Thomas Jefferson Papers

Isaac A. Coles to Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1812

From Isaac A. Coles

Washington Mar: 2d 1812.

Dear Sir,

I received a few days ago by the Constitution from my old friend Mr Walsh of Cette, the enclosed letter, from which you will percieve that the old Gentleman has declined sending the wine you wrote for, until our commerce shall be placed on a footing of more security—through Mr Morton however it may be obtained at any time; and I know that it will give him pleasure to execute any commission with which you may honor him—

I called on the Collector at Alexandria to [e]nquire after your wine from Baker, & was told that it had been sent round to Richmond to the Care of Messrs Gibson & Jefferson about ten days before—It has no doubt arrived before this, & in all probability you will get accounts of it before the receipt of this letter.

The military nominations for Virginia have not yet been sent to the Senate—I send you below a list of the persons who have been recommended by the delegation— The proposition to lay a tax on Salt was on friday rejected by the House; but it is said that the vote will be reconsidered to day, and that it will now pass by a respectable Majority—I am Dr Sir with sincere and respectful attachment

truly yrs

I. A. Coles

Thos Parker } colonels
Hugh Mercer
James Baytop   [Lieutenant] Colos
James Preston
I. A. Coles. } Majors.
Geo: Humphries
Thos Smith
 Woodford

RC (DLC); mutilated at seal; postscript written perpendicularly in left margin; at foot of text: “Thos Jefferson esqr”; endorsed by TJ as received 5 Mar. 1812 and so recorded in SJL.

On 2 Mar. 1812 the United States House of Representatives reversed its 28 Feb. negative of a resolution calling for a tax on salt of domestic manufacture and recommended a duty of ten cents per bushel (JHR description begins Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States description ends , 8:211, 215; Annals description begins Annals of the Congress of the United States: The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States . . . Compiled from Authentic Materials, Washington, D.C., Gales & Seaton, 1834–56, 42 vols. (all editions are undependable and pagination varies from one printing to another. Citations given below are to the edition mounted on the American Memory website of the Library of Congress and give the date of the debate as well as page numbers) description ends , 12th Cong., 1st sess., 1113–4).

Index Entries

  • Baker, John Martin; sends goods to TJ search
  • Baytop, James; recommended for military appointment search
  • Cabell, Joseph Carrington; orders wine search
  • Coles, Isaac A.; and wine for TJ search
  • Coles, Isaac A.; letters from search
  • Coles, Isaac A.; recommended for military appointment search
  • Constitution, USS (frigate) search
  • food; salt search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); and food acquired by TJ search
  • House of Representatives, U.S.; and taxes search
  • Humphries, George; recommended for military appointment search
  • Mercer, Hugh; recommended for military appointment search
  • Morton, John Archer; and wine for TJ search
  • Parker, Thomas; recommended for military appointment search
  • Preston, James; recommended for military appointment search
  • salt; U.S. tax on search
  • Simms, Charles; collector at Alexandria search
  • Smith, Thomas; recommended for military appointment search
  • taxes; on salt search
  • Virginia; military nominations from search
  • Walsh, Peter; TJ orders wine from search
  • wine; TJ orders from P. Walsh search
  • Woodford, John; recommended for military appointment search