Search help
Documents filtered by: Author="Jefferson, Thomas" AND Period="Confederation Period"
Results 51-100 of 2,273 sorted by author
Je ne connois personne ici, Monsieur, qui a des terres à vendre en Amérique, et meme s’il y en avoit, je ne vous conseillerois pas du tout d’en acheter ici. Si vous etes dans l’intention de vous établir en Amérique, il vaudroit mieux d’y passer, d’y voyager, et d’y rester quelque-tems avant de décider le centre de votre etablissement. Le climat, le sol, la société, influent beaucoup sur notre...
I was informed in the course of the last year that there was in the prison of Dunkirk a person of the name of Alexander Gross confined as hostage for the ransom of the sloop Charlotte taken by the privateer Countess d’Avaux, Capt. Carry, in Feb. 1782. I learn that his owners refused to release him, and that the owners of the privateer have since stopped paiment and become bankrupt. I will be...
I received the honor of your letter of yesterday, and in consequence thereof send you eight guineas. I mentioned to you that the settlement of Mr. Wayles’s affairs remained entirely with Mr. Eppes and Mr. Skipwith the acting executors. They alone possess the evidences of his debts and paiments, and they also alone know what is due, and to whom. I think it possible, and even probable, that the...
I received your favor of May 9. just as I was stepping into the barge on my departure from Cette: which prevented my answering it from that place. On my arrival here, I thought I would avail myself of the opportunity of paying your balance to make a little acquaintance with Sr. John Lambert. One or two unsuccessful attempts to find him at home, with the intermediate procrastinations well known...
Books sold to Colo. Monroe s Chastellux Felicité publique. 2.v. 13. 6  Helvetius de l’homme. 3.v. 13. 6. Gravina l’esprit des loix Romaines 3.v. 19. Barbeyrac discours. 2.v. 10. Vicat Droit naturel. 2.v. 15. Felice. droit de la nature 18. Certitude de Mahometisme 13. 6 Oeuvres de Mably. 4.v.
This will be delivered you by Colo. Le Maire. You knew him when in our service, and that he was one of the few who merited what was done for him. He returns to Virginia to obtain the land given him for his special services and what is due to him as an officer. He is reduced to extreme poverty and I am afraid will meet with difficulty to subsist till he can obtain his grants unless he can find...
Your favor of the 2d. inst. is duly received. I agree chearfully to the alteration you propose, in our terms, for converting the current into sterling money. It will guard against injustice, should the madness of paper money invade our assembly. I send you the inclosed paper finally settling this business. I am not well acquainted with the situation of your matter in Virginia. I had hoped that...
I have duly received your favor accompanying that of Mr. Van bram Houckgeete on the subject of a cask of snuff sent by him to Bordeaux. The importation of that article is prohibited by the laws of France on pain of fine and forfeiture of the article to the Farmers general. His snuff was seized and condemned on due process of law. He sais he was ignorant of the law, and I believe it: his...
M. Jefferson est tres sensible à la perte que l’Espagne vient de faire par la mort de son auguste Souverain. Les vertus de ce prince lui avoient merité à juste titre l’hommage de l’estime universelle, et repandront sur sa mort les regrets de tous. M. Jefferson y mele les siens trés sincerement, et a l’honneur de faire à M. l’Ambassadeur son compliment de condoleance. Dft ( ViU ); written at...
Your favor of the 9th . came to hand yesterday and relieved us from the fear that sickness or some other accident had detained you. I am very particularly obliged to you for the attention you have been so good as to pay to my accomodation; several circumstances had prevented my taking measures for this purpose so early as I wished. I had ultimately relied on Mr. Carrol, who left this place two...
[ Annapolis, 22 Apr. 1784. For note on entry in SJL , see TJ to Elizabeth Wayles Eppes , this date. Not found.]
[[ Paris, 20 Sep. 1788 . Recorded in SJL Index. Not found.]]
I am favored with your letter of the 8th. instant. I had applied to the Marquis de la Fayette to sollicit the Sauf conduit for you. A desire of avoiding every possible occasion myself of asking what may be refused, or of giving ground to make a reciprocal demand on any occasion, induced me to do this; and the Marquis’s zeal in every business respecting us, his weight and his access to every...
Massachusets. Mr. Tracy. July. 1784 I. 1. About 30,000£ lawful 4. About 1,500,000£ lawful. 5. The interest is punctually paid. The principal stands on the public faith. There is an impost and excise appropriated to the paimt of the interest, but no tax is yet laid for paiment of the principal, except for a particular 30,000£ of it. 6. About 8/ in the pound. 7. They have been since 1782 about...
J’ai retardé, Monsieur, de vous accuser la reception de votre lettre du 25me. Avril, afin que je pourrois en meme tems vous annoncer l’arrivée des poëles que vous avez eu la bonté de m’expedier. Elles viennent d’arriver chez moi il y a trois jours en bon etat. Permettez donc, Monsieur, que je vous fasse mes remerciments pour vos attentions dans cette occasion-ci, aussi bien que pour les...
[ Annapolis, 27 Nov. 1783 . Entry in SJL reads: “Jaquel. Ambler. Mad’s bill—impost—cession—meeting and separation of Congr.” Not found.]
I wrote you on the 21st. inst. on the subject of Mr. Paradise, which I hope you have received. By the death of Mr. Williamos a copy of my Notes on Virginia got into the hands of a bookseller, who was about publishing a very abominable translation of them when the Abbé Morellet heard of it, and diverted him from it by undertaking to translate it for him. They will thus appear in French in spite...
[May 1784] G. Morris to Genl. Chastellux. Oct. 7. 1783. France fought for the American commerce. Has she got it and will she hold it? That contest is only beginning. Her success in it will depend on her prudent management. The marine of a country depends on it’s commerce. Commerce depends on 2. pillars. 1. Navigation, which forms seamen. 2. Wealth, which supplies taxes. To pursue a marine at...
I have read with attention the papers on the subject of the canal of the Santee and Cooper rivers, and shall be glad to do any thing I can to promote it. But I confess I have small expectations for the following reason. Genl. Washington sent me a copy of the Virginia act for opening the Patowmac. As that canal was to unite the commerce of the whole Western country almost, with the Eastern, it...
I am now to return you many thanks for your attention to the several cases I left with you to be expedited to this place. They all came safe to hand. The Acquit à caution for the parcel which I brought myself, is herein inclosed. I should sooner have sent this, but that I awaited the arrival of the second parcel, meaning to return to you both acquits à caution together. But on asking for the...
I have the honor of sending your Excellency the second volume of the American Philosophical transactions which came to my hands yesterday. My correspondent writes me that the first volume cannot be bought at this moment, the depot in which they were kept having been destroyed during the war. But he adds that they propose to reprint the first volume and that he will take care to send me a copy...
I have sent by the Diligence the three first numbers of Sandford et Merton, being all which has yet appeared. A number comes out every month, and it will be nine months before the whole will be out. You shall receive them as they appear, and always by the Diligence unless you would prefer any other channel of conveyance. I am Sir your very humble servt., PrC ( DLC ); endorsed. It will be noted...
The bearer hereof, Mr. John Brown Cutting, proposing to go to Charleston, I take the liberty of introducing him to your acquaintance and attentions. His merit and talents will justify me in taking this liberty, as they will fully recommend him to your esteem, while I am equally assured he will find in you what will render it reciprocal. He is authorised to ask from your state some arrangements...
I have received from you three letters of Mar. 9. 14. and 17. and written you two of the 10th. and 13th. In the last I mentioned to you that I should leave this place the 19th. but I have been drawn on from day to day by the hope of seeing the business on which I came settled on the basis of positive engagement: and the great object of the month of June appeared so sure that we were about...
I have been later in acknoleging the receipt of your letter of the 16th. December, because Commodore Paul Jones being here it was proper to submit the claim to his information. I have now the honour to inform you that you may draw on me for the sum of seven hundred and thirty one livres three sous one denier expressing in your draught that it is for your share of prize money of the Bonhomme...
I had the honour of addressing you on the 11th. of the last month by young Mr. Adams who sailed in the packet of that month. That of the present is likely to be retarded to the first of July if not longer. On the 14th. of May I communicated to the Count de Vergennes my appointment as minister plenipotentiary to this court and on the 17th. delivered my letter of credence to the king at a...
I had the honor of writing you on the 18th. of October and again on the 25th. of the same month. Both letters, being to pass through the post offices, were confined to particular subjects. The first of them acknoleged the receipt of yours of Sep. 29. At length a confidential opportunity arrives for conveying to you a cypher ; it will be handed you by the bearer Mr. Lambe. Copies of it are in...
Since I had the honour of seeing you the other evening a letter from the board of treasury is come to hand,1 instructing me to receive the monies which you have collected here for the prizes, with an order justifying your paiment of them to me. There is a paragraph in the letter which looks as if they meant I should settle with you your proportion of these monies. It is not quite explicit, and...
The Grand Committee, to whom was referred a Motion of the Delegates of Massachusetts respecting the Discharge of Contracts said to have been made in that State, by Order of the Q M G for ox Teams, for the Campaign of 1781, request you to give them by the earliest opportunity the best Information in your Power respecting such Contracts, whether made in that or any other State, what are...
I am this moment informed that Mr. Hall, an American of my acquaintance now at Marseilles will sail from that port for Baltimore more about the 20th. of this month. If you have no direct conveiance to Charleston it would be best to put the olive plants into the care of Mr. Hall who would be so good as to attend to them during their passage to Baltimore and to find a speedy and safe conveiance...
I wrote you the 11th. of November. Since that I have received no proposition on the subject of the quill of the harpsichord. The artisans here will not readily beleive that any thing good can be invented but in London or Paris: and to shew them the invention would be to give it up. However I shall still endeavor to find some one who will do justice to it. War and peace hang in doubtful...
I have the honor to inform you that at length Messrs. Laval & Wilfelsheim have paid the bill of exchange remitted. It will enable me to furnish Monsr. Houdon for his voiage to Virginia when he shall be sufficiently reestablished in his health to undertake it. Dr Franklin proposing to return either the next month or the month following, I think it probable that Houdon will accompany him. I have...
Various conversations with Mr. Short on the situation of things in Richmd. seem to render it very evident that the improvement of ground in that place is of certain and great profit. I have been induced to reflect on the subject as it furnishes a resource for subsistence independent of the usual one which spreads our couch with thorns. A particular building lately erected here which has...
[ Annapolis, 4 Mch. 1784 . Entry in SJL reads: “A. Cary. Proceedings of Congr. on Western cession—execution of deed—refused commit Indiana—Kentucky petition—further cession to meridian mouth Kanhaw.—paiments and arrears of states on requisition of Oct. 30. 1781. for 8. million—ratification sailed Feb. 17—Turks and Russians—Fox and North resigned—Pr. Wales against E. Ind. bill—Pitt-Adams and...
On receiving the honor of your Excellency’s letter of December 30 on the subject of the debts due by Robinson and Francfort to Françoise Rippert, I asked of Captain Jones those informations which his office had put him in possession of. I now trouble you with a copy of his letter on the subject. Your Excellency will find by that that Robinson having belonged to the Alliance, and the portions...
I am honored with your letter by your son, and shall be happy to render him every assistance in my power of whatever nature. The objects of his stay in this country and of his visit to London are perfectly well judged, so of that to Amsterdam. Perhaps it is questionable whether the time you propose he should spend at some of the German courts might not be better employed at Madrid at Lisbon...
Memorandums made on a tour to some of the gardens in England described by Whateley in his book on gardening. While his descriptions in point of style are models of perfect elegance and classical correctness, they are as remarkeable for their exactness. I always walked over the gardens with his book in my hand, examined with attention the particular spots he described, found them so justly...
I should not so long have delayed answering your favor of the 6th. of Oct. but that I have been extremely engaged, and particularly by the Arret of Sep. 28. which prohibits the importation of foreign whale oil, without any exception in our favor. At length I have a prospect of obtaining an exception for American oil. Should any arrive before the matter is finally decided, the Ministers...
[ Annapolis, 5 Mch. 1784 . Entry in SJL reads: “[Mar.] 5. E. Rand. Hancock’s case—journal of 82. I will send but 83. not printed—information by Barney from Dr. F. Dec. 25. that Ad[ams] was gone to Hague, Jay to Bath, Laur. setting out for Amer.—Engld. not reconciled—Marq. Fayette’s letter of Dec. 26. Fox and N. out by maneuvre of king—Pitt and Temple to come in—parliament to be called—Marq....
The Mr. Fitzhughs the bearers of this letter being on the point of setting out, I have only time to inform you that after trying many booksellers and receiving a variety of propositions the best offer is of 900 livres for your book, paiable 12 months after the printing of it here shall be completed. The M. de Chastellux thinks it best to accept of this, I shall therefore do it this day. I...
Your favor of May 9. came to hand on the 25th. of June. I immediately communicated to the foreign officers the inability of the treasury at that moment to provide paiment of the interest due them, with assurances of your attention to them in the first possible moment. I communicated to Commodore Jones also your order for the balance in his hands. As he was entitled to a part of the money he...
It is with real pain that I am informed of the difficulties of your present situation, and the more so as it is utterly out of my power to relieve them. There is neither authority nor money in the hands of any person here to discharge the arrearages of interest, nor do I know any person who is in the habit of purchasing those claims; nor am I able to suggest to Mr. Grand any other arrangement...
When I had the honour of writing you on the 24th. inst. the transactions on the Black sea were but vaguely known. I am now able to give them to you on better foundation. The Captain Pacha was proceeding with succours to Oczakoff as is said by some (for this fact does not come on the same authority with the others), the authentic account placing the two fleets in the neighborhood of each other...
I am now to acknolege the receipt of the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 21st. of January together with the book on the culture of the olive tree. This is a precious present to me, and I pray you to accept my thanks for it. I am just gratified by letters from South Carolina which inform me that in consequence of the information I had given them on the subject of the olive tree,...
By my letter of Jan. 13. I took the liberty of praying you to send me Hayes’s newspapers to the care of N. Jamieson of New York, by post if free, or otherwise by other opportunities. I have not yet received any: but pre[suming] on past experiences of your goodness I suppose some may [be] on the way. In the mean time experience proves to me that the French postage is exorbitant beyond...
The inclosed letter from Mr. Barclay, and one from Mr. Carmichael, of which I send you extracts, are come to hand this morning, which is in time for them to go by the same gentleman who carries my letter of the 11th. I observe what Mr. Carmichael says on the subject of the Portuguese treaty, and am sorry it meets with difficulties. I doubt however whether he ascribes them to their true cause,...
Mr. Montgomery and his mother seem uneasy that such a sum in cash as 8000£ should be tied up in his hands by the marriage settlement. I apprehend this uneasiness may be removed and your daughter provided for more surely by settling lands of the value of 8000£on her for life (if she survives her husband) and after both their deaths, on the children of their joint bed in such proportions as the...
I am honored with yours of Mar. 31. Mine to yourself and Dr. Bancroft will already have answered so much of it as relates to Mr. Paradise. The idea suggested of his going with me to America, was intended chiefly as a threat against the refusing creditor. It could only have been carried into execution in the case of that creditor’s continuing obstinate. The propositions he has since made were...
I have duly received your favor with my account, balance 180.₶ 7s which shall be paid to your order. I observe it supposed with you that the differences between the courts of London and St. James are nearly settled. But be assured on the contrary that no accomodation is expected, and that war is as certain as it can be, without being actually commenced or declared. There remains indeed a...
My last to you was of the 25th. of December. Tho’ the establishment of packet boats with you, and suppression of them with us, puts it in your power perhaps to give me better details of American affairs than I can you, I shall nevertheless continue to communicate to you what I know, persuaded it is better you should hear a thing twice than not hear it at all. I mentioned to you in my last that...