Thomas Jefferson Papers

James Monroe to George Hay, 23 May 1810 [document added in digital edition]

James Monroe to George Hay

albemarle may 23. 1810.

my dear Sir

I called the day after the rect of your letter on mr Jefferson and made the offer of yr services to him in the S[ui]t of [Mr] Livingston in the case of the [Bat]ture. I saw no objection to yr taking that step, indeed I thought there was a real propriety in it. He appeard to be gratified by the communication, and observed that he had already apprized you & mr Wirt thro’ mr Wickham whom he had also engaged in the cause, & since by letters, that he wished you to act in it. He will devote sufficient time to the investigation of it, & furnish his counsel with his argument. The govt however will immediately take it up, as it is their cause not that of mr Jefferson.

we are all tolerably well. Mrs Monroe & I are hastening the repairs &ca to our house to receive you & family as soon as possible. Hortensia engages by her merit the attentions & affections of the whole family. She mistakes me for you, & by that cause I became immediately a favorite.

Sinc[e]rely yr friend

Jas Monroe

RC (Raab Collection, Ardmore, Pa., 2006); dateline at foot of text; four words faint. This document, located after the pertinent chronological volume was published, will appear in the concluding supplement to the print edition.

Index Entries

  • Batture Sainte Marie, controversy over; TJ assembles counsel search
  • Hay, George; letter to, from J. Monroe search
  • Hay, George; TJ hires as counsel search
  • Hay, Hortensia search
  • Highland (J. Monroe’s Albemarle Co. estate); J. Monroe at search
  • Monroe, Elizabeth Kortright (James Monroe’s wife); domestic activities of search
  • Monroe, James; and batture controversy search
  • Monroe, James; family of search
  • Monroe, James; letter from, to G. Hay search
  • Wickham, John; and batture controversy search
  • Wirt, William; TJ hires as counsel search