1A Course of Reading for Joseph C. Cabell, September 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
A course of English History—recommended by Mr. Jefferson. Rapin to the end of Stephen. Ld. Lyttleton’s Henry II. Rapin’s R. 1. John. H. 3. E. 1. Edward 2. by E.F. by Sr. Thos. More. E. 3. R. 2. H. 4. 5. 6. Rapin. E. 4. Habington. E. 5. R. 3. Sr. Thos. Moor. R. 3. Rapin. Henry VII. Ld. Bacon. Henry 8. Ld. Herbert of Cherbury. E. 6. his own journal. E. 6. Mary Bp. of Hereford. Eliz. Cambden....
2From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 18 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly salutations to mr Cabell, & his thanks for the communication of Workman’s pamphlet which he now returns, being in possession of one which the author had sent him some two years ago. of the Author he knew nothing personally; but being known to be one of the Mexican league, his availing himself of his office as judge to liberate his accomplices is not in his...
3Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 27 June 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Judge Cooper of Pensylvania , a political refugee with D r Priestley from the fires & mobs of Birmingham . he is one of the ablest men in America , & that in several branches of science. the law opinion which he mentions, I have recieved, and a more luminous one has not been seen. it will produce a revolution of opinion on the question treated. not in the present...
4Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 5 January 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I learn by the newspapers that a petition has been presented to the legislature by the Rivanna company praying an enlargement of their powers. as these are to be executed wholly within my lands, and almost solely over my property, and have not hitherto been exercised by with much forbearance as to the injury to which they expose me, it becomes necessary for me while they ask for power, for me...
5Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 7 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
As the meeting of our legislature approaches, and I shall be absent in Bedford from the 17 th inst. to about the 8 th of Dec. within which period you will possibly be passing, I have thought it best to inform you that the Rivanna co. & myself consent that the bill concerning us which was before the legislature at their last session, should pass verbatim as amended by the Senate
6Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 17 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In your last letter to me you expressed a desire to look into the question Whether, by the laws of nature, one generation of men can, by any act of theirs, bind those which are to follow them? I say, by the laws of nature, there being between generation and generation, as between nation and nation, no other obligatory law: and you requested to see what I had said on the subject to mr Eppes . I...
7Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 31 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 23 d is recieved. Say had come to hand safely. but I regretted having asked the return of him ; for I did not find in him one new idea on the subject I had been contemplating; nothing more than a succinct, judicious digest of the tedious pages of Smith . You ask my opinion on the question whether the states can add any qualifications to those which the Constitution has...
8Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 23 September 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 17 th is just recieved. I shall answer it, as usual, frankly, adding my suggestions to those you may recieve from others, or concieve yourself, that your own good judgment may examine all things and hold fast that which is good. having before imposed on you the Corvée of reading my general sentiments on the subject of our finances, I may be the shorter now. I then thought it...
9Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 30 September 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the 23 d an important fact escaped me which, lest it should not occur to you, I will mention. the monies arising from the sales of the glebe lands in the several counties, have generally I believe, and under the sanction of the legislature, been deposited in some of the banks. so also the funds of the literary society. these debts, altho’ parcelled among the counties, yet the...
10Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 16 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Either inaccurate expression in myself, or the misapp r ehension of a friend to whom I had communicated my former letters on our finances , having obliged me to write another in explanation, I inclose you a copy of it because you had taken the trouble to read the others. I should wish this to be seen by those to whom you had communicated the former, lest they also should have misapprehended...
11Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 5 January 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Dec. 27. with the letter inclosed , has been recieved. knowing well that the bank-mania still possesses the great body of our countrymen, it was not expected that any radical cure of that could be at once effected. we must go further wrong, probably to a ne plus ultra before we shall be forced into what is right. something will be obtained however, if we can excite, in those who...
12Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 23 December 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
A petition has been presented to our present legislature by a Cap t Joseph Miller , praying a confirmation of the will of his half brother Thomas Reed who died not long since at Norfolk possessed of lands and slaves which he devised to his half brothers and sisters then living in England . this one bought up the shares of the whole and came over to reside here as a citizen. he arrived after...
13Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 24 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 16 th experienced great delay on the road and to avoid that of another mail I must answer very briefly. My letter to Peter Carr contains all I ever wrote on the subject of the College, a plan for the institution being the only thing the trustees asked or expected from me. were it to go into execution, I should certainly interest myself further & strongly in procuring proper...
14Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 31 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 23 d and 24 th come to hand just in the moment of the return of our mail. I have only therefore time to inclose the Conveyances for which Miller’s bill is hung up. I had no doubt but that he had deposited them with the other papers. friendly salutations. RC ( ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by Cabell. For the enclosed conveyances
15Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 2 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 23 d & 24 th ult. were a week coming to us. I instantly inclosed to you the deeds of Cap t Miller ; but I understand that the Post-master, having locked his mail before they got to the office, would not unlock it to give them a passage. Having been prevented from retaining my collection of the acts & Journals of our legislature by the lumping manner in which the Committee of...
16Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 28 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
You enquire whether Say has ever been translated into English? I am certain he never has in America , nor do I believe he has in England . I have never seen his work named in their catalogues or advertisements nor do I believe it has been noticed by the Edinburgh reviewers. nor have they noticed the Review of Montesquieu , altho Duane sent them a copy. you will render this country a great...
17Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 13 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for Maine ’s recipe for preparing the haw, inclosed in your favor of the 4 th . I really thought it lost with him, and that the publication of it would be a public benefit. I do not know that his hedgethorn is to be found wild but in the neighborhood of Washington . he chose it, I think, for it’s beauty. I have extensive hedges of it, which I have too much neglected. the parts well...
18Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 14 July 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
You have sometimes thought my political ramblings worth the time and trouble of reading. I inclose you one a letter lately written on a subject now much agitated in our state . I will ask the favor of it’s early return by mail as I have no other copy. I salute you with friendship & respect. RC ( ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “ Joseph C. Cabell esq. Warminster ”; franked;...
19Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 3 September 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I am afraid I have kept your papers longer than you expected. mr Randolph ’s absence till within these two days has been the cause of it. they are valuable documents , and are now returned. with respect to the copy of my letter , I know it is safe in your hands, and I rely on your effectual care that it be kept out of the public papers. affectionately your’s RC ( ViU: TJP ); at foot of text: “...
20Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 1 January 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
A member of a family to which I have been much attached by long intimacies sollicits my asking the notice attention of some of my friends to his petition before the legislature . he is the Viscount Barziza , youngest of two sons of Count Barziza of Venice by the only daughter & heiress of the late mrs Paradise , who was the daughter of Col o
21Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 9 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I promised you that I would put into the form of a bill my plan of establishing the elementary schools , without taking a cent from the literary fund. I have had leisure at this place to do this, & now send you the result. if 12. or 1500. schools are to be placed under one general administration, an attention so divided will amount to a dereliction of them to themselves. it is surely better...
22Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 10 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I omitted in my letter of yesterday to return Barrois ’ catalogue with thanks for the use of it. I omitted also to observe that it would be better that the bill for the elementary schools should not be known as coming from me. not knowing the present pulse of the public, should there be any thing unpalatable in it, it may injure our college as coming from one of it’s visitors. I wish it to be...
23Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, John H. Cocke, and David Watson, 7 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
letters recieved last night from mr Cooper render a meeting of the visitors immediately indispensable, or all done yesterday comes to nothing. if you will be so good as to be at Monticello by ten aclock I will endeavor to detain mr Madison till that hour & to get Colo Monroe to meet you there as a halfway house. Accept my friendly & respectful salutations. RC (
24Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 24 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 14 th came to hand two days ago. soon after you left us I recieved the pamphlet you were so kind as to have directed to me, containing several papers on the establishment of a system of education. a serious perusal of the bill for that purpose convinced me that unless something less extravagant could be devised the whole undertaking must fail. the primary schools alone on that...
25Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 18 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been detained a month by my affairs here, but shall depart in three days & eat my Christmas dinner at Monticello . I expect to find there the returns of our subscription papers , and I hope, the donation of the Cincinnati . these will enable me to make the report to the Governor which our board determined on. it will have to go the rounds of their residences for their amendments &...
26Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 19 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you yesterday morning & put the letter myself into the Post office of Lynchburg to which place I went to endeavor to engage bricklayers for our work the next season. I could not do it. they asked 15.D. a thousand for place brick & sand-stock brick work and the double for the oil-stock brick. they rose from 12.D. to 15.D. on the extraordinary price of corn a year or two past, and...
27Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 31 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Our friend Gen l Kosciuzko has warmly solicited my attention to the case of M. Poinsot des Essarts , stated in the inclosed papers. he wishes to be informed of the situation of the lands therein described, their quality & value, and whether any and what taxes are due on them. I suppose they must be in what is now Harrison county . having no acquaintance in that part of the country, and...
28Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 6 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of Dec. 29. the prospect it offers as to the general system of education is not very flattering. indeed I do not wonder at the confusion of opinion prevailing among the members of the legislature . a good system of education in the abstract is among the most difficult of problems, and this difficulty is infinitely increased when the system is to be modified and...
29Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 14 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
When, on the 6 th instant , I was answering yours of Dec. 29. I was so overwhelmed with letters to be answered , that I could not take time to notice the objection stated that ‘neither the people, nor their representatives, would agree to the plan of assessment on the wards for the expences of the ward-schools.’ I suppose that by this is meant the ‘pecuniary expence of wages to the tutor.’...
30Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 15 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
The messenger who carried mine of yesterday brought me in return your’s of the 5 th . I shall be anxious to hear from you after our report of the 6 th shall have been laid before the legislature , & to learn what impression it makes. because that shews how near we are to the accomplishment of a good College, one that cannot but be thought of some value to the state, and the urgency of their...
31Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 16 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
A resolution which I saw in the papers for the adjournment of the legislature the day before yesterday prevented my writing to you in the belief it could would not find you in Richmond . M r Summers now tells me he thinks you will set into the next week. the obj after acknoleging the reciept, since
32Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 26 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two favors of the 20. & 22. came to hand last night. I congratulate you sincerely on having something begun on the subject of education. whatever be it’s faults, they will lead to correction. you seem to doubt whether mr Madison would serve if named a Commissioner for the location E t c of the University? but there can be no doubt that he would, & it is most important that he should. as...
33Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 20 November 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I very much lament the cause which has deprived us of the pleasure of seeing mrs Cabell and yourself at Monticello on your way to Richmond . I now commit to your care a letter to be delivered to the Speaker of the Senate , which contains the Report of the Commissioners who met at Rockfish gap . having been written in great haste, and by several hands, dividing the work in order to expedite...
34Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 1 January 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ my revolt against letter writing has not permitted me to acknolege separately your several favors of Dec. 8. 14. 17. 24. as I recieved them, I am not the less thankful for their information. I take up my pen now on the subject of my estimate of the center of white population . you say it is objected that the commencement at the mouth of the Chesapeake is nearer the Southern than...
35Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 28 January 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
I join with you in joy on the passage of the University bill , and it is necessary you should send me a copy of it without delay, that the visitors may have a meeting to see and to do what it permits them to do for the furtherance of the work, as the season for engagements is rapidly passing off. but we shall fall miserably short in the execution of the large plan displayed to the world, with...
36Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 19 February 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 15 th was rec d yesterday. the appointment of Visitors of the University is entirely unexceptionable; the only fear is that the distance of Gen l Breckenridge & mr Taylor will render their attendances uncertain. I should have been sorry indeed if either yourself or Gen l Cocke had been left out:
37Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, [ca. 26 February 1819] (Jefferson Papers)
M r Cabell is requested to lay the inclosed proceedings of his Collegues before the Governor & Council for the exercise of their power of Controul, should they consider any part of them as requiring. RC ( Vi : RG 79, House of Delegates, Speaker, Executive Communications); undated. Tr (
38Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 1 March 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return yesterday from our Visitorial call I found here your favor of Feb. 22. and I now inclose you a copy of our proceedings with the request of our collegues to lay them before the Gov r & Council . for altho’ their assent is not by the law necessari necessary to give them validity, yet they have a right to negative which makes it a duty to communicate them that they may have an...
39Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 6 March 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to have the inclosed inserted immediately in the e Enquirer , and to place the expence to account of your next instalment? affectionate salutations. RC ( ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “ Joseph C. Cabell esq. of the Senate of Virginia now in Richmond ”; franked; endorsed by Cabell
40Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 22 January 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you the inclosed as an exhibit to our enemies as well as friends. Kentucky , our daughter, planted since Virginia was a distinguished state, has an University , with 14. professors & upwards of 200 students. while we, with a fund of a million & a half of Dollars, ready raised and appropriated, are higgling without the heart to let it go to it’s use. if our legislature does not heartily...
41Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 28 November 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I sent in due time the Report of the Visitors to the Governor , with a request that he would endeavor to convene the Literary board in time to lay it before the legislature on the 2 d day of their session. it was inclosed in a letter which will explain itself to you. if delivered before the croud of other business presses on them, they may act on it immediately, and before there will have been...
42Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 25 December 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 20 th was the first intimation that I had omitted to inclose, with the documents of our Report , the first half year’s account of the Bursar , which had been duly rendered in April and filed away. I now correct that error by inclosing it to the Governor with a letter of explanation , to be communicated to the legislature . You may have observed an apparent difference of...
43Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 30 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
You will recollect that at the meeting of the Visitors of the University on the 4 th of Oct. last , mr Johnson being disabled by sickness to attend and having been prevented at the April meeting by bad weather we were we were apprehensive his commission might be vacated by a failure to act for one the space of one year , and I was requested to apply to the Governor for a renewal of the...
44Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 31 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 18 th and 25 th came together three days ago. they fill me with gloom as to the dispositions of our legislature towards the University . I percieve that I am not to live to see it opened. as to what had better be done within the limits of their will, I trust with entire confidence to what yourself, Gen l Breckenridge and mr Johnson shall think best. you will see what is...
45Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 15 February 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I address this day to Gen l Breckenridge a letter as you desired ; to be shewn if it is thought expedient within the circle of discretion. I doubt much myself whether it’s exhibition to members independant in their purposes, & jealous of that independance may not do more harm than good. on this I put myself into the hands of my friends. I am sure you will see the propriety of letting no copy...
46Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 22 February 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I some time ago put into your hands a pamphlet proving indirectly that the Coll. of W m & Mary was intended to be a seminary for the church of England . it had been so long since I had read their printed statutes that I had forgotten them. looking lately into them, I find they declare that the 3. fundamental objects of the institution are 1. learning & morals. 2. to prepare ministers for the...
47Thomas Jefferson and John H. Cocke to James Breckinridge, Joseph C. Cabell, Chapman Johnson, James Madison, and Robert … (Jefferson Papers)
In obedience to the resolution of the visitors of the university at their last session, the Proctor has been constantly employed in ‘ascertaining the state of accounts under contracts already made, and the expence of compleating the buildings begun and contemplated’: and we have consequently suspended, according to instructions, ‘the entering into any contracts for the Library until we see...
48Thomas Jefferson’s View of the Expenses and Funds of the University of Virginia, [ca. 28 September 1821] (Jefferson Papers)
A view of the whole expences & of the Funds of the University Actual cost estimated d o Averages D D D Pavilions. N o 3. & 7. undertaken in 1817.18. 19,149. 81 9,574. 90 N
49Thomas Jefferson to University of Virginia Board of Visitors, 30 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Brockenbrough has been closely engaged, since our last meeting in settling the cost of the buildings finished at the University , that we might obtain a more correct view of the state of our funds, and see whether a competency will remain for the Library. he has settled for 6. Pavilions, 1. Hotel, and 35. Dormitories, and will proceed with the rest; so that I hope, by our next meeting, the...
50Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 3 January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved a letter from M r Griffin a member of the legislature on the subject of the University , to which I have this day given an answer . not knowing to what purpose it may be used I inclose the letter and a copy of the answer for the information of mr Johnson and yourself, to enable you to meet any quotation which might be made otherwise than in the genuine terms & spirit of the...