Littell & Henry to Thomas Jefferson, 24 September 1821
From Littell & Henry
Philadelphia 24 September 1821
Sir
The enclosed prospectus of an edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries, is respectfully submitted to your examination by the publishers.
As it is of much importance to attract to it as early as possible the attention of the public, and as nothing would so certainly secure this as an expression of the favourable opinion of those who are most competent to judge of its utility, we have been induced to trouble you with this letter, and to take the further liberty of requesting from you an answer containing your opinion of the plan which is proposed.
We are aware, Sir, that the time of men who are distinguished in public life, is often unwarrantably encroached upon by the eagerness of publishers to procure recommendations that will guide the public opinion, but we beg leave to assure you, that we should not have ventured thus to intrude ourselves upon you for the purpose of promoting our own interest, had we not believed that it is in this instance connected with the public good.
Littell & Henry.
RC (DLC); in Eliakim Littell’s hand; endorsed by TJ as received 1 Oct. 1821 and so recorded in SJL; with FC of TJ to Littell & Henry, 2 Oct. 1821, beneath endorsement. RC (MHi); address cover only; with Dft of TJ to Oliver Parsons and James Cooley, 14 Feb. 1823, on verso; addressed: “Hon. Thomas Jefferson Monticello Va.”; stamp canceled; franked; postmarked Philadelphia, 25 Sept. Enclosure: Proposals, by Littell & Henry, 74 South Second Street, Philadelphia, for Publishing by Subscription, a new edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England; with Notes and Additions, specifying that the additional material provided by Philadelphia attorneys Thomas Dunlap and William M. Meredith will show the differences between the laws of England and those of the United States; acknowledging that, while the English common law is the “Sun” of the American legal system, the colonies and later the states have introduced many changes; adding that the laws of Spain and France have been incorporated into the legal systems of the states formerly under their control; proposing to reference recent English cases and American decisions in notes in order to make the edition useful to American students and attorneys; and stating that the work will be printed in four royal octavo volumes and priced at $5 a volume for subscribers, or $4 prepaid, with publication of the first volume tentatively expected by the end of 1821 (broadside dated July 1821 in DLC: Rare Book and Special Collections, Madison Pamphlet Collection; TJ’s copy in MHi, left half only, with FC of TJ to Esther Hutson, 14 Nov. 1821, on verso).
On this day Littell & Henry sent the enclosure in similar letters to Madison, John Adams, and John Quincy Adams (Madison, Papers, Retirement Ser., 2:394–5; MHi: Adams Papers).
Index Entries
- Adams, John; and subscriptions search
- Adams, John Quincy; and subscriptions search
- Blackstone, William; Commentaries on the Laws of England search
- Commentaries on the Laws of England (W. Blackstone) search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; requested to review books search
- Littell & Henry (Philadelphia firm); letters from search
- Littell & Henry (Philadelphia firm); Proposals, by Littell & Henry, 74 South Second Street, Philadelphia, for Publishing by Subscription, a new edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); and subscriptions search
- Proposals, by Littell & Henry, 74 South Second Street, Philadelphia, for Publishing by Subscription, a new edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England search
- subscriptions, for publications; legal search