1From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, with Thomas Boylston’s Proposal, [ca. 13 November 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Boylston proposes to bring to France this next year from 100 to 500 tons of Spermaceti whale oil on the following terms. 1. Government to remit all duties on it to permit him to take freight back to the W. Indies and there to take sugar and molasses for the U.S. He will lay out half the price received in the productions and manufactures of France and will sell them at auction in America,...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 17 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems that a writ of surseance is what Mr. Ridout desires. In what cases this is granted, by what power, and thro whom the applications go, I am ignorant, as I have always declined asking them for any body; my idea having been that where they could be obtained according to fixed rules, they would be granted of course on any application; and that where it was not agreeable to rule to grant...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 28 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just now, my dear Sir, in the moment of my departure. Monsr. de Montmorin having given us audience at Paris yesterday, I missed the opportunity of seeing you once more. I am extremely pleased with his modesty, the simplicity of his manners, and his dispositions towards us. I promise myself a great deal of satisfaction in doing business with him. I hope he will not give ear to any...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 3 November 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your favor of the second instant . The reason for my importing harness from England is a very obvious one. They are plated, and plated harness is not made at all in France as far as I have learnt. It is not from a love of the English but a love of myself that I sometimes find myself obliged to buy their manufactures. I must make one observation with respect to the use I make of...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, [26 March?] 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am plagued to death with the applications of people who knowing the friendship you are so good as to entertain for me, wish to make use of it for their purposes. In general I get rid of them by a positive refusal to add to the thousands of applications and perplexities which you have already. You will see that the inclosed however cannot be parried altogether. I cannot refuse to send it to...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 9 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The Mr. John Ledyard, who proposes to undertake the journey through the Northern parts of Asia and America, is a citizen of Connecticut, one of the united states of America. He accompanied Capt. Cook in his last voiage to the North-western parts of America, and rendered himself useful to that officer, on some occasions, by a spirit of enterprize which has distinguished his whole life. He has...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 19 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you my dear Sir my Observations on the Whale fishery. The translator and printer have been cruelly long about them. I send copies of them to M. de Montmorin, Luzerne, Neckar, and Lambert. You know there was a blank left at the end of the arret shewn us on Sunday night, as to the manner of proving our oil. I suspect Chardon so much, that I shall not be easy without knowing how it is...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 15 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Monsr. Famin called on me on the subject of making Honfleur a free port; and wished me to sollicit it. I told him that it was for our interest, as for that also of all the world, that every port of France and of every other country should be free; that therefore we must wish Honfleur to be made so; that if the matter was in agitation the Count de Vergennes would probably speak of it to me in...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 11 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your head, my dear friend, is full of Notable things; and being better employed, therefore, I do not expect letters from you. I am constantly roving about, to see what I have never seen before and shall never see again. In the great cities, I go to see what travellers think alone worthy of being seen; but I make a job of it, and generally gulp it all down in a day. On the other hand, I am...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 20 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I forgot last night a very material circumstance in my calculation. The Farmers general are, by their bail, obliged to keep a certain provision of tobacco and snuff always on hand. I believe it is three years consumption. However for fear of error I will call it two years; because were the bail silent on this head they would certainly have always on hand one year’s stock ready for manufacture,...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 24 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your other friends here being so much better qualified to give you the transactions of this metropolis during your absence, it would be presumption in me to touch on them. I assume therefore the office of your correspondent for American affairs, in the discharge of which I may stand a chance to communicate to you details which you cannot get in the ordinary course of your correspondence, and...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, with Enclosure, 17 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have now the honour of inclosing to you an estimate of the Exports and Imports of the United states. Calculations of this kind cannot pretend to accuracy, where inattention and fraud combine to suppress their objects. Approximation is all they can aim at. Neither care nor candour have been wanting on my part to bring them as near the truth as my skill and materials would enable me to do. I...