51From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 3 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieve your letter of yesterday in the kind light in which you intended it, and as it suggests not a loss of you in our administration but only a change of position, I permit myself to consider whether it will lessen our difficulty. it brings the question to this point whether it is easier to find an Attorney general or a Secretary of the Navy? I apprehend it is easiest to find the former....
52From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Reibelt, bookseller, St. Patricks’s row, Baltimore having sent me a box of books to select such as I should chuse, I observe one which I think would be useful for your office or for our young eleves. tho the French are behind the English in the practice of the Nautical art, they are, from the excellence of their institutions, far before them in the theory. The price of the book is 10 D. 8....
53X. To Robert Smith, 14 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to give the inclosed a strict revisal, and to suggest on a separate paper any alterations which occur to you as for the better. the sooner you can return it the more thankfully will the kindness be acknoleged. RC ( CtY , 1944); on verso of an address sheet with canceled “The President of the U. States” in Jacob Wagner’s hand; addressed: “The Secretary of the Navy.” Not...
54From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The act of the Virginia legislature which is the foundation of the inclosed will become null by it’s own provision that it should be so if not assented to by Congress before Mar. 3. it is too late for Congress to take it up, but as it possibly may be brought forward at the next session it will be well in the mean time to procure necessary information. RC ( LNT : George H. and Katherine M....
55From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 31 March 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 27th. was recieved yesterday proposing to advance Lieutenants Sterett and Hull to be captains, nobody feels more strongly than I do the desire of encouraging by just rewards the enterprize of our officers, and especially should I be gratified by the promotion of Lt. Sterett who first taught our countrymen that they were more than equal to the pirates of the Mediteranean. but...
56From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have spoken with Genl. Dearborne on the subject of the Marines at N. Orleans, and he sais there is nothing in his department opposed to their discharge. it occurred however in conversation that as some of the gun-boats building on the Ohio are destined for N. Orleans, and two of them at least for immediate service, you might think it better to retain these marines to man them, as better...
57From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 31 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you Commodore Preble’s letter which gives us time enough to consider on his mission. he proposes a longer one than I had supposed necessary. the hogshead of wine was yesterday brought here. it is really a painful & embarrasing thing. to reject may be supposed to imply impure motives in the offer. to recieve leads to horrid abuse. the former however has been my rule, where the thing is...
58From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 9 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night the inclosed petition from the Walleboght company to build a bridge across the pond of our navy yard at New York, to which they ask a prompt answer. will you be so good as to state to me your opinion to enable me to answer them. in general I think it just and useful for the General government to give all possible facilities to state accomodation. I would consider too the...
59From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 10 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Smith of Ohio, who has undertaken the building of two gunboats, having employed his hands & got into readiness to begin, but not being furnished with drawings, has come on to this place express to obtain them. learning from your letter that they still are expected from Commodore Preble, I have in consideration of the uncertainty when they may come on, & the urgency of the work, advised him...
60From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 11 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
You will receive from Capt Tingey information of the capture of our late store ship by a Spanish privateer, which seems too probable to be neglected. I presume it will be necessary for you immediately to order a duplicate supply for the Mediterranean. but will it not be worth while to send a swift sailing pilot-boat with an officer on board in pursuit of the captor & captured vessel? I presume...