31[From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 August 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 30 Aug. 1789. Recorded in SJL under this date. Not found.]
32XII. Jefferson to Lafayette, 10 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
The acknowledgement by Monsieur de Mirabeau to the national assembly that he had been in an error as to the offer he supposed me to have made, and the reading to them my letter, seems to be all that was requisite for any just purpose. As I was unwilling my name should be used to injure the minister, I am also unwilling it should be used to injure Monsieur de Mirabeau. I learn that his enemies...
33XI. Jefferson to Lafayette, 9 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Having been curious to form some estimate of the quantity of corn and flour which have been supplied to France this year, I applied to a person in the farms, to know upon what quantities the premium had been paid. He could not give me information but as to the Atlantic ports into which there has been imported from the united states from March to May inclusive 44,116 quintals of corn 12,221...
34IV. Jefferson to Lafayette, 7 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter on the subject of what Mr. Mirabeau said which you were so good as to say you would have read in the assembly. I find that there has been imported from the United States into the Atlantic ports of France from March to May inclusive 44,116 quintals of corn 12,221 quintals of flour making 56,337 quintals. Add to this what has been imported since the month of May, suppose...
35V. Jefferson to Lafayette, 7 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of yesterday gave me the first information that Monsieur de Mirabeau had supposed to the honorable the assembly of the nation that I had made an offer to Mr. Necker to obtain from America a quantity of corn or flour, which had been refused. I know not how Monsieur de Mirabeau has been led into this error. I never in my life made any proposition to Mr. Necker on the subject: I never...
36II. Jefferson to Lafayette, 6 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I never made an offer to any body to have corn or flour brought here, from America: no such idea ever entered my head. Mr. Necker desired me to give information in America that there would be a want of flour. I did so in a letter to Mr. Jay , which he published with my name to it for the encouragement of the merchants. Those here who have named me on this subject, must have mistaken me for Mr....
37From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 12 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
As I may not be able to get at you at Versailles I write this to deliver it myself at your door. With respect to the utility or inutility of your minority’s joining the Commons I am unable to form an opinion for myself. I know too little of the subject to see what may be it’s consequences. I never knew an instance of the English parliament’s undertaking to relieve the poor by a distribution of...
38From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 3 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Revolving further in my mind the idea started yesterday evening of the king’s coming forward in a seance royale and offering a charter containing all the good in which all parties agree, I like it more and more. I have ventured to sketch such a charter merely to convey my idea, which I now inclose to you, as I do also to M. de St. Etienne. I write him a letter of apology for my meddling in a...
39From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 6 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
As it becomes more and more possible that the Noblesse will go wrong, I become uneasy for you. Your principles are decidedly with the tiers etat, and your instructions against them. A complaisance to the latter on some occasions and an adherence to the former on others, may give an appearance of trimming between the two parties which may lose you both. You will in the end go over wholly to the...
40From 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...
41From 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...
42From 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...
43From 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...
44From 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...
45From 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...
46From 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...
47From 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...
48From 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...
49From 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,...
50From 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...
51From 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,...
52From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 4 August 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged by the trouble you took in forwarding to me the letter of his Excellency the President of Congress. It found me in Bedford 100 miles Southward of this where I was confined till within these few days by an unfortunate fall from my horse. This has occasioned the delay of the answer which I now take the liberty of inclosing to you as the confidential channel of Conveyance...
53From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 2 June 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The House of Delegates and so many of the Senate as were here having reason to believe that Genl. Morgan might probably have it in his power to raise a number of volunteers to join in our present defence, have come to a Resolution of which I do myself the honor of inclosing you a Copy. I have transmitted it to him also. Should you find it not inconsistent with any orders under which he may be...
54From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 31 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor last night of receiving your favor of the 28th. from Goldmine Creek and this morning that of the 29th. I shall be very happy indeed if against such a Superiority of Cavalry you shall be able to keep out of the way of the enemy till you are fully reinforced. I imagine Genl. Weedons observation as to his want of power to call forth the militia respects the Counties round about...
55From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclosed to Genl. Phillips a passport for the British flag vessel the Genl. Riedesel and delivered it to Captn. Jones who called on me for that purpose by order of Major General Baron Steuben and was to have accompanied the vessel to and from her port of Destination. The movements of the enemy and uncertainty where Genl. Phillips was then to be found delayed his going till you had arrived. I...
56From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Maury informs me there is Reason to expect from Lord Cornwallis a permission to export to Charlestown tobacco for our Officers and Soldiers in captivity there. As you have been fully apprised of what has been done heretofore and a negotiation for the relief of Officers and soldiers of the Continental Line which you have honored by accepting the command seems equally reconcileable to your...
57From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 29 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your Favor of the 26th as I had been by one of the Day before from Colo. John Walker who informed me that he wrote at your Request on the Subject of horses. I have now the Pleasure to inclose to you eight Impress Warrants accompanied with Resolutions of the House of Delegates, which I obtained yesterday and to inform you that as soon as the other Branch of the Legislature is...
58From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 14 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I was sorry that the Situation of my family had occasioned my absence from this place when you were pleased to send Captn. Langborne to me. I inclose you a State of the Counties who have been called on to come into the Field, some of them to perform a full Tour of Duty and others to make a present Opposition to the Junction of the two hostile Armies. The Delay and Deficiences of the first are...
59From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 6 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Two Persons have applied to me on Behalf of a certain John Allison, a Citizen under Confinement, as they say, at Camp for some offence. Tho’ perfectly satisfied that nothing will be done under your order but what is right, and assuring them of the same, yet I have not been able to get clear of their sollicitations without a letter to you, asking the favor of a Communication of the Case and...
60From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 23 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure yesterday to receive your favor of the 17th. inst. and am very happy that the Southern States are to have the Benefit of your Aid. On the 18th. inst. the enemy came from Portsmouth &c. (as in the following Letter to the President of Congress to the words Little River on the 11th.) We still consider his [Greene’s] as the interesting Scene of action to us. As long as we can...