1From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin H. Latrobe, 31 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress having appropriated another sum of 50,000. D. for the public buildings it becomes necessary to settle the plan of operations for the summer. the following are my ideas on the subject. Capitol. The walls to be completely finished this summer. for ensuring this every effort must be exerted from this day forward, the supplies of stone pushed with all the energy possible, and the cutting...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin H. Latrobe, 9 April 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, three days ago, your favor of Mar. 29. and have taken the first leisure moment to consider it’s contents & the drawings they refer to, and I approve generally of the internal distribution of both the floors, with some exceptions which shall be noted below. but we must for the present defer whatever is external to the North wall of the South wing, that is to say, the Vestibule, the...
3Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 October 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Aug. 28. came duly to hand, and I congratulate you on the succesful completion of your great arch of the Senate chamber as well as that of the Hall of Justice. I have no doubt you will finish those rooms so as to be worthy counterparts of that of the Representatives. it would give me pleasure to learn that Congress will consent to proceed on the Middle building. I think that the...
4Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I feel much concern that suggestions stated in your letter of the 5 th inst. should, at this distance of time, be the subject of uneasiness to you, and I regret it the more as they make appeals to memory, a faculty never strong in me, & now too sensibly impaired to be relied on. it retains no trace of the particular conversations alluded to, nor enables me to say that they are, or are not,...
5Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 25 January 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I was on a visit of six weeks to a distant place of mine when the elegant work of mess rs Franzoni & Andrei arrived, & an attack of rheumatism subsequent to my return has prevented till now my acknolegements for it, and what acknolegements can I make adequate to it’s merit? the one formerly contemplated is unworthy of a thought, and nothing in that line to which my resources are competent,...
6Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 12 July 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Of all the faculties of the human mind that of Memory is the first which suffers decay from Age. of the commencement of this decay, I was fully sensible while I lived in Washington , & it was my earliest Monitor to retire from public business. it has often since been the source of great regret, when applied to by others to attest transactions in which I had been an agent, to find that they had...
7Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
After expressing my satisfaction that the restoration of the Capitol is confided to you, which ensures it’s being properly done, I have to offer you two house joiners of the very first order both in their knolege in Architecture, and their practical abilities. James Dinsmore , one of them, I brought from Philada in 1798. and he lived with me 10. years. a more faithful, sober, discreet, honest...
8Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 27 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
As you were so kind as to give me your invention of the handsome and peculiarly American capital, I must give you mine of the new Dial to which that Capital has led. I had placed the Capital on a pedestal of the size proper to it’s diameter, and had reconciled their confluence into one another by interposing plinths successively diminishing. it looked bald for want of something to crown it. I...
9Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 12 June 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
This letter is that of a friendly beggar. I will explain to you the case & then it’s object. we are commencing here the establishment of a College , and instead of building a magnificent house which would exhaust all our funds, we propose to lay of f a square of or rather 3. sides of a square about 7. or 800.f. wide, leaving it open at one end to be extended indefinitely. on the closed end,...
10Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 16 July 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I found your favor of June 28. on my return hither from my other home , about 90 miles S.W. from hence and near Lynchburg , the mos t growing place in America . they have there the new method of moulding the stock brick in oil, and execute with it the most beautiful brick work, I have ever seen. I went there to try to get a workman skilled in it to come and build our first Academical pavilion,...
11Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 24. was recieved yesterday. you might well be led by my 1 st letter into error as to the disposition of our grounds & buildings. the general idea of an Academical village rather than of one large building w as formed by me, perhaps about 15. years ago, on being consulted by mr L. W. Tazewell then a member of our legislature, which was supposed to be then disposed to go into...
12Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote on the 3 d in answer to your’s of the 24 th July. that of the 28 th is delivered to me just as I am setting out for Bedford to be absent 6. weeks. after the date of mine to you on the subject of the Stone cutter, we had a meeting of our visitors who supposing you had full employment for all your hands desired me to write to Leghorn for a stone cutter, which I have done. the...
13Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, [25] August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Our letters, crossing one another by the way, have produced some confusion. their dates are as follows, in the margin. your lres when rece d when answ d June 28. July 15. July 16 July 24 Aug. 2 Aug. 3. July 18 Aug. 7. Aug. 7. Aug. 12. Aug. 22. Aug. 24. I shall be glad to recieve your drawings; but not at this place, to which the mail is uncertain, and I shall be at Monticello
14Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 12 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 6 th is recieved, and with it the beautiful set of drawings accompanying it. we are under great obligations to you for them, and having decided to build two more pavilions the ensuing season, we shall certainly take select their fronts from these. they will be Ionic and Corinthian. the Doric now erecting would resemble one of your’s but that the lower order is of arches, & the...
15Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I cannot promise that even this shall be the last trouble I shall give you on the subject of our Central college ; for indeed I have nobody else to appeal to. we have agreed to give to our Carpenters & housejoiners the prices stated in the Philadelphia Builder’s price book, with such a percent on them as the is habitually allowed there for the advance of prices since the date of that book. we...
16Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 19 May 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Apr. 14. is just now at hand. that of Mar. 7. had been recieved in due time, with the book of prices, for which I ought not to have been contented with internally thanking you, as I certainly and cordially did. but you have no conception of the drudgery of letter writing to which I am subjected, and which really renders life a burthen. writing too is become a slow & painful...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 March 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I now inclose you the letter for mr Appleton which covers one for mr Mazzei according to promise. I have considered the case of mr Lenthall according to your letter of Feb. 29. 04. and to the statement you put into my hands the other day, and I approve of your allowing him three dollars & two thirds a day. pressed with business before my departure I can only add my salutations and assurances...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you mr Lenthal’s letter, on which the most painful observation is that it furnishes proof in addition to suggestions which have been recieved that he is not always in a state of temperance. should he take this turn, he would be a real loss. I have by this post desired mr Munroe to settle his account @ 4. D. a day, back from the beginning because that seems to have been his own...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 22 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Having returned a few days since, I called on mr Ludlow to have the offices for this house now begun. he told me he awaited your instructions, papers etc and would write to you immediately. having three months now before our Autumnal recess I should be glad this work could be pushed on such a scale as to compleat one end at least while I am here. having given you the only sketches I had of the...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I could not sooner return your drawings, because I could not till yesterday have a conference with mr Gallatin. some parts of your propositions being approved, some doubtful, some not satisfactory. I can only write short observations as texts for consideration, and to be discussed vivâ voce when you come here. the piers instead of half columns at the junction of the new with the old buildings...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Aug. 31. has been recieved. the partition you propose in the clerk’s office of the Senate is readily approved, as it will not injure the room for that purpose, and is necessary to support the decayed beam. this latter consideration will justify it to the Senate even should it not be otherwise agreeable to them. but the division of the semicircular Vestibule I cannot say I approve. it...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 20 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The H. of R. having by a resolution requested me to take effectual measures for the completion of the S. wing of the Capitol by the commencement of the next session, it becomes my duty to be under a constant & well supported certainty that the work (except such internal stone carving as may be done at leisure hereafter) is making such progress as will admit it’s being ready by a fixed day....
23From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 28 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to mr Latrobe. he delivered yesterday to Colo. Tatham (who said he was to meet mr Latrobe at 10. oclock, and therefore came to ask them) every drawing of the capitol he was able to find, & which, as he then supposed, he possessed but after he was gone he found another which he suspects to be exactly the one mr Latrobe desires, as he observes in it a part...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In order to keep within our power the completion of the South wing of the Capitol, as desired by the H. of R. I have requested mr Lenthall to report to me, at the epochs stated in your estimate, the progress actually made. the report of this day should have stated 1. all the columns on the E. side set up. this is done. 2. the West architrave up. half only up. i.e. ¼ of the whole. 3. grounds...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Another reporting day has come about, and by mr Lenthall’s report I find the stone work falling more & more behind and keeping back the work of the Carpenters & Plaisterers. instead of 6. stone cutters, which might have sufficed at the date of my former letter, 12. at least will now be necessary, & every days delay of their arrival must still add to the number to be sent on. price must not be...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Munroe has just communicated to me a statement by which it appears that there remained but 17,000. D. in the treasury of the monies appropriated for the South wing of the Capitol, of which sum I have now given him a warrant for 10,000. D. so that no more than 7000. D. remain subject to future draughts. I mention this, as it renders it necessary that not another Dollar may be expended or...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I was so extremely sick on both the days you were so kind as to call on me that I had been obliged to desire the porter to recieve nobody, except the Secretaries. I am now well enough to do business & shall be glad to see you whenever it shall be convenient to you to call. in the mean time I will observe that the information you have recieved that I was displeased with the mode of lighting the...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 22 April 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 14th. came to hand on the 20th. The idea of spending 1000. D. for the temporary purpose of covering the pannel lights over the representatives chamber, merely that the room may be plaistered before the roof is closed, is totally inadmissible. but I do not see why that particular part of the plaistering should not be postponed until the pannel lights are glazed. I hope there is no...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 22 May 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
On considering the amount of our 15,000. D. fund and it’s objects, to wit, 1. finishing the offices of the Pres’s house, 2. smoothing the ground, and 3. inclosing it, and sensible it would not do the whole, I concluded that it was best to do the first absolutely, to do all that part of the 2d. which will require but a moderate sum, & then such a portion only of the inclosure as the balance...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 26 May 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letter of the 22d. mr King has shewn me the alterations of your original design of the Contour of the grounds around this house, & I find they are precisely what I proposed in my letter except as to the extent of ground to be allowed to the offices, which may be a subject of consideration hereafter. this is but the 2d. day of the Labourers working on the S.E. quarter, & it begins...