Thomas Jefferson to Louis H. Girardin, 28 August 1814
To Louis H. Girardin
Monticello Aug. 28. 14.
Th:J. to mr Girardin.
I send you the 1st vol. of Tucker’s Blackstone & the 1st & 2d of Botta. I think I have nothing on the Revolutionary finances which answers your view except the Article ‘Etats Unis’ of the Encyclopedie, which article I have seperately bound with some pamphlets on the Finances of France & England, and now send you. De Meunier had prepared a poor article on that head, and sent it to me for correction before it was printed. I found it necessary to write the Article entire. he retained his own, but added mine. you will readily distinguish the ideas of a stranger from those of one who had had a part in the transactions. I wrote it when every thing was fresh in my mind, and when I was fully master of the subject. if this does not answer your view, you had better come & examine for yourself, when you can recieve also the sequel of my letters. we shall be happy to see you at all times.
Of the stories flying abroad of the burning of Washington, I believe nothing. they may be true, but are not the more likely for being reported. when Washington is in danger, we shall see mrs Madison and mrs Monroe, like the doves from the ark, first messengers of the news. I salute you with esteem and respect.
P.S. since writing this I recieve information undoubted that Washington is burnt.
RC (PPAmP: Thomas Jefferson Papers); dateline above postscript; addressed: “Mr Girardin Glenmore.”
TJ here sent St. George tucker’s Blackstone’s Commentaries, 5 vols. (Philadelphia, 1803; no. 1807), vol. 1, and Carlo Botta’s Storia della guerra dell’ Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America, 4 vols. (Paris, 1809; no. 509; , 4 [no. 134]), vols. 1–2. TJ made significant contributions to Jean Nicolas Démeunier’s article on the United States for the section Économie Politique et Diplomatique in the Encyclopédie Méthodique. TJ had had the article bound with two other pamphlets under the general heading “Political tracts on the finances of France, Engld and the U.S. 89. 90. 4to,” and he enclosed that volume here (, 10:3–11; no. 2948–50). The doves are released from Noah’s ark in the Bible, Genesis 8.8–12.
A letter from TJ to Girardin, 3 Aug. 1814, not found, is recorded in SJL, as is a missing letter from Girardin to TJ of 28 Aug. 1814, recorded as received from Glenmore that day.
Index Entries
- Bible; Genesis referenced by TJ search
- Blackstone, William; Blackstone’s Commentaries (ed. S. G. Tucker) search
- Blackstone’s Commentaries (S. G. Tucker) search
- Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo; Storia della guerra dell’Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America search
- Démeunier, Jean Nicolas; and article for Encyclopédie Méthodique search
- Encyclopédie Méthodique search
- Girardin, Louis Hue; letters from accounted for search
- Girardin, Louis Hue; letters to search
- Girardin, Louis Hue; letters to accounted for search
- Girardin, Louis Hue; TJ sends books to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; loans books search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; British destruction in Washington search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; revises article for Encyclopédie Méthodique search
- Madison, Dolley Payne Todd (James Madison’s wife); and British destruction in Washington search
- Monroe, Elizabeth Kortright (James Monroe’s wife); and British destruction in Washington search
- Noah (Old Testament patriarch) search
- political economy; works on search
- Storia della guerra dell’ Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America (C. G. G. Botta) search
- Tucker, St. George; Blackstone’s Commentaries search
- War of1812; British destruction in Washington search
- Washington (D.C.); British destruction in search