Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-18-02-0264

Robert Smith (printer) to Thomas Jefferson, 27 March 1822

From Robert Smith (printer)

Washngton City Marh 27th 1822

Sir

I addressed you a letter some days ago and stated that it was me that went to Annopolis in the year 18001 and put a card in Mr Greens paper which brought out Judge Duval to write those Essays that put you in as President of the United States and that at your close of years you should not forget me

Rt Smith printer

P.S Indeed I Should like somethng at the Present time for I am in reducd circumstancs and getting in years—I have a claim on the United States fror an invention of case shot whch was made use of in the battle of Lake Eree, but the 18th Congress are a parcel of Juglers Mr Randolph looks on them, it is said as the schum of2 the United States I wait your answer all that I Repent that I ever went out to Pittssbergh for I saved the United States from a Dissolution

RC (DLC); addressed: “Thomas Jefferson ex-P— Charlotsville Virginia Montcello”; franked; postmarked Washington, 29 Mar.; endorsed by TJ as a letter from “Smith Robert (printer)” received 4 Apr. 1822 and so recorded (lacking “printer” but with additional bracketed notation: “ante Feb. 28,” the day TJ received Smith’s letter of 24 Feb. 1822) in SJL.

mr greens paper: Frederick Green and Samuel Green were proprietors of the Annapolis Maryland Gazette in 1800 (Brigham, American Newspapers description begins Clarence S. Brigham, History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690–1820, 1947, 2 vols. description ends , 1:219–20). case shot: “small projectiles massed together, typically with sawdust packing, in a canister for firing from a cannon as a single shot, the canister disintegrating in the air” (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ). The 18th congress did not commence until 1 Dec. 1823.

1Manuscript: “1822.”

2Manuscript: “of of.”

Index Entries

  • Annapolis, Md.; Maryland Gazette search
  • charity; requests to TJ for search
  • Congress, U.S.; criticism of search
  • Duvall, Gabriel; essays of, on election of1800 search
  • Green, Frederick; andMaryland Gazette search
  • Green, Samuel; andMaryland Gazette search
  • Lake Erie; and War of1812 search
  • newspapers; AnnapolisMaryland Gazette search
  • shot; case search
  • Smith, Robert (printer); and case shot search
  • Smith, Robert (printer); and election of1800 search
  • Smith, Robert (printer); letters from search
  • Smith, Robert (printer); requests money from TJ search
  • United States; and presidential election of1800 search