preserving that independence you so greatly contributed to acquire; and humbly hope that however great may be the imperfections your eye will discern in the composition, that you will pardon them for the sake of the sincere attachment to those principles which made us free, the merit of which I may justly claim. It is...
26Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 20 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson with his friendly salutations to mr Wirt sends him some short Notes on the several queries suggested in his letter of the 9 th inst. RC ( MdHi , 1944); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “William Wirt esquire Richmond”; franked and postmarked; endorsed by Wirt. PoC ( DLC ); endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: enclosure to TJ to James Madison, 20 Aug. 1810 . Other enclosure printed below.
27Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on William Wirt’s Comments on the Batture Statement, [ca. 20 August 1810] (Jefferson Papers)
Obj. that Joutel’s journal may not be admitted as evidence of the Charter to Crozat . Ans. I leave the establishment of this as legal evidence to the gentlemen in actual practice, who are so much more familiar with the authorities than I am. I have no doubt they will be able to shew that tho’ we may not resort to books of history for documents of a nature merely private, yet we may for those...
28Thomas Jefferson to William D. Meriwether, 21 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I send the inclosed letters to you as one of the executors of our late friend Governor Lewis . you probably know the fate of Poor Pierney his servant who lately followed his master’s example. the 1 st letter is from him stating his account. the 2 d & 3 d are from Christopher Suverman with whom he boarded till his death. Suverman
29Jean Marie de Bordes to Thomas Jefferson, 22 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
J’ai l’honneur de vous adresser un petit pamplet sous le titre “de Coup de fouet ” ; c’est une réponse au libelle de M. Négrin , publié dans le journal du freeman, par Contre les Français. Ne doutant point de l’intérêt que vous avez toujours daigné prendre à cette nation, je me Suis persuadé que cet écrit ne pourrait que vous être agréable. Quoiqu’il en Soit, voyez, je vous prie, dans l’homage...
30Delaplaine & Hellings to Thomas Jefferson, 24 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
We take the liberty of trespassing upon your notice by sending the enclosed proposal of the Picture of Philadelphia for your signature. Notwithstanding we have received assurances of much public patronage for a work which it is intended, under Divine Providence, shall be useful to society, yet we believe that this patronage will be increased by the reception of your respectable name....