2941Thomas Jefferson to George Fleming, 29 December 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
At the date of your favor of Oct. 30. I had just left home on a journey to a distant possession of mine , from which I am but recently returned: and I wish that the matter of my answer could compensate for it’s delay. but, Sir, it happens that of all the machines which have been employed to aid human labor, I have made my self the least acquainted with (that which is certainly the most...
2942From Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas & Jacob van Staphorst, 22 June 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly received your favor of the 22d. May and will take care of your indemnification for the 100 guineas furnished Admiral Paul Jones, should he not otherwise reimburse you which I would beg you to press on him, as may be convenient and decent. I note the disbursement of f18 on account of the stoves from Cologne. As there are already several small advances for which. I have troubled you,...
2943From Thomas Jefferson to David Rittenhouse, 8 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson incloses to Mr. Rittenhouse the first criticism which has come to his hands on the rod-pendulum as a standard of measure. It is from a clergyman of Scotland. The author’s language is so lax, that it is difficult to know with precision what idea he means to express. It is particularly so in the following sentence at the bottom of the 1st. page. ‘It is therefore impossible to fix...
2944III. Jefferson’s Revision of Original Draft, 12–17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Queries [1. What are the best maps, general or particular, of the whole or parts of the province? copies of them if to be had in print.] 2 What are the boundaries of Louisiana, and on what authority does each portion of them rest? [3. What is the extent of sea coast from the Western mouth of the Missisipi called Piakemines river?] <2. What is the distance from New Orleans to the nearest point...
2945From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Pinckney, 4 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 7th. of May, since which I have received yours of Mar. 12. Apr. 5. 6. 6. and 10. Tho’ the character of Mr. Albion Coxe here was not exactly what we would have wished, yet he will be received if he can give the security required by law. With respect to Mr. Holloway, my former letters will have informed you that the necessity of proceeding in our coinage would admit no...
2946From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 2 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Behold me, my dear friend, dubbed Secretary of state, instead of returning to the far more agreeable position which placed me in the daily participation of your friendship. I found the appointment in the newspapers the day of my arrival in Virginia. I had indeed been asked while in France whether I would accept of any appointment at home, and I had answered that without meaning to remain long...
2947From Thomas Jefferson to Stephen Cathalan, Jr., 7 February 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I will not look back to my letter files to see when I wrote to you or you to me , last. we are both men of business, and have not much time for any thing else. your letters are often recieved by the Secretary of state on business, which is the most important concern. we delay taking any measure respecting your office until you shall have had time enough to remove the obstacles opposed by your...
2948From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 1 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Jan. 17. came to hand last night. if I ever saw or heard of a mr Norris of Baltimore, I do not remember either his name or person. I never saw or heard of any list of names of the adherents of Burr; still less of one containing your name. I never have seen, or heard your name coupled with Burr’s but in a newspaper paragraph mentioning that you were gone from Stanton to join him,...
2949From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Ritchie, 13 March 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
The interest you are so kind as to take in the measures proposed for relieving me from embarrasment brings on you the trouble of the letter I have recieved an application from persons in N.C a desirous of manifesting from their goodwill to me by contributions in money, if acceptable, and offering to dispose of a portion of tickets if the way of lottery is preferred. this renders it necessary...
2950To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 11 October 1805 (Madison Papers)
The only questions which press on the Executive for decision are Whether we shall enter into a provisional alliance with England to come into force only in the event that during the present war we become engaged in war with France ? leaving the declaration of the casus federis ultimately to us. Whether we shall send away Yrujo, Casacalvo, Morales? Whether we shall instruct Bowdoin not to go to...
2951From Thomas Jefferson to John Ramsay, 9 January 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honoured with your favor of Nov. 22. and Doctr. Ramsay’s of Mar. 7. by Mr. Fraser. Knowing nothing of Dr. Ramsay’s intentions relative to the money due him here, I had, as soon as it became due which was in May, written to him to make some propositions from his bookseller here which he was free to accept or refuse, and in the latter case I gave him authority to draw on Mr. Madison at New...
2952[From Thomas Jefferson to James Gordon, 10 August 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 10 Aug. 1785. Entry in SJL reads: “Jas. Gordon. Referring him to Limousin. By post.” Not found.]
2953From Thomas Jefferson to John Stuart, 10 November 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the receipt of your last favor together with the bones of the Great-claw which accompanied it. My anxiety to obtain a thigh bone is such that I defer communicating what we have to the Philosophical society in the hope of adding that bone to the collection. We should then be able to fix the stature of the animal without going into conjecture and calculation as we should...
2954From Thomas Jefferson to John Lamb, 17 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the reciept of your favor of Feb. 17. two paper packages from New York have been left here, containing newspaper and pamphlets. I was not at home and therefore do not know whether they were those committed to Capt. Bayley, and which were the subject of your letter. Should any others come, containing dutiable articles you may be assured of information of it from Sir Your very humble...
2955To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 16 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to the President and submits to his approbation a letter to mister Ternant, in conformity to that to mister Hammond. it has been submitted to the Secretaries of the treasury & War and Attorney General, and corrected by them. if the President approves the letter he asks the favor of him to stick a wafer in it, & the bearer will proceed to deliver that &...
2956From Thomas Jefferson to Phineas Bond, 29 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment received your favor of yesterday informing me that you have appointed Edward Thornton to be your vice Consul at Baltimore and desiring that measures may be taken to have him received. The only measure to be taken is to furnish Mr. Thornton with the President’s Exaquatur, which is in the nature of an Inspeximus, reciting that Mr. Thornton’s ‘commission has been produced to...
2957From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 27 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of March 27. came duly to hand on the 12th.inst. as did your very valuable present of the dry rice brought from the Moluccas by Lieut. Bligh. I immediately sent a few seeds to Virginia where I am in hopes there would still be force of summer sufficient to mature it. I reserve a little for next spring besides sowing some in pots, from which I have now 23. young plants just come up. I...
2958[From Thomas Jefferson to Eliza House Trist, 22 December 1783] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Annapolis, 22 Dec. 1783 . Entry in SJL reads: “Mrs. Trist—dissuading immediate departure. Pittsbg till Mar. or Apr.—Smith—Browse’s alienage.” Not found. Mrs. Trist had left Philadelphia on 21 Dec.; see her acknowledgment of the present letter from Pittsburgh, 8 Apr. 1784. On Browse’s alienage, see TJ’s notes on British and American alienage, printed at the end of 1783.]
2959From Thomas Jefferson to Cambray, 7 October 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 29th. September is duly received. Monsieur Aleaume had sent me, in the month of August, the letters of procuration to be legalised and sent to America. The expression in his letter was ‘que M. le comte de Cambrai espere que vous voulez bien legaliser et faire passer en Amerique. ’ An opportunity occurring just at that time of sending them to Charlestown, I availed myself of...
2960Thomas Jefferson to Alrichs & Dixon, 22 September 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of Aug. 30. informed you of my departure on a journey before I could consult the person who has charge of my small spinning establishment as to the kind of roll which a hand carding machine should make to suit us. I am but just returned from that journey, and on consulting him he sais the perpetual roll would not suit us, that it should be the short roll, such as is given off by...
2961From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 13 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof Mr. James Jones proposing to visit Paris in a tour of travel, I take the liberty of recommending him to your acquaintance and friendly offices. The general worth of his character will sufficiently recommend him to you, and you will probably derive particular satisfaction from conversing with him on the subject of New Orleans, where having resided 20. years, he will be able to...
2962Thomas Jefferson to Lancelot Minor, 26 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Apr. 23. came here just as I had set out for Bedford , so that I recieved it only on my return from that place, which must apologise for the delay of the answer. that of Jan. 20. had been recieved in due time, and your order in favor of Capt Tomkins for the survey was paid. in mine of Oct. 29. I had promised, as soon as my wheat should be groun d and disposed of, that I would...
2963From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 4 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
In compliance with the request of Col o Bowyer, conveyed through you, to furnish a list of the books proper to prepare his son for the bar, I inclose you copies of two letters, written formerly, and on occasions which called on me for full and mature consideration of the subject. these will not only specify the books to be read, but also the reasons for their preference, and the course of...
2964From Thomas Jefferson to John Bondfield, 8 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have now before me your several favors of May 27. June 10. 24. and July 15. I know of no appointment of agents in the ports of Rochfort, Rochelle or Bayonne, made by Mr. Barclay, nor, till the receipt of your letter did I know that you had been so kind as to extend your cares to those ports. In consequence of this, I had inclosed a copy of the order of Council of Berny to a Mr. Louis...
2965From Thomas Jefferson to Maria Cosway, 31 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your favor of July 20. 1801. from London, and of Feb. 25. 1802. from Paris. that I am so late in answering them arises from my incessant occupations which deprive me of the happiness of satisfying the affections of my heart by expressions of them on paper to my friends: to none would they be more warmly expressed, my esteemed friend, than to yourself, with...
2966From Thomas Jefferson to John Strode, 14 June 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the receipt of your favor of May 7. together with the survey of the road from Georgetown to Stevensburgh. As I believe there will be no difficulty in getting the road established from it’s entry into Culpeper till it gets into the established and direct road in Prince Edward, I propose to confer at Georgetown with some members of the Bridge company and get them to undertake...
2967From Thomas Jefferson to Caesar A. Rodney, 13 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7th. is now before me. mr Mendenhall wrote to me in Feb. last, asking the communication of a paper against him which he understood had been delivered to me. I wrote him in answer Feb. 25. that I did not remember ever to have recieved such a paper: that tho’ I might ascertain the fact by a recurrence to my files, yet it was unnecessary for another reason, which was, that as it...
2968From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 23 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 18. instant the enemy came from Portsmouth up James river in considerable force, tho’ their numbers precisely are not yet known to us. They landed at Burwells ferry below Williamsburg and near the mouth of Chickahominy above it. This latter circumstance obliged Colo. Innes who commanded a body of Militia Stationed on that Side the river to cover the country from depredation, to retire...
2969Notes of Cabinet Meeting on Edmond Charles Genet, 1 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Aug. 1. Met at the President’s to consider what was to be done with Mr. Genet. All his correspondence with me was read over. The following propositions were made. 1. that a full statement of Mr. Genet’s conduct be made in a letter to G. Morris, and be sent with his correspondence, to be communicated to the Exec. council of France, the letter to be so prepared as to serve for the form of...
2970From Thomas Jefferson to James Oldham, 2 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Gantt now lives at Bladensburg, being appointed a judge of Maryland. I wrote to enquire of him some days ago as to the situation of your affair with Jackson’s estate. I presume he may be absent on some circuit, & that I shall have an answer when he returns. the ornaments for your Corinthian frize are now in hand. they are made in the same moulds with those in my Hall, far handsomer than...