2401Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 8 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I am indebted to you for two letters yet unacknolegged unacknoledged , to wit of June 18. and Dec. 23. 15. I pay three or four visits a year to a very distant possession I have in Bedford , where, being comfortably fixed, I pass a month or two at a time, so that it is almost a second home. it is in the finest part of our state for soil & climate, and near to Lynchburg ; now the 2
2402Thomas Jefferson to John Mackey, 9 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your letter of May 2. on the 3 d an anonymous writing had come to hand which bearing the date of Apr. 18 as now mentioned by you, is I presume the paper called for. being anonymous I knew not to whom to return it. this is now done on the presumption it is yours. I do not meddle in printing any thin g. my time of life requires rest of body and mind and that I should...
2403Thomas Jefferson to Eusebio Valli, 9 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much indebted to the much esteemed Seignior Botta for furnishing me the occasion of addressing to you my salutations on your arrival in the United states , and of tendering my portion of the obligations all owe you for the dangers you voluntarily encounter to lessen theirs. while we are striving how best to preserve our own health, you immolate yours as the victim of safety for us. the...
2404Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 15 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return from Bedford on the 3 d inst. I found here your favor of Apr. 27. and that of the 10 th int inst . is now recieved, inclosing an accout account of sales of my flour. I am glad it is so well sold, as I had begun to apprehend worse. while in Bedford
2405Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas G. Dufief, 17 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 7 th Ult. I inclosed you an order on mr Vaughan for 24. D 68 C the balance of my former account which I hope you recieved. I have just recieved from M. de la Fayette a request to send him two copies of the Review of Montesquieu published by Duane in 1811. in 8 vo which I must ask the favor of you to procure and send for me. mr
2406Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 17 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, my dear friend, yesterday evening only your letter of Jan. 21. and this day I write to a bookseller in Philadelphia to send immediately, for you, two copies of the Anonymous Review of Montesquieu , under cover to mr Gallatin , if he be not gone. in a letter to him lately, I begged of him to say to yourself and mr T. that I had not the courage to write to either of you, until I...
2407Thomas Jefferson to David Bailie Warden, 17 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of Feb. 20. and hasten to acknolege it by return of mail, in the hope it may be in time to reach mr Gallatin before his departure. I should have associated you myself with mr Ticknor in requesting the friendly office of purchasing some books for me, but at the time he left this country your letters had given me reason to believe you might be on a return to it....
2408Thomas Jefferson’s Addition to Note for Destutt de Tracy’s Treatise on Political Economy, [ca. 18 May 1816] (Jefferson Papers)
To this a single observation shall yet be added. Whether property alone, and the whole of what each citizen possesses, shall be subject to contribution, or only it’s surplus after satisfying his first wants, or whether the faculties of body and mind shall contribute also from their annual earnings, is a question to be decided. but, when decided, and the principle settled, it is to be equally...
2409Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 18 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just recieved a request from M. de la Fayette to send him two copies of the Review of Montesquieu , published in Philadelphia about 4. or 5. years ago, and have written to Dufief to forward them under cover to you, wherever you may be, which he will know better than I can. I pray you to be the bearer of them, with the letter for him now inclosed; and, if you have never read the work,...
2410Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Milligan, 18 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 7 th Ult. I wrote to you and forwarded at the same time the corrected translation of mr Tracy ’s book, with a request that you would forward to me for correction the proof sheets as they are struck off, and as we have three mails a week now from Washington , you will always recieve the sheet on the 5 th day after it comes from your hands, perhaps sometimes on the 7 th . having as yet...
2411Thomas Jefferson to John Steele, 18 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter just recieved from mr Cathalan of Marseilles informs me he has sent me a case of Hermitage wine and a box of Maccaroni by the Pilot , Cap t Dixon , and I learn by the public papers that that vessel is arrived at Philadelphia . I inclose you the bill of lading, and have copied on the back of it from mr Cathalan ’s invoice the quantity & cost of the articles. I have to ask the favor of...
2412Thomas Jefferson to Marcus Dyson, 19 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 6 th is r ecieved, and I am sorry to say I am not able to answer your chemical enquiries with satisfaction. the antient chemistry was in possession of the schools when I was a student in them, and when that was reformed by the nomenclature of Morveau , and the theories of Lavoisier , I had become too much engaged in public affairs and the practical business of life, to...
2413Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 19 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
It gives me the greatest pain, dear Sir, to make a serious complaint to you. from the letter which I wrote you on the 3 d of Oct. 1813. an extract was published, with my name, in the newspapers, conveying a very just, but certainly a very harsh censure on Bonaparte . this produced to me more complaints from my best friends, and called for more explanations than any transaction of my life had...
2414Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Delaplaine, 20 May [1816] (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 11 th is just recieved, and with it the head of Columbus for which accept my thanks. it has been evidently taken at an earlier period of his life than that of the Florentine gallery, which I think you will deem worthy of taking additionally. I shall be happy to recieve mr Otis here, and yourself also should you conclude to come as intimated. I wish it may not be later than the 1...
2415Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton, 20 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Delaplaine of Philadelphia , being en g aged in a work of engravings of American characters, has engaged an artist to come on here, and perhaps will accompany him himself, to copy my Columbus , Vespucius , Cortez E t c. and he wishes to copy that also of myself by
2416Thomas Jefferson to Francis Eppes, 21 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you, my dear Francis , a Greek grammar , the best I know for the use of schools. it is the one now most generally used in the United States . I expect you will begin it soon after your arrival at the New London academy . you might, while at home, amuse yourself with learning the letters, and spelling and reading the Greek words, so that you may not be stopped by that when mr Mitchell...
2417Thomas Jefferson to Joel Yancey, 21 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I informed mr Darnell that nothing on account of the misfortunes of the last year, scarcely any thing made for market there or here, immense purchases of corn for bread here and some there, and unexampled taxes, I could not pay his wages till another crop should come in. he said he should be particularly in want of 50.D. which therefore I promised to send him. I have also to pay John Depriest...
2418Thomas Jefferson to Peter Minor, 22 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you do us the favor to take peas & punch with us to-day? we did not know till last night that we should have either. RC (photocopy in ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text. Not recorded in SJL .
2419Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 28 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return from a long journey, and considerable absence from home, I found here the copy of your ‘Enquiry into the principles of our government’ which you had been so kind as to send me, and for which I pray you to accept my thanks. the difficulties of getting new works in our situation, inland and without a single book store, are such as had prevented my obtaining a copy before; and...
2420Draft Conveyance of Henderson Lands by John T. Wood and Lucy Henderson Wood, [ca. May 1816] (Jefferson Papers)
This indenture made on the day of one thousand eight hundred and sixteen between John Wood and Lucy his wife of the state of Kentucky on the one part, and Thomas Jefferson of the county of Albemarle in the commonwealth of Virginia on the other part witnesseth, that Whereas Bennet Henderson dec d father of the sd Lucy was at the time of his death seized and possessed in feesimple of a...
2421Thomas Jefferson to John F. Watson, 2 June 1816, with John F. Watson’s Receipt to Thomas Jefferson, 7 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I had recieved the 9 th vol. of the Edinb. Review some days ago, and yesterday the 10 th came to hand, with your favor of May 27 24 . and in compliance with that I now inclose you a 5. Dollar note of the bank of Virginia , and salute you with esteem and respect. Rec d Germantown June 7. 1816 from
2422Thomas Jefferson to John R. F. Corbin, 2 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of May 17. came to hand yesterday only: and I am sorry I cannot give you the information you ask relative to the tickets of mrs Jones in Byrd ’s lottery. on the death of mr Wayles I assorted all his papers, and every paper he had passed then thro’ my hands, and notice, and I am tolerably certain no such tickets were among them. all the papers were delivered to mr F. Eppes of...
2423Thomas Jefferson to Charles Simms, 2 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of May 25. and am thankful to you for the favor of notifying me, as I have not been yet advised by mr Cathalan of the actual dispatch of the wine. I expected 2. parcels from him, the one of 200. bottles of wine of Nice (red) the other a wine of Roussilon , a somewhat larger quantity, but I do not exactly know how much, because it depended on the price. which...
2424Thomas Jefferson to James Warrell, 2 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of May 27. and thank you for this mark of attention: but a desire to close all worldly concerns and to be free from cares forbids me to engage in any new undertakings: indeed I fear that neither the population nor pursuits of Richmond are as yet such as to support a museum; with my wishes however that it may reward your zeal for endeavo i r ing to give to the...
2425Thomas Jefferson’s Corrections to Biography in Public Characters, [ca. 3 June 1816] (Jefferson Papers)
pa. 220. line 3. born Apr. 2. 1743. 12. as Minister plenipot y in July 1784. & returned Dec. 1789. 221. at bottom. if I have had any merit as a member of our legislature it was in drawing and introducing the following laws , some of which were adopted when proposed & some afterwards. 1. a law forbidding the future importation of slaves.
2426Thomas Jefferson to William D. Meriwether, 3 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have concluded to accede to your proposition of purchasing the rights of mr and mrs Hende Hornsby in the lands of her father around the town of Milton , on the valuation of persons to be chosen by us, and payment to be made at the end of two years, but with interest during the second year. but as it is inconvenient to me to go out much, and I shall shortly have a long absence in Bedford , I...
2427Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Eston Randolph, 3 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the other day I mentioned that the credit of 122.50 D for corn formerly bought from mr Bankhead as mentioned by Col o T. M. Randolph , was correct, and reduced our balance to 176.26½ D since that, having occasion to pay mr Fagg 49.58 D and not having the money, he told me it was due to you, & that an order on you would answer his purpose, which accordingly I gave him, & it...
2428Thomas Jefferson to José Corrêa da Serra, 5 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I had determined, my dear Sir, to have withdrawn at the close of this year to have withdrawn from all subscriptions to newspapers, and never to read another. but the National Intelligencer of the 1 st inst. has given me so much pleasure that I shall defer for a year longer my resolution. it announced your appointment from your new king , to be his minister to this country. if this is...
2429Thomas Jefferson to Charles Simms, 5 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you on the 2 d inst. in answer to yours of May 25. and requested you to forward the 4. cases of wine from mr Cathalan to Richmond to the address of Mess rs Gibson & Jefferson of that place, and to be so good as to drop me a line of information of the duties & charges which should be remitted immediately. since that mr Cathalan ’s invoice is come to hand, of which I now inclose a copy
2430Thomas Jefferson to Francis W. Gilmer, 7 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved , a few days ago, from mr Dupont , the inclosed MS. with permission to read it, and a request, when read, to forward it to you, in expectation that you would translate it. it is well worthy of publication for the instruction of our citizens, being profound, sound, and short. our legislators are not sufficiently apprised of the rightful limits of their powers: that their true office...
2431Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 8 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
In July last you were so kind as to remit for me to John Vaughan 550.D. this was for wines and books I ordered from Marseilles , Leghorn & Paris . these articles are just now beginning to arrive in different ports of the US. 2. boxes (one containing wine) which had arrived from Marseilles in Philadelphia were shipped by the Collector
2432Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Darmsdatt, 9 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I understand you have on hand a good supply of excellent fish. I will therefore pray you to send me my annual supply which is of 6. barrels of herrings to Lynchburg to the care of mr Archib d Robertson , and 6. barrels of herrings, and one of shad to this place , which mr Johnston a boatman of Milton will call on you for within a few days. the immediate dispatch of those to Lynchburg is of...
2433Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas G. Dufief, 9 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of May 27. is but just now come to hand, and I write this day to request mess rs Gibson & Jefferson to remit you from Richmond 31.D. the amount of the books, in the hope you may recieve it before your departure for France should you definitively decide to go. M c kay
2434Thomas Jefferson to John Steele, 9 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 1 st instant is just now recieved, and I have immediately requested mess rs Gibson & Jefferson , my correspondents at Richmond , to remit you the sum of 16.80 D the amount of the duties & charges on the two cases you have been so kind as to forward for me to them; which sum you they will readily find the means of remitting from that place. Accept my thanks for your kindness...
2435Thomas 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...
2436Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Eston Randolph, 18 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have subjoined to the lease an acknolegement that the rent of the next year is payable in flour as you desired . I wish I could, even by possibility postpone the October payment to January. but I shall not have one Dollar through the remainder of this year but the rent of the mill, having exhausted all other funds, even of credit, in the purchase of corn, and oats, by the total failure of my...
2437Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Story, 19 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you, dear Sir, for the eulogy of mr Dexter , which you have been so kind as to send me ; and I subscribe with sincerity to the testimonies it bears of his merits. no one rendered more justice to his virtues & talents than myself; and if, in political matters we entertained some differences of opinion, they were on both sides the result of honest conviction, and held by both as...
2438Thomas Jefferson to William H. Crawford, 20 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I am about to sin against all discretion, and knowingly, by adding to the drudgery of your letter-reading, this acknolegement of the reciept of your favor of May 31. with the papers it covered. I cannot however deny my self the gratification of expressing the satisfaction I have recieved, not only from the general statement of affairs at Paris , in your’s of Dec. 12. 14. (as a matter of...
2439Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 20 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5 th is now recieved. I never doubted the purity of your intentions in the publications of which I complained ; but the correctness only of committing to the public a private correspondence not intended for them. their eye. as to federal slanders, I never wished them to be answered, but by the tenor of my life, half a century of which has been on a theatre at which the public...
2440Thomas Jefferson to George Watterston, 20 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have formerly mentioned, either in some letter written to you, or in a note in the MS. catalogue, that I had cut the print of Americus Vespucius out of the book containing his life, & lent it to mr Delaplane to be copied. it is just now returned to me, very much sullied: but as it is the original, it should be pasted again into the work, for which purpose I now inclose it . you will readily...
2441Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Eston Randolph, 21 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
In answer to the enquiry of yesterday , I think the that the proposition for Mann to serve on his half pay until a vacancy may entitle him to whole pay, may be very properly made to the Secretary of the navy either by Mann or yourself, on the reasonable ground of unwillingness to let him be idle, and a preference that he should be learning what is to be the business of his life. still, as they...
2442Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 24 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I am this moment arrived here with Ellen & Cornelia , and find Francis who arrived last night. I will take care and attend him to the Academy & see to every thing necessary for him. we will keep him with us as long as we stay (a week or 10. days) and rub him up in his French. I learn with great concern the state of your health, but can prescribe nothing by but patience & the springs with good...
2443Thomas Jefferson to Charles Clay, 1 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Having never had an entire view of the facts & proceedings in the partition of mr Davis ’s estate , & percieving it has become entangled by some irregularities, I can only give detached opinions on certain parts of them, & these too under the risk that they may be affected by circumstances of which I am not apprised. On the general subject of Hotchpot I may safely say that, as regards the real...
2444Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 12 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have j In my letter of June 8. I mentioned the arrival from Marseilles of some wines for me at Philadelphia and Alexandria on which there would be some duties, freight & port charges to pay, which I must ask the favor of you to remit for me. the 2 boxes from Philadelphia I presume have come to hand; and I have just recieved a letter from Col o Simms
2445Proposals to Revise the Virginia Constitution: I. Thomas Jefferson to “Henry Tompkinson” (Samuel Kercheval), 12 July … (Jefferson Papers)
I duly recieved your favor of June 13. with a copy of the letters on the calling a Convention, on which you are pleased to ask my opinion. I have not been in the habit of mysterious reserve on any subject, nor of buttoning up my opinions within my own doublet. on the contrary, while in public service especially, I have thought the public entitled to frankness, and intimately to know whom they...
2446Thomas Jefferson to Charles Simms, 12 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just now recieved from mr William D. Simms of your office his letter of the 1 st inst. informing me he had shipped my wines for Richmond , that you had been so kind as to pay the freight from Marseilles 13.40 D and that the duties were 27.30 D I have therefore by this day’s mail requested mess rs Gibson & Jefferson of Richmond to remit you without delay 40.70 D which I hope you will...
2447Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 13 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for Maine ’s recipe for preparing the haw, inclosed in your favor of the 4 th . I really thought it lost with him, and that the publication of it would be a public benefit. I do not know that his hedgethorn is to be found wild but in the neighborhood of Washington . he chose it, I think, for it’s beauty. I have extensive hedges of it, which I have too much neglected. the parts well...
2448Thomas Jefferson to David Hosack, 13 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Uninformed of the persons particularly connected with the Botanical garden of N.Y. I hope I shall be pardoned for this address to yourself. I have just recieved from my antient friend Thouin , director of the king’s garden at Paris a packet of seeds selected by him as foreign to the US. they are of the last year’s gathering, but he informs me that if they arrive (as they have done) too late to...
2449Thomas Jefferson to Enoch Reynolds, 13 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Absence from home has occasioned my not recieving till lately your favor of June 27. I have for some time declined becoming a subscriber for any new work, on the general wish to avoid every possible new engagement. I return you the inclosed however with my subscription for a copy of the Declaration of Independance, I will ask the favor of mr John Barnes of Georgetown to recieve the copy when...
2450Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 14 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
You have sometimes thought my political ramblings worth the time and trouble of reading. I inclose you one a letter lately written on a subject now much agitated in our state . I will ask the favor of it’s early return by mail as I have no other copy. I salute you with friendship & respect. RC ( ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “ Joseph C. Cabell esq. Warminster ”; franked;...