Thomas Jefferson Papers
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Memorandums to Henry Remsen, Jr., 31 August 1790 [document added to digital edition]

Memorandums to Henry Remsen, Jr.

Memorandum.

Letters received for me at N. York before the last day of September, to be forwarded to me, by the Richmond post, at Monticello.

not meaning newspapers however, which mr. Remsen will know by their covers.

of newspapers I wish to receive Fenno’s only, while absent.

those letters &c recieved after the last of Sep. to be retained.


I must get mr Remsen to decide whether it will be better for me to freight a vessel for my furniture or pay by the peice. I shall leave him a bill of the particulars. my servant Francis & his family are to go with my things, and his furniture, at my expence. he must be admonished not to carry things not worth their freight but to dispose of them here. I do not yet know whether Matthew goes.


with respect to Okie the doorkeeper, he may be told that the office is to be at my own house in Philadelphia, & consequently it would not be convenient for me to have a doorkeeper with a family. a single man will be employed at the place who from his acquaintance there may be more useful.


the office should be given up before mr Remsen goes away.


if a tenant should offer for my house, my furniture must be removed to the office. if that also be let, ware-room somewhere must be hired.


if a vessel is freighted for my furniture & servants & the public papers, mr Remsen will see to a just division of the expence. the letter of credit I leave for mr Remsen on the treasury will authorize him to recieve, of my salary, what may pay my part of the expence, or any other demands which may occur & of which mr Remsen shall see the propriety. should my furniture & servant arrive from Paris, either here or at Philadelphia, I will thank mr Remsen to do for me whatever may be necessary. if they arrive here, they may proceed to Philadelphia with the other things. Colo. Hamilton sais no duties will be demandeable for my furniture arriving. the servant with them will have an invoice to shew whether there is any thing but furniture.


the removal to be so as that every thing may be in Philadelphia by the 25th. of October, unless I direct otherwise from Philadelphia, from whence I will write as to the house they are to be deposited in.


I do not think it material to lay up wood before November


I have nothing to do with the papers of the court of Appeals.


I am of opinion that the public papers, which, on account of their being originals, we do not trust by sea, will go as safely & with less injury by water to Amboy, thence to Bordentown by land, thence to Philadelphia by water, as they would by land altogether.


the 2½ dozen green chairs to be sent to Richmond by Carey if he comes, or any other conveyance. they are to be addressed to mr James Brown mercht. Richmond, for me. he will pay the freight. if no conveyance occurs, they may go with the other things to Philadelphia.

Th: Jefferson

Aug. 31. 1790.

P.S. mr Remsen is desired to pay my servants Francis & Matthew 8½ dollars each on the last day of September.

MS (MBU: Richards Manuscript Collection); entirely in TJ’s hand.

This document was elicited by Memoranda from Remsen, [ca. 30 Aug. 1790], in Vol. 17:379–81.

letter of credit: TJ to Alexander Hamilton, 30 Aug. 1790. Adrien Petit, the servant TJ expected to arrive from Paris with his furniture, actually reached the United States in July 1791 (TJ to William Short, 12 Mch., 6 Apr. 1790; note to Short to TJ, 7 Nov. 1790; MB, 19 July 1791).

According to an account George Taylor, Jr., submitted to Remsen on TJ’s behalf, the removal from New York included “7 Loads” of TJ’s furniture that were transported from the wharf in Philadelphia to his new house at Market Street on 14 Oct. 1790 at a cost of 16/4 New York currency (MS in MHi; in Taylor’s hand and signed by him; endorsed by Remsen). For Remsen’s reimbursement by TJ for this amount, which included the cartage of other goods, see Remsen’s Account of Moving Expenses, [25 Nov. 1790].

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