2251From James Madison to Congress, 26 December 1816 (Madison Papers)
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. It is found that the existing laws have not the efficacy necessary to prevent violations of the obligations of the United States, as a nation at peace towards belligerent parties, and other unlawful acts on the high Seas, by armed vessels equipped within the waters of the United States. With a view to maintain more effectually...
2252To James Madison from James Monroe, 3 February 1815 (Madison Papers)
I send you letters from General Jackson which give an account of a victory truly glorious. It will be well to send them to Gales, except that which I have marked to be retained—unless indeed so much of the letter of the 9th. as relates to the conduct of the Kentuckey militia should also be retaind, tho I do not see how it can be, as similar statments will soon force themselves on the public RC...
2253Thomas Jefferson to Chapman Johnson, 7 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I was unwell during the last session of our district court , or I should have seen you there and delivered to you the inclosed for your kind assistance in the case of Michie’s Certiorari on the proceedings of forcible entry; and I was not without a hope that your business might have given you leisure to take a dinner or an evening with us which will always give me pleasure. I had a...
2254From John Adams to John Adams, 2 February 1812 (Adams Papers)
I have received two pretty Letters from you, and know not how to account for my own delay in answering either of them till this Time. That of the 21st of January is now before me, and is dated. Give my Love to your Brother, and tell him, he forgot to give any date to his. For your Comfort and Georges too, I can tell you, that you write as well as your Father did at your Age. But what a Writer...
2255To James Madison from William Plumer, 24 May 1815 (Madison Papers)
As the important office of collector of the duties on imports for the district of New Hampshire is now held by Joseph Whipple Esq, a man of more than eighty years of age, & as public interest seems to require the appointment of a successor, permit to recommend Lt. col. Timothy Upham to your favourable attention, as a gentleman well qualified, & whose services merit that office. He was bred a...
2256From John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 15 June 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter dated the sixth of February last, and was very much delighted to see it so well written; because I know that it was written by yourself.—I have marked it down, number one, and put it upon my file—When your next letter comes, and I hope that will be soon, I shall compare the hand-writing with that of number one, and shall see what progress you make in writing. I...
2257Enclosure: Packing List from John Barnes, 7 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
The following packages on Board the Sloop Rebecca for Richmond Jn o Hall Master. One Barrel Muscovado Sugar N t 2 1 4 2—
2258William Short to Thomas Jefferson, 9 June 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Rives has presented to me the letter by which you were so kind as to make us acquainted—He has been here now some days & I have been very much pleased with him. His being your friend would have insured him at any rate my attention—but I really return you my thanks for having procured me so agreeable an acquaintance. I have taken pleasure in introducing M r Rives to such of my friends here...
2259To James Madison from Daniel Parker, 20 August 1813 (Madison Papers)
Part of the information required by the President has been communicated in the extracts from General Harrison’s letter to the Secretary of War. Mr. Parker now has the honor to make an extract from the letter of the Secretary to the Genl. of July 14h. “Of the militia you are authorized to take what in your judgment will be necessary—Such of the Kentuckey militia as are in readin[es]s, would be...
2260Pierre Samuel Du Pont de Nemours to Thomas Jefferson, 14 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Je continue avec délices la lecture de votre admirable Ouvrage; et j’y ai trouvé dans le livre onzieme la raison qui vous a empêché d’exprimer au treizieme une conclusion. L’Impôt territorial, ou pour mieux parler, la Constitution domaniale à partage de Revenus , êtant, comme vous me l’avez marqué il y a quelque tems, repoussée par l’opinion de vos Etats du Nord, qui cependant sont sur tous...
2261George Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson, 14 September 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
The goblets received of Letellier are in one of the small packages mentioned in my last. one of the others I am told contains a Map from M r Robertson of Orleans .—the remaining two are paper packages, one of them appearing to contain books. RC ( ViHi ); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson esq r ”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Sept. 1810 and so recorded in SJL
2262To John Adams from James Lloyd, 6 February 1815 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your respected letter.—for the interesting details which it contains be pleased to accept my thanks.—it will afford me some compensation for the repugnance under which I felt myself in a degree constrained to enter into a public political correspondence, that it has produced to me information from a source from whence I might not otherwise have...
2263William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 10 September 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the remarks with which you have been so good as to accompany the return of the sheets. The story of Livy I had from Judge Nelson who gave it as a declaration to him from M r Henry himself. I think with you that the statement must be inaccurate: his indolence forbad it and Livy I find is not among the books left by him, of which I have a catalogue—I have moderated the passage...
2264Thomas Jefferson to Josiah Meigs, 7 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have referred asking the favor of you to return my thanks to D r Drake for the copy of his account of the state of Ohio which he has been so kind as to send me until I could ha ve time to peruse it. I have done this with great pleasure and may now express my gratification on this able additio n to the knolege we possess of our different states; and I may say with truth that were all of them...
2265To James Madison from Gideon Granger, 14 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
G Granger presents his most respectfull compliments to the President and, at the request of the Citizens of the County of Muskingum in Ohio, incloses for his perusal some resolutions passed by the Citizens on the 25th. of Feb. A copy has been sent to the Intelligencer for publication. At a meeting of a respectable number of the Citezens of the County of Muskingum and State of Ohio agreeable to...
2266Caspar Wistar to Thomas Jefferson, 24 February 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to present to you the Bearer D r Stevenson , a very interesting young gentleman of New York , who is about to embark for Europe but makes a previous visit to the Southward. He has lately returned from Lake Superior & can give you a good account of what he has seen on his Journey, & also of the present state of public sentiment in New York . I hope to receive by his return an...
2267From John Adams to John Quincy Adams, 26 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
To Shew the pretty, little, easy task you have undertaken, let me give you a Schematic Picture of the publick and private Courses in a German University, for Six months. 1. Encylopedy, and Method of Studies. An encyclopedick course of general Litterature, of the divisions and Subdivisions, and of the relations of Sciences among themselves. A course on the method to be pursued, in Academick...
2268From James Monroe to Abigail Smith Adams, 10 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I fear that the pressure of much business, and an anxiety to avail myself of a moment of leisuir, to write to Mr Adams in reply to his kind letter, made me delay it longer than I ought to have done. I now return you the letter—which he had the goodness to submit to my perusal, and with many thanks to him for it. The sentiments which it conveys do honor to the head & the heart of the author—....
2269To James Madison from Alexander J. Dallas, 6 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed paper gives, it is alledged, the sequel of the battle of the 18: of June, between Bonaparte and the Allies. The report, in the extent stated, is doubted here; but I think it probable, that Bonaparte’s repulse will produce something like a test of his popularity at Paris. I have written to Mr. Crawford, but no answer has been recieved. It may be, that he is on his way to visit you....
2270John B. Colvin to Thomas Jefferson, 26 March 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg you to accept the accompanying volume of “ Historical Letters .” I confess I am ashamed of the typographical execution of the work, the badness of which is chiefly to be attributed to its being published to the South of the Potomac . It is a reproach to that part of the United States that so useful an art as that of printing, should be there so much neglected, in point of embellishment,...
2271To James Madison from John Armstrong, 6 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
I have but two motives in transmitting to you the enclosed papers: 1st. to prevent you from suffering, as I have done, by a mis-placed confidence; & 2d. to justify myself against the insinuation that I acted, in the case of Mr. W. with unreasonable severity. Beyond yourself however I do not wish this evidence to go, because I do not desire to take from him that degree of character which may be...
2272Thomas Jefferson’s Account with Jonathan & Isaac Shoemaker, 15 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
1807. Oct. 8. paid Isaac Shoemaker 67. D 56 c balance of a settlement by arbitration to Aug. 25. 1807. Jonathan and Isaac Shoemaker in account with Th: Jefferson D
2273To James Madison from Lafayette, 21 November 1811 (Madison Papers)
It is a Good fortune for me to Arrive from La Grange in time to improve the Opportunity that is just Going. I ardently Wish the frigate May Soon follow the Flash With Satisfactory Accounts. Hitherto the Emperor Has been on His travels So that Mr. Barlow Could Not be presented before last Sunday. His personal Reception Has been the Most Agreable His friends and the friends to His business Might...
2274Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 15 December 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
My good Husband has call’d upon me for Some Letters, written to me by my Son , when he was last in paris , in 1815 in which he gives me a particular account of the Family of Count de Tracy and of the circumstances which introduced him to their acquaintance. Beleiving that it will give you pleasure to become acquainted with this happy Domestic circle , I readily embrace this opportunity of...
2275From John Adams to Ward Nicholas Boylston, 7 October 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your kind favour of the 27th. of Septr. has greatly obliged me. The Will of your Uncle has not Surprised me. I have known his Mind more than forty years ago. I believed him insane “quoad hoc,” at that time, as much as I do now. There was a Sense of Integrity and Benevolence and Humanity in him, united with the Wild Vagaries of a Monk and a Miser. A more curious Character is not to be found in...
2276William Cooper to Thomas Jefferson, 24 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
At a time when our enemy has avowed his intention to prosecute the war with the utmost rigor against our towns, villages, and citizens , it becomes the duty of every American to aid his Government in repelling them. I shall not be deterred by one disaster from respectfully submitting a plan, which I shall, I trust, demonstrate would completely banish them from our waters. Indeed, I am about...
2277To James Madison from Reasin Beall, 18 November 1814 [letter not found] (Madison Papers)
¶ From Reasin Beall. Letter not found. 18 November 1814. “Transmits a Copy of application of Thos. Taylor for the purpose of obtaining a lease for Sec. 9. 19. 16. in the Canton District. This Section is reserved under the 3d. Section of act of 18th. May 1896 [1796]. Any instructions the President may give in the premises, will meet with prompt attention” ( DNA : RG 49, Division D, Letters...
2278George W. Campbell to Thomas Jefferson, 9 September 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I have long intended troubling you with a letter, but have been deterred for want of something that seemed worthy your perusal— I should have embraced the occasion presented by your friendly & esteemed favor of last summer handed me by M r Barnes of George Town , of carrying my intention into execution, had not the very delicate state of my health, with the requisite attention to official...
2279From Abigail Smith Adams to John Quincy Adams, 8 March 1814 (Adams Papers)
Altho I sent Letters yesterday to go by our Ministers from N York, yet a new opportunity offering I readily embrace it. mr Tuckerman has kindly sent us word that he is permitted to go in a vessel from Norfolk to Gottenburgh, and will take any Letters we may have, as his Brother the Rev’d mr Tuckerman came in his behalf, and will wait untill I write you a few lines my Letter must be short. I...
2280To James Madison from Henry Dearborn, 7 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
The good of the service as well as a due regard to my own charactor, induces me to give you a scetch of the present state of affairs in the 9th. Military District. The Act of Congress for improving the organization of the Staff of the Army, and repealing such parts of the former Laws as come within the purview of the new Act, is concidered as displacing the officers who were appointed under...
2281John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 28 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
It is very true, that “the denunciations of the Priesthood are fulminated against every Advocate for a compleat Fre e dom of Religion. ” Comminations, I believe, would be plenteously pronounced, by even the most liberal of them, against Atheism, Deism; against every Man who disbelieved or doubted the Resurrection of Jesus or the Miracles of the New Testament. Priestley himself would denounc e...
2282To James Madison from John Armstrong, 1 November 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that the existing appropriations applicable to the Quarter master’s Department, to Subsistence and to Arsenals, Magazines & Armories, are nearly exhausted, and to request that you will be pleased to direct the sum of two hundred & eighty thousand dollars appropriated for the purchas of Horses ⅌ act of 21. Feby 1812 to be transferred to the Quarter master’s...
2283From John Quincy Adams to Abigail Smith Adams, 8 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
I had heard of your illness with extreme concern, from my wife, and also through Mr: Cranch and Mrs. Quincy—The sight of your hand-writing again, has given me the purest joy, though allayed by the evident weakness in which you wrote—I believe there is in the sentence I have just written there is something which might be called a bull —But my feelings both of pleasure and pain at the idea of...
2284From James Madison to James Leander Cathcart, 28 May 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
28 May 1811, Washington. Acknowledges receiving the several parcels of wine sent to him; has found them “very satisfactory.” Those from the vault of Mr. Carvalhal seem to be “unusually fine & well flavored,” and “a couple of pipes more … would be extremely acceptable.” Also requests three pipes of the St. Roque to be forwarded. Mr. Monroe requests two pipes of the St. Roque, and Mrs. Lucy...
2285From John Adams to John Farrar, 4 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of May 17th, notifying a Meeting of The Accademy on the 20th. did not arrive till the 21st. The other Letter with which you honoured me, Subsequent to the last Meeting of The American Accademy of Arts and Sciences, has Sensibly affected me. An Election to the Chair of that learned and Reverend and Honourable and every Way respectable Society, I have ever esteemed, the highest...
2286Thomas Jefferson to Gordon, Trokes & Company, 4 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I am at length enabled to have paiment made to you of the balance for which I have been so long in arrear. you know that a farmer’s resources come in but once a year, which is at this season. but in order to provide an intermediate resource for the purchase of my groceries, I had reserved the rent of a valuable manufacturing mill to be paid quarterly. unfortunately I fell into the hands of an...
2287To John Adams from William Cunningham, 14 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
My solicitude to see your strictures upon Mr. Pickering’s Letter was satisfied by the last mail. I acquit myself, by the enclosure of the sheets, of one of the stipulations upon which you transmitted them to me—the other has not been violated. Nothing on the Impressment of our Seamen, has yet appeared which unfolds the subject so lucidly and satisfactorily either as to law or expediency. I am...
2288To James Madison from Benjamin W. Crowninshield, 4 April 1815 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ From Benjamin W. Crowninshield. 4 April 1815, Navy Department. “Permit me to request that you will annex your signature to the blank Commissions herewith, and cause them to be returned to this Department.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 45, LSP ). 1 p. Crowninshield sent similar requests for signatures of blank commissions or warrants to JM on 10 Apr., 25 Apr., 11 Nov., and 17 Nov. 1815 (ibid.).
2289Bernard McMahon to Thomas Jefferson, 27 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the pleasure of sending you herewith a small packet of Oats raised by myself; it is the produce of the 5 th annual crop, after the original importation (by myself) from Ireland , where, as well as in England and Scotland , it is known by the trivial name of Potatoe Oats . The seed I imported 5 years ago weighed $40 lb per Bushel, my crop this season of about 150 Bushels, the same...
2290From Henry Warren to Abigail Smith Adams, 19 October 1814 (Adams Papers)
The friendships of early youth never cease but with the dying breath.—“Tell my Dear Mrs: Adams to write me or see me very soon, else we only meet in Heaven”—was one of the last expressions of your departed friend & my ever to be respected mother.—Her constant, ardent, almost sisterly affection imposes it on me as an earliest duty to inform you that death has made another inroad on your...
2291To James Madison from William Jones, 6 June 1813 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed report is prepared in consequence of a call from the Chairman of the Naval Committee of the Senate for a return of the number of Gun Boats in service and their Stations, with a view as I understood him in conversation to propose an additional special defence for Baltimore of a number of Barges or Galleys which the City of Baltimore during the late excitement built and now wish to...
2292From John Adams to Josiah, III Quincy, 9 February 1811 (Adams Papers)
I have received with much pleasure your favor of the 29th of January. Before I proceed, let me premise a few preliminaries. 1. I disdain all pretentions and Thoughts of Authority, Superiority or Influence arising from Age, Experience or any thing else: and expect and desire and insist that you give no more attention or respect to any opinion of mine than if it were the opinion of the...
2293From James Madison to William Eustis, 15 September 1811 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 11th. inclosing a letter from Mr. Jones acting as Judge Advocate at Frederick Town. As the case of Genl. Wilkinson is in possession of the Court Martial, who will judge of the extent of their own jurisdiction, as well as decide on the merits of the questions within it, no instructions seem to be requisite, in the present stage of the proceeding; unless it be in...
2294To John Adams from Henry Colman, 11 January 1814 (Adams Papers)
I have made repeated appointments and attempts to visit you, since you did us the favour of your company; but my professional and parochial duties, which have been much increased of late, have confined me entirely at home for the last two months.—I avail myself however of this opportunity to forward you the third volume of Search’s Light of Nature, persuaded that his chapter entitled, “The...
2295To James Madison from John Brown, 20 November 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 November 1809, Frankfort, Kentucky. Recommends John Coburn for the vacant governorship of Louisiana Territory. RC ( DNA : RG 59, LAR , 1809–17, filed under “Coburn”). 1 p. Printed in Carter, Territorial Papers, Louisiana-Missouri , 14:339. John Brown (1757–1837), a longtime acquaintance of JM’s, was one of the first U.S. senators from Kentucky, 1792–1805.
2296Thomas Jefferson to Hosea Humphrey, 15 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved exactly a week ago your favor of Dec. 31. which may explain the tardy date of this acknolegement, and of my thanks for the copy of your Inquiries concerning the laws of nature, which accompanied it. on these you ask my observations, ‘as well on their errors, as on what I may approve.’ the range of these enquiries takes in the whole field of physics, and also of Medecine and it’s...
2297Presidential Proclamation, [6 February 1815] (Madison Papers)
Among the many evils produced by the wars, which, with little intermission, have afflicted Europe, and extended their ravages into other quarters of the globe, for a period exceeding twenty years, the dispersion of a considerable portion of the inhabitants of different countries, in sorrow and in want, has not been the least injurious to human happiness, nor the least severe in the trial of...
2298To James Madison from Edward Coles, 12 January 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have been shown the original, and permitted to take a copy, of a Power of Attorney, devised with a view of obtaining Soldiers bounty lands, in despite of the provisions of the law, which withhold from the soldier the power of disposing of his land until after he shall have received his warrant, which I take the liberty of enclosing to you, with the hope that you may thereby be enabled either...
2299Dabney Carr to Thomas Jefferson, 9 August 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I rec d by the last mail your letter of July 30 th . The notice now, seems to be perfectly correct—The Deposition shall be taken agreeably to it, & forwarded to you—you were certainly right to leave nothing to Michie s honesty— with respect to the $60. I knew I could get it, at any time; & never finding myself particularly in want of it, did not think it worth while to mention it. We, of the...
2300To James Madison from Thomas Worthington, 26 May 1815 (Madison Papers)
In a letter addressed to Col. Monroe, then Secretary for the Department of War, in February last, I took the liberty of recommending the propriety of calling the Indians, North-West of the River Ohio together in council and the distribution of some presents among them. The object, was two fold, first to conciliate them and secondly to keep them together as long in the season as possible for...