Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-27-02-0630

From Thomas Jefferson to John Page, 10 October 1780

To John Page

Richmond Oct. 10. 1780.

Dear Page

The Pot-clay, a Cherokee chief having lately died, his friend delivered to Majr. Martin a silver badge which he said had been given by the Governor of Virginia and therefore desired should be returned to him. It’s size, figure, and inscription is as below.

To give you a better idea of it I inclose a reversed impression of it on paper. To shew you how little I think you have a right to refuse publick employment from want of leisure I send you this to puzzle out, and ask the favor of you to communicate the result to your sincere friend & servt

Th: Jefferson

RC (CtY); note at foot of text by Page: “This was a badge given by Presidt. Madison to the Censors at College & was given by one of them to Pot-Clay”; on verso in an unknown hand: “Found among the papers of the late John Page Junr. and given to Mrs White by Mr Saunders of Williamsburg Virginia.”

For the provenance of the silver badge and an expansion of its abbreviated Latin inscription, see Page to TJ, 20 Oct. 1780, and TJ to Page, 29 Oct. 1780, the latter in Vol. 15: 593.

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