Thomas Jefferson to Joseph St. Leger d’Happart, 17 April 1812
To Joseph St. Leger d’Happart
Monticello Apr. 17. 12.
Sir
Your letter of Mar. 5. is but lately recieved. I have inclosed it to the President of the US. which is the only good office I can render you in the case. there must have been some mistake in supposing the not paying your claim was for want of money in the treasury. there has never been a moment when the treasury was without an abundance of money, and I know that at the date of your claim there were several millions in it. Accept my best wishes.
Th: Jefferson
RC (PPiU: d’Happart Papers); addressed: “Doctr St Leger de Happart Greensburg Pensylva”; franked; postmarked Milton, 22 Apr. 1812; endorsed by d’Happart as “Receiv’d May 22. Answ’d/ not to be repleid/.” PoC (DLC); endorsed by TJ.
D’Happart used the verso of the RC of this letter for his retained copy of a letter to William Findley, written from St. Leger’s Retreat, near Greensburg, 20 June 1812, thanking him for assisting in his effort to settle his claim with the government and noting that he had “at last receiv’d” his payment (FC in PPiU: d’Happart Papers; entirely in d’Happart’s hand; at head of text: “To the honorable William Findley Member of Congress City of Washington”).
Index Entries
- Embargo Act (1807); effects of search
- Findley, William; and J. S. L. d’Happart’s claim search
- Happart, Joseph St. Leger d’; letters to search
- Happart, Joseph St. Leger d’; seeks compensation from U.S. search
- Happart, Joseph St. Leger d’; TJ’s correspondence with, forwarded to J. Madison search
- Madison, James; and J. S. L. d’Happart’s claim search