5391From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 9 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been so closely engaged since I came here that I have not had time to write any letter which could be postponed. this place is unusually healthy. some persons from Alexandria have been taken with the fever here & died, without communicating it: so that we consider our rural situation as perfectly exempt from the danger. it seems to get worse in Alexandria, Philadelphia & New York, & so...
5392Notes on the Southern Piazza at Monticello, 30 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Southern Piazza The 5. arches of this piazza are to be closed by 2 square sashes, both hoisting up, & 1 semicircular sash, fixed. these sashes have been made by mr Oldham, & I presume are here The necessity that both the square sashes should be hoisted up, requires a singular finishing, that is to say there must be an architrave (like a door architrave) from the floor of the Piazza, to the...
5393To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 27 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you Story’s oration that you may be enabled to take his measure. Be so good as to return it. I retain the letter of E. Livingston urging the validity of Baron Bastrop’s monopoly of the Indian commerce for 10. years, because I presume it may be proper to lay it before Congress. The postmaster at Washington ⟨wr⟩ites me that during our recess the post will come 3. times a week, the 3d....
5394From Thomas Jefferson to the Senate and the House of Representatives, 27 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I lay before you the accounts of our Indian trading houses , as rendered up to the 1st. day of January 1801. with a report of the Secretary at War thereon, explaining the effects and the situation of that commerce, and the reasons in favor of it’s further extension. but it is believed that the act authorising this trade expired so long ago as the 3d of March 1799. it’s revival therefore as...
5395From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 31 March 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 21st. is duly recieved. Chisolm is now engaged in running up for me 20. brick pilasters to my offices, which take about 4000. bricks, and I remember it was very doubtful whether we had that number. but if there be as many over it as you need, they are at your service, and I will give orders accordingly by the next post. I expect to be there myself within 10. days after the rising...
5396From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Lawson, 22 June 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 11th. came to hand only [two days ago]. I happened in the moment of recieving it to be writing to Richmond on some money [matters] and authorised my correspondent to have 50. Dollars placed in the hands of Majr. William Duval for your use. I am sorry to learn that your health is so indifferent as to call for a residence at the springs; tho the [season] is approaching when...
5397From Thomas Jefferson to James Pemberton, 7 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter covering the 2d. Report to the African institution in London came safely to hand, as has that also of Nov. 22. accompanying Clarkson’s history, for which I return you my thanks, as being both of them interesting in a high degree. my grandson, Thomas J. Randolph will call on you with this letter, as well to reimburse the price of Clarkson as to have the satisfaction of recollecting...
5398From Thomas Jefferson to the Senate, 11 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The cession of the Spanish province of Louisiana to France, and perhaps of the Floridas, and the late suspension of our right of deposit at New Orleans, are events of primary interest to the United States. on both occasions, such measures were promptly taken as were thought most likely amicably to remove the present, & to prevent future causes of inquietude. the objects of these measures were...
5399From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 6 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 1st. came to hand yesterday evening, and I this day inclose it to Garbut. I now inclose to you a letter from Thomas Paine with a model for using two guns in the head of a Gunboat instead of one. mr & mrs Madison are with me and well. I salute you affectionately DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
5400From Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Baldwin, 1 May 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
A mr Putnam of Georgia was lately appointed to the command of a revenue cutter on the recommendation of yourself, Genl. Jackson & mr Milledge; and I trust on good grounds. the Washington Federalist however of Apr. 30. charges him with having been tried and convicted of having stolen a gold watch. a charge so specific brought forward in the public papers, I have always supposed sufficient to...
5401From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 15 February 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed were sent to me by mr Bacon with permission to keep them. they may therefore be filed in the War office. as we percieve that a light French breeze has already reached most of the Indians, it will be well for us to keep our eye on all their movements. I have therefore asked the favor of mr Bacon to continue to send me this correspondence. as I have no doubt the arrival of the...
5402From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Alston, 23 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved a few days ago, your favor of Dec. 26. covering the very flattering resolutions of the legislature of South Carolina, and I beg leave, through the same channel, to return the answer. it is highly consolatory to those charged with the care of the National affairs to be approved by their constituents, and to recieve assurances of their cooperation & support in whatsoever measures the...
5403From Thomas Jefferson to James Bowdoin, 10 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I believe that when you left America the invention of the Polygraph had not yet reached Boston. it is for copying with one pen while you write with the other & without the least additional embarrasment or exertion to the writer. I think it the finest invention of the present age, and so much superior to the copying machine that the latter will never be continued a day by any one who tries the...
5404From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 23 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Aug. 13. and 15. were recieved yesterday. the appointment of a successor to Samuel Bishop must await our re-assembling at Washington. I inclose you the late letters of Livingston & Monroe, for consideration, & to be returned to me when perused. you will find that the French government, dissatisfied perhaps with their late bargain with us, will be glad of a pretext to declare...
5405From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Leiper, 21 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 15th. was duly recieved, and before that Tower’s book, which you had been so kind as to send me, had come to hand, for which I pray you to recieve my thanks. you judge rightly that here , I have no time to read. a cursory view of the book shews me that the author is a man of much learning in his line. I have heard of some other late writer (the name I forget) who has...
5406From Thomas Jefferson to George Hay, 16 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I think it was mr Wythe’s practice to assign in the body of his decrees the reasons on which they were founded. if this was done in the case of Henderson & Peyton, you will oblige me by obtaining a copy of the decree (to be charged by the clerk to mr Peyton) and inclosing it to me. some property is offered of the value of which I can better judge when I see the reasons of the decree & can...
5407From Thomas Jefferson to Peter Lenox, 3 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Finding my work here not as far advanced as I expected I think it best not to send on a painter till I return to Washington. I mention this to you to prevent engaging one if not already done. accept my salutations & best wishes PrC ( MHi ); at foot of text: “Mr. Lenox”; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso.
5408From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 16 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Complaints multiply upon us of evasions of the embargo laws by fraud & force. these come from Newport, Portland, Machias, Nantucket, Martha’s vineyard Etc Etc as I do consider the severe enforcement of the embargo to be of an importance, not to be measured by money, for our future government as well as present objects, I think it will be adviseable that during this summer all the gunboats...
5409From Thomas Jefferson to William Dunbar, 14 March 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 2d. & 15th. of Feb. arrive just in the moment I am setting out on a short visit to Monticello. it will be necessary for us now to set on foot immediately the Arcansa & Red river expedition., Congress having given an additional appropriation of 5000. D. for these objects generally. I think you were not able to get any person in your quarter the last autumn fitted for the...
5410From Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas Gouin Dufief, 1 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Since writing my letter of the 23d. I observe in your catalogue Oeuvres de Seneque translation de la Grange 6. vol. 8vo. which I shall be glad to recieve with the books before written for. Accept my best wishes. PrC ( DLC ); at foot of text: “M. Dufief.”; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso. OEUVRES DE SENEQUE : TJ already owned a Latin edition of the works of the philosopher Seneca. A French...
5411From Thomas Jefferson to Levi Lincoln, 10 April 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I reached this place on the 4th. having passed an evening with mr Madison who is in as good health as for some time past, but that is very indifferent. he will set out for the seat of government about the time I shall. I did not percieve till I got here, that I had brought away the inclosed commissions before they were sealed. I therefore return them. if sealed and returned to me in Thursday...
5412From Thomas Jefferson to Anne Cary Randolph Bankhead, 8 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Nov. 26. came safely to hand, and in it the delicious flower of the Acacia, or rather the Mimosa Nilotica from mr Lomax. the mother tree of full growth which I had when I gave him the small one, perished from neglect the first winter I was from home. does his produce seed? if it does I will thank him for some, and you to take care of them: altho’ he will think it a vain thing at...
5413I. Preliminary Draft: Naturalization, [before 12 November 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
recommend a revisal of the law respecting citizens. every man has a right to live somewhere on the earth. and if somewhere, no one society has a greater right than another to exclude him. becoming indeed a member of any society, he is bound to conform to the rules formed by the majority. but has the majority a right to subject him to unequal rules, to rules from which they exempt themselves. I...
5414From Thomas Jefferson to Daniel D. Tompkins, 15 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this day recieved your Excellency’s favor of the 9th. instant, and I now return you the papers it inclosed. the case of opposition to the embargo laws on the Canada line, I take to be that of distinct combinations of a number of individuals to oppose by force & arms the execution of those laws, for which purpose they go armed, fire upon the public guards, in one instance at least have...
5415From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 August 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I confess that the inclosed letter from General Turreau excites in me both jealousy & offence, in undertaking, & without apology, to say in what manner we are to recieve & treat Moreau within our own country. had Turreau been here longer he would have known that the National authority pays honors to no foreigner. that the state authorities, municipalities & individuals, are free to render...
5416From Thomas Jefferson to James Jackson, 1 May 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
You will probably have seen in the Washington federalist of April 30. mr Mitchell appointed Atty of Georgia on your recommendation , denoted a man of most infamous character. this is merely calling of hard names which I never notice. but the editors pretend that they are possessed of a fact which is too bad for publication . whether the fact be of such a nature as to make it the duty of the...
5417To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 December 1805 (Madison Papers)
The Tunisian Ambassador put into my hands the packet now sent, & at his request I promised it should be safely returned to him before he went away, as it contains the originals of letters—it presents a chronological view of the Bey’s correspondence with our officers, with explanatory statements of facts connecting them. I found the whole worth reading, tho’ I had read the letters hastily...
5418From Thomas Jefferson to Christian VII, 16 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received the letter in which your Majesty informs me, that the bad state of health, under which Mr Peter Blicher Olsen, heretofore your Majesty’s Minister Resident and Consul General to the United States, has labored, has induced you to yield to his prayers by recalling him from that appointment As during his residence with us he has merited our esteem, I cannot omit to do him justice...
5419Notes on Briggs’ Opinion on Jacobins in Mississippi Territory, 18 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Briggs Isaac considers the following persons in the Misipi territory as the Jacobins, enragés, of the place Cato West Thomas M. Green, brother in law of Cato West. judge Kerr Doctr. Shaw, postmaster, suspected of opening and detaining letters. Turner, the register. son in law of Cato West. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
5420From Thomas Jefferson to James Lindsay, 25 April 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I must apologise for an error of mine in weighing some money delivered me by mr Lilly as recieved from you; and which I made to weigh less than you had done. you were right and I was wrong. I inattentively weighed it as Spanish gold, and it was not, till going to weigh some of it out again to another person, I adverted to it’s being all in Portuguese half joes & Moedas : and calculating anew,...