651From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
After a very long silence, I am at length able to write to you. An unlucky dislocation of my right wrist has disabled me from using my pen for three months. I now begin to use it a little, but with great pain; so that this letter must be taken up at such intervals as the state of my hand will permit, and will probably be the work of some days. Tho’ the joint seems to be well set, the swelling...
652From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 16th of Dec. since which I have received yours of Nov. 25. and Dec. 4. which afforded me, as your letters always do, a treat on matters public, individual and oeconomical. I am impatient to learn your sentiments on the late troubles in the Eastern states. So far as I have yet seen, they do not appear to threaten serious consequences. Those states have suffered by the...
653From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 7 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I leave the inclosed open for your perusal and that of your Collegues and others to whom you may chuse to shew it; only taking care that neither copies nor extracts be taken. Be so good, when you are done with it, as to stick a wafer in it and forward it to the Governor. I am with sincere esteem Dr. Sir your friend & servt., P.S. I do not know whether you are acquainted with young Bannister...
654From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 30th. of Jan. with a postscript of Feb. 5. Having set out the last day of that month to try the waters of Aix, and been journeying since till the 10th. inst. I have been unable to continue my correspondence with you. In the mean time I have received your several favors of Feb. 15. Mar. 18. 19. and Apr. 23. The last arrived here about the 25th. of May, while those of...
655From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, with Enclosure, 2 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was of June 20. Your’s received since that date are May 15. and June 6. In mine I acknoleged the receipt of the Paccan nuts which came sealed up. I have reason to believe those in the box are arrived at Lorient. By the Mary Capt. Howland lately sailed from Havre to N. York I shipped three boxes of books one marked I.M. for yourself, one marked B.F. for Doctr. Franklin, and one marked...
656From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
A gentleman going from hence by Lorient to Boston furnishes me an opportunity of recommending to your care the inclosed letters which I could not get ready for the last packet. Pray inform me in your next whether letters directed to your foreign ministers or franked by them are free of postage. That they ought to be so, is acknoleged substantially by the resolution of Congress allowing us to...
657From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you were of Aug. 2. and 15. Since that I have sent to Havre to be forwarded to you by the present packet 3. boxes marked I.M. G.W. and A.D. The two last are for Mr. Wythe in Williamsburgh, and Mr. Alexr. Donald merchant in Richmond. The first contains the books for yourself which shall be noted at the close of my letter, together with the following for Mr. Rittenhouse; viz. la...
658From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 October 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof the count de Moustier, successor to Monsr. de la Luzerne, would from his office need no letter of introduction to you or to any body. Yet I take the liberty of recommending him to you to shorten those formal approaches which the same office would otherwise expose him to in making your acquaintance. He is a great enemy to formality, etiquette, ostentation and luxury. He goes...
659From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of Oct. 8 by the Count de Moustier. Yours of July 18. Sep. 6. and Oct. 24. have been successively received, yesterday, the day before and three or four days before that. I have only had time to read the letters, the printed papers communicated with them, however interesting, being obliged to lie over till I finish my dispatches for the packet, which dispatches must go from...
660From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 February 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 20th. of December since which your’s of the same day and of the 9th. have come to hand. The apples and cranberries you were so kind as to send at the same time were all spoiled when they arrived at Havre, so that probably those articles will not keep during the passage. The box of plants is arrived at the Custom house here, but I shall probably not receive them till...
661From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 March 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer of this letter is Mr. Francis Adrian Van der Kemp one of the late victims of patriotism in Holland. Having determined to remove himself and his family to America, his friend the Baron de Capellen, another of those expatriated worthies, has asked of me to give letters of introduction to Mr. Van der Kemp, recommending him for his extraordinary zeal in the cause of liberty, his...
662From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Monsieur de Warville, is already known to you by his writings, some of which I have heretofore sent you, and particularly his work sur la France et les etats unis. I am happy to be able to present him to you in person, assured that you will find him in all his dispositions equally estimable as for his genius. I need only to ask your acquaintance for him. That will dispose...
663From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 3 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Mine of Feb. 6. acknoleged the receipt of yours of Dec. 9. and 20. Since that, those of Feb. 19. and 20. are come to hand. The present will be delivered you by Mr. Warville, whom you will find truly estimable, and a great enthusiast for liberty. His writings will have shewn you this. For public news I must refer you to my letter to Mr. Jay. Those I wrote to him from Amsterdam will have...
664From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter for Mr. Jay being of a private nature, I have thought it better to put it under your cover lest it might be opened by some of his clerks in the case of his absence. But I inclose a press copy of it for yourself, as you will perceive the subject of it referred to you as well as to him. I ask your aid in it so far as you think right, and to have done what you think right. If...
665From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letters to you were of the 3d and 25. of May. Yours from Orange of Apr. 22. came to hand on the 10th. inst. My letter to Mr. Jay containing all the public news that is well authenticated, I will not repeat it here, but add some details in the smaller way which you may be glad to know. The disgrace of the Marquis de la fayette which at any other period of their history would have had...
666From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 4 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Mr. Dobbyns, a native of Ireland, having it in contemplation to dispose of his estate in that country, and to remove with his tenants to America, I have advised him, before he carries the measure into entire execution, to go thither himself, to fix on the part of the country which from climate, soil, and other circumstances would best suit his views, and even to provide a...
667From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 18 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 31st. of July: since which I have received yours of July 24. Aug. 10. and 23. The first part of this long silence in me was occasioned by a knoledge that you were absent from N. York; the latter part, by a want of opportunity, which has been longer than usual: Mr. Shippen being just arrived here, and to set out tomorrow for London, I avail myself of that channel of...
668From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 12 January 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 18th. of Nov. since which I have received yours of Sep. 21. and Oct. 8. with the pamphlet on the Mohiccon language, for which receive my thanks. I endeavor to collect all the vocabularies I can of the American Indians, as of those of Asia, persuaded that if they ever had a common parentage it will appear in their language. I was pleased to see the vote of Congress of...
669From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 12th. of Jan. since which I have received yours of Octob. 17. Dec. 8. and 12. That of Oct. 17. came to hand only Feb. 23. How it happened to be four months on the way, I cannot tell, as I never knew by what hand it came. Looking over my letter of Jan. 12th. I remark an error of the word ‘probable’ instead of ‘improbable,’ which doubtless however you had been able to...
670From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Hardy, James Madison, and James Monroe, 5 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Mr. Franklin , being about to return to America, I take the liberty of presenting him to your acquaintance. Your esteem for the character of his grandfather would have procured him a favourable reception with you: and it cannot but increase your desire to know him, when you shall be assured that his worth and qualifications give him a personal claim to it. I have taken the...