101From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 January 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your several private letters unacknowledged are May 9. June 14. 29. July 7. 11. 16. August 4. 15. 22. Sep. 26. Oct. 3. 27. Nov. 27. Mine to you have been Aug. 9. 12. 25. 31. Sep. 6. 30. of which the two first and two last have not yet been acknowledged. That of Aug. 9. indeed was only a postscript.—To business. Goldsmith’s Encyclopedie I can meddle no further with. Just before I came away, I...
102From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 5 January 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of Nov. 24. since which I have recieved your Nos. 76. 77. and 81. to 87. inclusive. Your letter of Oct. 6. with your account to June 1791. is not yet arrived, nor the box mentioned in your No. 84. The Memorial of the crew of the Indian shall be sent to the Governor of South Carolina. In a former letter I informed you that two balanciers would suffice for us, which will have...
103From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 28. from Avon came to hand on the 10 th of August and I have delayed answering it on the presumption of your continued absence. but the approach of the season of frost in that region has probably, before this time, turned you about to the South. I readily concieve that, by the time of your return to Philadelphia, you will have had travelling enough for the present, and...
104From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 6 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Having written to you so lately as the 27th. of May by M. de Crevecoeur, I have little new to communicate. My head-ach still continues in a slight degree, but I am able to do business. Tomorrow I go on a sailing party of three or four days with the President. I am in hopes of being relieved entirely by the sickness I shall probably encounter. The President is perfectly reestablished, and looks...
105Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the last 5 months, 4 have been past at Poplar Forest where I am engaged in improvements requiring much of my presence. while there no letters are forwarded to me, the cross post being very circuitous. they are accumulating here during my absence, and on my return are pressing for answers. as soon after my last return as my progress in this corvée afforded me the prospect of a day to spare,...
106From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 14 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter was written to you on our coming to anchor. Since that my time has been divided between travelling and the society of my friends, and I avail myself of the first vacant interval to give you the news of the country to which therefore I shall proceed without further prelude. Marriages. Ben. Harrison of Brandon to a daughter of Mrs. Byrd. Doctor Currie to a widow Ingles, daughter...
107Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have communicated to mr Higginbotham the substance of your letter of the 7 th and can now give you specific answers from him to your several queries. 1. the price 10. D. an acre paiable at Christmas of the years 1813. 14. 15. in equal instalments, with an understanding that if these paiments are delayed to & through April, paying interest on that delay, it shall not be deemed a breach of...
108From Thomas Jefferson to C. W. F. Dumas and William Short, 1 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been duly honoured with the receipt of your separate letters of Aug. 23. and should sooner have returned an answer, but that as you had written also to Mr. Adams I thought it possible I might receive his sentiments on the subject in time for the post. Not thinking it proper to lose the occasion of the post, I have concluded to communicate to you my separate sentiments, which you will of...
109From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 June 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Custis, a citizen of Virginia, proposing to make application to the government of France for redress of a wrong which he thinks he has sustained from them, I am to ask your patronage of his claims so far as they shall be just and so far also as a denial or delay of justice in the ordinary modes of application may render an extraordinary interference necessary.—I am with great & sincere...
110From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 17 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Our ship has arrived here this evening, and if the wind permits we shall sail tomorrow. We have now lost exactly three weeks by contrary winds: so that in spite of my efforts to be in readiness for a passage between the equinox and winter, we shall surely be thrown late into December and perhaps into January, for our captain tells us we cannot expect less than a nine weeks passage. The ship is...
111From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 13 April 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of Mar. 26. and Apr. 3. are both received: so is Mr. Rutledge’s of the latter date. My Congé is not yet received, and indeed I do not expect it till the last of the month. If you will give me a state of what will be your route I shall be able to give you notice when I receive it in time for you to push to Paris before my departure. This will enable you to go on at your leisure. But be...
112From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 September 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last from Philadelphia. Your public letter of June 29. and private of June 14. and 29. are delivered to me here. My several letters, private, will have left me little to add on the subject of your stay in Europe. One circumstance only in your letters must be corrected, that is, your idea of my influence in the foreign affairs. You have forgotten your countrymen altogether, as well...
113[From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 7 May 1784] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Annapolis, 7 May 1784 . Entry in SJL reads: “Short. In cypher.” Not found.]
114Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 October 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Aug. 10. from Portland Portsmouth came duly to hand. according to promise I have made exact research into the situation of your land . I rode to Price’s and enquired of him with respect to the leases, to whom, on what conditions, and for what terms they were made? I found them to be as follows. Richard Shackleford 100. a s rent 50.D. } written leases for 3. years from the...
115From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 23 January 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that the President of the United States has appointed you Minister Resident for the United States at the Hague, which was approved by the Senate on the 16th. instant. This new mark of the President’s confidence will be the more pleasing to you, as it imports an approbation of your former conduct, whereon be pleased to accept my congratulations. You will...
116From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 10 November 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5th. has been duly recieved; & I am very thankful to you as well as to your good friend for the attention you have paid to the commission respecting the Cahusac: and if it’s quality is unchanged, it is a wine which will please here. it will come safely through our Consul at Bordeaux, & the more so as that harbour is not included in the English blockade. the party division...
117From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 March 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
So far all is well. No complaints; except against the weathermaker, who has pelted me with rain, hail, and snow, almost from the moment of my departure to my arrival here. Now and then a few gleamings of sunshine to chear me by the way. Such is this life: and such too will be the next, if there be another, and we may judge of the future by the past. My road led me about 60 miles through...
118Thomas Jefferson to William Short, [29] June 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 22. is recieved. that of May 25. had come to hand in due time, and was in my bundle of ‘Letters to be answered’ but as I am obliged to marshal them according to their degree of pressure I had not yet reached it, altho’ I devote to that business daily from sunrise to dinner, saving one hour to ride, and generally from dinner to sun set. on the subject of the Anatomist and...
119Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
It is with much concern I inform you that the Senate has negatived your appointment. we thought it best to keep back the nomination to the close of the session, that the mission might remain secret as long as possible, which you know was our purpose from the beginning. it was then sent in with an explanation of it’s object & motives. we took for granted, if any hesitation should arise, that...
120From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 1 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
A bill has past two readings in the Senate for removing the seat of government immediately to Philadelphia, there to remain ten years, and then to be established permanently in Georgetown. It is to receive it’s third reading to-day, and tho’ it depends on a single vote, yet I believe we may count surely that it will pass that house. As it originated there, it will then have to pass the lower...
121I. To William Short, 13 April 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you on the 26th. of Mar. by a conveyance which occurred suddenly, merely to inform you that I should soon forward you a full state of your affairs. I then also explained the circumstances which prevented my writing to you the last year. I have to acknolege the receipt of your’s from Jagouville Aug. 6. 98. & from Paris Aug. 24. & Oct. 9. 98. on the general subjects of business, and...
122From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 4 April 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Knowing the interest you take in the progress of our University, I will now undertake to give you some account of it; and it is not till now that any thing definitive could have been communicated. The selection of Professors from Europe has been most judiciously made. they are 5. in number, most of them a little under or over 30. years of age, one only being something over 40. of the highest...
123Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 6 November 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 29. finds me still here. tho’ the effects of my fall have not been quite removed, I shall set out for Bedford in 2. or 3. days. the doubt as to the security proposed for that portion of the debt for which mr Higginbotham & another were to give joint bonds, was not unexpected because it was reasonable. I had suggested it to him as possible & even probable, & he was therefore...
124From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 7 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 26. has been duly recieved. I think I mentioned in a former letter that experience had shewn me that I could not pay more than 1000. D. a quarter without sensible distress. sometimes & indeed generally, I find it most convenient to pay it in moieties; sometimes the whole sum at once. the latter has been the case for the present quarter. I now accordingly inclose you a...
125From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 1 September 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Finding it necessary to send to Bordeaux for my year’s stock of wine, I inclose herein a bill of exchange of Mr. John Vaughan of this place on Messieurs Le Coulteux & co. for a thousand livres Tournois. Besides this, being in the moment of my departure for Virginia, I leave my letter open with a friend to put into it another bill of £40. sterling on London, which a broker is now in quest of...
126From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 27 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 28th. was recieved on the 24th. although mr Skipwith’s error in fact (that the Comptroller’s place was vacant) might supercede the necessity of saying any thing on the subject, yet a desire that he may not refuse what has been offered him, under delusive expectations, induces me to go into explanations with you, in hopes you may find opportunities of rectifying his ideas,...
127Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 18 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 2 d is recieved, and a copy of Higgenbotham’s mortgage is now inclosed. the journey to Bedford which I proposed in my last, my engagements here have obliged me to postpone till after harvest which is now approaching; it is the most unpromising one I have seen. we have been some days in expectation of seeing M. Correa. if he is on the road, he has had some days of our very hottest...
128From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 November 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Thomas Pinckny of S. Carolina has this day the offer of the mission to London as minister Pleni. When we know whether he accepts, or not wch. will not be these six weeks, the nomination of a minister pleni. for Paris and a minister resident for the Hague will be made. The former is in suspence between yourself and another. If you do not have that you will have the latter. There was never a...
129[From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 16 April 1784] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Annapolis, 16 Apr. 1784. Entry in SJL reads: “Wrote answer W. Short to be num[quam] non par[atus]—Morris’s bills fate unknown—try to get remittance by last this month—Luz[er]ne taking [leave].” Not found.]
130III. Statement of Account with William Short, [ca. 13 April–May 1800] (Jefferson Papers)
William Short in account with Th: Jefferson 1793. Cr. Dollars Nov. 22. By cash of Patrick Kennon 109.83 [1794.] Jan. 1. By int. on stock recd. from US. (by self.) 390.62 Apr. 1. By do. (J. Ross.) 390.62 July 1. By do. Lownes 390.62 Oct. 1.
131Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 21 September 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of Aug. 30 . arrived while I was absent in Bedford , to which place I now go several times in the year & stay there from a fortnight to a month. I congratulate you on your safe arrival in the US. and should have done it with more pleasure in person had your perambulations for health led you this way. your former letter by mr Irving was immediately complied with, the business executed to...
132From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 April 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here on the 6th. inst. having been overtaken at Cleves by the commencement of a storm of rain hail and snow which lasted to this place, with intermissions now and then. The roads however continued good to Bonne, where beginning to be clayey and to be penetrated with the wet they became worse than imagination can paint for about 100 miles which brought me to the neighborhood of this...
133Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 30 September 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at length recieved an offer for your lands, which tho not coming entirely up to your terms, is so nearly so as to make it my duty to communicate it for your consideration. it is from mr Higginbotham , who had applied to yourself by letter with a very different proposition. he is a merchant of Milton , who in the course of many years of snug & safe business has made a handsome provision...
134From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 15 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 2d. was recd on the 7th. & that of the 12th. last night. as you had informed mr Barnes not to write to you to New York after the 4th. and me, that you would notify me of your arrival in Philadelphia, I was awaiting that to answer your letter. I now do it at hazard & shall address it to you at Philadelphia to be kept in the post office till called for. I have not time at this...
135From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 19 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 7th. & 10th. were recieved on the 15th., communicated to mr Madison & recieved back from him yesterday. we relinquish the idea of a direct passage to St. Petersburg, and adopt that of a general communication to the government of France through which you will pass. mr Madison will be here within a few days in order that we may arrange and finally expedite whatever is...
136From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 19 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The present occasion by mr Dupont is so favorable, that tho constantly immersed in business or society, without a moment’s intermission, Congress being in session, I cannot omit to drop you a line; whether it will be long or short will depend on the interruptions. my last to you were of the 17th. of March and 3d. of Oct. of the last year: since which I have to acknolege the reciept of yours of...
137From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 1 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of May 8. which had arrived at Aix after I had passed that place, followed me here where I have received it, as also that of May 21. The one by Colo. Smith I received at Bourdeaux . He had left that place a week before I reached it. I wrote to him to the care of Mr. Carmichael. I left Mr. Barclay at Bourdeaux. He waited only the post of the day before yesterday to set out for Paris....
138From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 November 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of Aug. 29. acknowledging the reciept of your Nos. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. and informing you I was about setting out to Virginia, and should not again write to you till my return. Only one vessel has sailed from hence to Havre since my return and my notice of her departure was so short that I could not avail myself of it. Your Nos. 72. 73. 74. 75. 78. came here during my...
139From Thomas Jefferson to William Carmichael and William Short, 14 October 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letters of March 18th. and April 24. (which have been retarded so unfortunately) another subject of Conference and Convention with Spain, has occurred. You know that the frontiers of her Provinces as well as of our States, are inhabited by Indians holding justly the right of occupation, and leaving to Spain and to us only the claim of excluding other nations from among them, and of...
140From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 26 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
My publick letters to you have been of the 28th. of March, the 6th. and 30th. of April. Yours, which remain to be acknowledged, are of Mar. 9. 17. 29. Apr. 4. 12. 23. and May 1. being from No. 21. to 28. inclusive except No. 23. which had come to hand before. I will state to you the dates of all your letters received by me with the times they have been recieved, and length of their passage....
141From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 8 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I returned the 1 st vol. of Hall by a mail of a week ago and by this shall return the 2 d we have kept them long; but every member of the family wished to read his book, in which case you know it had a long guantlet to run. It is impossible to read thoroughly such writings as those of Harper and Otis, who take a page to say what requires but a sentence, or rather who give you whole pages of...
142From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 4 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
We arrived here on Monday morning 28th. Sep. having had no accident on the road, but an axle tree broken on the Phaeton and the bad tire which Rocounier had put on the chariot wheels broke in two places. We have been detained here ever since by the most tempestuous weather ever seen. A ship and a brig, put in in distress, have been driven aground. To-day the wind has lulled, and tho’ as yet...
143From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 20 September 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
According to the desire in your letter of July 19. & that to mr Price , I have settled the rents of Indian Camp to the end of 1783. either from a defect of my instructions to mr Lilly or his understanding them, he had proceeded in the collection of the rents for that year and made considerable progress before I knew & stopped him. I some time last autumn sent you a supplement to our accounts...
144Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 November 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your welcome favor of the 12 th came to hand two days ago. I was just returned from Poplar Forest which I have visited four times this year. I have an excellent house there, inferior only to Monticello , am comfortably fixed and attended, have a few good neighbors, and pass my time there in a tranquility and retirement much adapted to my age and indolence. you so kindly ask an explanation of...
145From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 24 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Mr. Horrÿ, is a citizen of So. Carolina, of distinquished connections in that country who is about to visit Paris. Tho’ not having the honor of a personal acquaintance with him, I am authorised on good information to assure you of his worth, and therefore take the liberty of asking you to render him all the services, and attentions, which may lie in your way. I am not...
146From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 9 August 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress rises tomorrow. Your successor will not be appointed till they meet in December. Consequently he cannot go till the next spring. RC ( DLC : Short Papers); entirely in code, except for date, having interlinear decoding in Short’s hand; at head of text (also in code): “private.” PrC ( DLC ); accompanied by text en clair in TJ’s hand. Decoding verified by Editors, employing partially...
147From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 4 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Apr. 24. came to hand some days since, and I now return you the calculation of interest & paiments therein inclosed. the principles of this are understood & approved, and altho my occupations have not permitted me to investigate the calculations in detail, yet I have no doubt of their correctness. I have therefore inclosed you an acknolegement of the balance due Feb. 12. with a...
148From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 28 July 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last I have received Letters from you as follows. No. 59 March 4. received June 21. No. 63 April 8 received July 8. 60 ” 11 ” ” 21. 64 ” 25 ” ” 23. 61 ” 12 ”
149[From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 29 December 1783] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Annapolis, 29 Dec. 1783 . Entry in SJL under this date, immediately following entry for preceding letter to Bernard Moore, reads: “W. Short. do. for the Nottoways.” Not found.]
150From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 3 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Apr. 28. from Bordeaux came to hand yesterday as did Mr. Rutledge’s of the 27th. (for I must still have the privilege of acknoleging both together). The incertainty you express whether you come by Nantes, and of course whether this letter (a copy of which goes there) may not get into other hands will very much shorten it. Madame de Tessé, whose constancy to you is above reproach, has...