Thomas Jefferson to George Hay, 26 February 1815
To George Hay
Monticello Feb. 26. 15.
Dear Sir
Congress having concluded to replace by my library the one which they lost by British Vandalism, it is now become their property, and of course my duty to collect and put in place whatever belongs to it. this obliges me to ask of you the return of Reyneval’s law of nature and nations of which you asked the reading some time ago. if well wrapped up in paper it will come safely by the mail.
Am I rid of old Scott’s suit, or when shall I be? to quiet the purchaser I gave him a mortgage on another piece of land as a security [for] the title, which I wish to relieve from the mortgage. Accept the assurance of my great esteem and respect.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of James Monroe to TJ, 15 Feb. 1815; ink stained; at foot of text: “George Hay esq.”; endorsed by TJ.
TJ sought the return of Joseph Matthias Gérard de Rayneval, Institutions du Droit de la Nature et des Gens (Paris, 1803; no. 1444). For the agreement TJ made to quiet the purchaser, see Mortgage of Campbell County Land to Samuel J. Harrison, 18 May 1812.
Index Entries
- books; on natural law search
- Campbell County, Va.; TJ’s land in search
- Gérard de Rayneval, Joseph Mathias; Institutions du Droit de la Nature et des Gens search
- Harrison, Samuel Jordan; and TJ’s land dispute with S. Scott search
- Hay, George; and books borrowed from TJ search
- Hay, George; and Scott v. Jefferson and Harrison search
- Hay, George; letters to search
- Institutions du Droit de la Nature et des Gens (J. M. Gérard de Rayneval) search
- Ivy Creek (Campbell Co.); TJ sells lands on search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; requests return of books lent search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; dispute with S. Scott search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; British destruction in Washington search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Mortgage of Campbell County Land to Samuel J. Harrison search
- law; books on search
- Library of Congress; TJ sells personal library to search
- natural law; books on search
- Scott, Samuel; TJ’s land dispute with search
- Washington, D.C.; British destruction in search