3691From Thomas Jefferson to John Garland Jefferson, 17 December 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
At the time your favor of Nov. 11 . came to hand I had not yet recieved an answer from Genl. Smith. It came some time after and I now inclose it to you. You will percieve that from a different construction of the same clause in the constitution in the superior and inferior courts, you would be refused in the former and admitted in the latter the first year. You would therefore not be merely...
3692From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 December 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5th. came to hand last night. The first wish of my heart was that you should have been proposed for the administration of the government. On your declining it I wish any body rather than myself: and there is nothing I so anxiously hope as that my name may come out either second or third. These would be indifferent to me; as the last would leave me at home the whole year, and...
3693From Thomas Jefferson to Volney, [17 December] 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of [July 12th.] from Gallipolis and of Aug. […] from Lexington were duly received, and [as I have seen?] by [the news]papers you have got no farther [than] […], and [must] go to Boston according to the plan announced in your last, I presume this letter with the key of your valise will be in Philadelphia before you. By Mr. Randolph (my son in law) who was going to Richmond early in...
3694From Thomas Jefferson to Edward Rutledge, 27 December 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I am afraid of being a troublesome correspondent to you. I wish to obtain about 20. bushels of the Cowpea, a red field pea commonly cultivated with you, and a principal article for the subsistence of your farms, which we have not yet introduced. I understand it is always to be had at Charleston, ready barreled for exportation: and the favor I ask of you is to engage some merchant of Charleston...
3695To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 28 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
The public and the public papers have been much occupied lately, in placing us in point of opposition to each other. I trust with confidence that less of it has been felt by ourselves personally. In the retired canton where I am, I learn little of what is passing: pamphlets I see never: papers but a few; and the fewer the happier. Our latest intelligence from Philadelphia at present is of the...
3696I. To John Adams, 28 December 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
The public and the public papers have been much occupied lately in placing us in a point of opposition to each other. I trust with confidence that less of it has been felt by ourselves personally. In the retired canton where I am, I learn little of what is passing: pamphlets I see never; papers but a few; and the fewer the happier. Our latest intelligence from Philadelphia at present is of the...
3697II. Copy from Memory, 28 December 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
The public and the public papers have been much occupied lately in placing us in a point of opposition to each other. I confidently trust we have felt less of it ourselves. In the retired canton where I live we know little of what is passing. Pamphlets I see none: papers very few, and the fewer the happier. Our last information from Philada. is of the 16th. inst. At that date the issue of the...
3698To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 1 January 1797 (Madison Papers)
Yours of Dec. 19. has come safely. The event of the election has never been a matter of doubt in my mind. I knew that the Eastern states were disciplined in the schools of their town meetings to sacrifice differences of opinion to the great object of operating in phalanx, and that the more free & moral agency practised in the other states would always make up the supplement of their weight....
3699I. To James Madison, 1 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Dec. 19. has come safely. The event of the election has never been a matter of doubt in my mind. I knew that the Eastern states were disciplined in the schools of their town meetings to sacrifice differences of opinion to the great object of operating in phalanx, and that the more free and moral agency practised in the other states would always make up the supplement of their weight....
3700II. Copy from Memory, 1 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Dec. 19. is safely recieved. I never entertained a doubt of the event of the election. I knew that the Eastern troops were trained in the schools of their town meetings to sacrifice little differences of opinion to the solid advantages of operating in Phalanx, and that the more free and moral agency of the other states would fully supply their deficiency. I had no expectation indeed...
3701From Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Stuart, 4 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
In answer to your favor of Dec. 31. and to the question whether adviseable to address the President on the subject of war against France, I shall speak explicitly, because I know I may do it safely to you. Such is the popularity of the President that the people will support him in whatever he will do, or will not do, without appealing to their own reason or to any thing but their feelings...
3702To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 January 1797 (Madison Papers)
Yours of Dec. 25. is safely recieved. I much fear the issue of the present dispositions of France & Spain. Whether it be in war or in the suppression of our commerce it will be very distressing and our commerce seems to be already sufficiently distressed through the wrongs of the belligerent nations and our own follies. It was impossible the bank & paper-manie should not produce great &...
3703From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Dec. 25. is safely recieved. I much fear the issue of the present dispositions of France and Spain. Whether it be in war or in the suppression of our commerce it will be very distressing and our commerce seems to be already sufficiently distressed through the wrongs of the belligerent nations and our own follies. It was impossible the bank and paper-mania should not produce great and...
3704From Thomas Jefferson to Volney, 8 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your two favors of Dec. 26. and 29. Your impatience to recieve your valise and it’s key was natural. And it is we who have been to blame; Mr. Randolph for not taking information of the vessel and address to which your valise was committed, and myself for having waited till I heard of your being again immerged into the land of newspapers before I forwarded your key. However...
3705From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 9 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 4th. inst. is duly recieved, and I rejoice that you got down without any accident from the cold, of which I had great apprehensions. The following is extracted from my diary to satisfy the wish you express to know what has been the degree of cold here. sunrise 3. P.M. sunrise Dec. 19. 50°. 48. Jan. 1. 30. 43 20. 19. 2. 28. 33 21.
3706To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 16 January 1797 (Madison Papers)
The usual accidents of the winter, ice, floods, rains, have prevented the Orange post from coming to Charlottesville the last postday, so that we have nothing from Philadelphia the last week. I see however by the Richmond papers a probability that the choice of V. P. has fallen on me. I have written the inclosed letter therefore to mr. Tazewell as a private friend, and have left it open for...
3707From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
The usual accidents of the winter, ice, floods, rains, have prevented the Orange post from coming to Charlottesville the last post-day, so that we have nothing from Philadelphia the last week. I see however by the Richmond papers a probability that the choice of V.P. has fallen on me. I have written the inclosed letter therefore to Mr. Tazewell as a private friend, and have left it open for...
3708From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Tazewell, 16 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
As far as the public papers are to be credited, I may suppose that the choice of Vice president has fallen on me. On this hypothesis I trouble you, and only pray, if it be wrong, that you will consider this letter as not written. I believe it belongs to the Senate to notify the V.P. of his election. I recollect to have heard that on the first election of President and Vice President gentlemen...
3709From Thomas Jefferson to John Wickham, 20 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
You had a right to expect an earlier answer to your favor on the subject of my proportion of Mr. Wayles’s debt to Mr. Welch. Yet I have not been wrong in delaying it; because it was not till now that I could take so certain a view of my resources as would enable me to settle times and sums to your satisfaction as well as my own. The alternative you proposed was the same instalments allowed the...
3710To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 January 1797 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 8th. came to hand yesterday. I was not aware of any necessity of going on to Philadelphia immediately, yet I had determined to do it, as a mark of respect to the public, and to do away the doubts which have spread that I should consider the second office as beneath my acceptance. The journey indeed for the month of February is a tremendous undertaking for me, who have not been...
3711From Thomas Jefferson to Enoch Edwards, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I was yesterday gratified with the reciept of your favor of [Dec.] 27. which gave me the first information of your return from Europe. On the 28th. of Oct. I recieved a letter of July 30. from Colo. Monroe but did not know thro what channel it came. I should be glad to see the Defence of his conduct which you possess, tho no paper of that title is necessary for me. He was appointed to an...
3712From Thomas Jefferson to John Langdon, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Your friendly letter of the 2d. inst. never came to hand till yesterday, and I feel myself indebted for the sollicitude you therein express for my undertaking the office to which you inform me I am called. I know not from what source an idea has spread itself, which I have found to be generally spread, that I would accept the office of President of the US. but not of Vice President. When I...
3713From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 8th. came to hand yesterday. I was not aware of any necessity of going on to Philadelphia immediately, yet I had determined to do it, as a mark of respect to the public, and to do away the doubts which have spread that I should consider the second office as beneath my acceptance. The journey indeed for the month of February is a tremendous undertaking for me, who have not been...
3714From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 11th. came to hand yesterday. We are all well here. Anne’s cold still continues, tho it gives no fever nor other inconvenience. Maria is also well notwithstanding a tumble thro’ the floor into the cellar, from which she escaped miraculously without hurt. You ask for news, yet I think it impossible but you must get it from Richmond before you could from hence. The last Northern...
3715From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your kind favor of the 4th. inst. and the eulogium it covered on the subject of our late invaluable friend Rittenhouse, and I perused it with the avidity and approbation which the matter and manner of every thing from your pen has long taught me to feel. I thank you too for your congratulations on the public call on me to undertake the 2d. office in the US. but still more...
3716From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems probable that I shall be called on to preside in a legislative chamber. It is now so long since I have acted in the legislative line that I am entirely rusty in the Parliamentary rules of procedure. I know they have been more studied and are better known by you than by any man in America perhaps by any man living. I am in hopes that while enquiring into the subject you made notes on...
3717From Thomas Jefferson to the American Philosophical Society, 28 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favor of the 7th. inst. informing me that the American Philosophical society have been pleased to name me their President. The suffrage of a body which comprehends whatever the American world has of distinction in philosophy and science in general is the most flattering incident of my life, and that to which I am the most sensible. My satisfaction would be complete...
3718From Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 28 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 2d. inst. came to hand only last night, having been delayed by the failure of the post two weeks successively, to come, perhaps on account of ice and bad weather. I am sorry a want of form in the power inclosed prevented your drawing Mr. Short’s interest on the 1st. inst. and very thankful for your not suffering my bill to come back. The purpose as to Mr. Short was a very...
3719From Thomas Jefferson to John Marshall, 28 January [1797] (Jefferson Papers)
[In a letter of the 14th. inst. I] recieved [from the governor a resolution of the general assembly appointing a body of which I am named one, to correspond with certain Maryland Commissioners] on the dividing bounda[ries of the] two states. The periodical and long absences from the state which I must [incur, with the habitual state of my health] obliging me to avoid journies as much as...
3720From Thomas Jefferson to James Wood, 28 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to acknolege the receipt of your favor of the 14th. inst. covering a resolution of the General assembly authorising myself and others to correspond with the commissioners of Maryland on the subject of the boundaries dividing the two states. The long and periodical absences from this state which I shall be obliged to incur, together with the habitual state of my health...