3301From Thomas Jefferson to Stephen Cathalan, Sr., 2 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I could not, till yesterday, obtain the details you desired in your letter of Nov. 21 on the subject of whale oil. They are as follows, and are furnished me by Mr. Barrett, a Boston merchant established at Paris for the sole purpose of receiving consignments of whale oil, and selling them. Black whale oil, or common whale oil costs in America £21 the ton lawful. Spermaceti oil costs £38 lawful...
3302From Thomas Jefferson to Brizard, 4 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Monsieur Jefferson a l’honneur de remercier Monsieur de Brizard de l’excellente ouvrage sur feu l’Abbé Mably, qu’il a eu la bonté de lui envoyer. L’eloge est vraiment digne de cet auteur celebre, et estimable autant que celebre. Ses ouvrages y sont analysés et characterisés de sorte à faire voir que l’analyste en feroit d’excellentes dans la meme genre s’il le voudroit. M. Jefferson prie très...
3303From Thomas Jefferson to Du Bois, 4 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Je crois, Monsieur, que Monsieur Paul Jones doit etre actuellement à Copenhague, ou sur son passage de la Nouvelle York à Copenhague; et qu’il recevra très surement des lettres addressées à luimeme à Copenhague poste restante, ou chez Monsieur le Baron de Houze à Copenhague. Il doit faire un séjour assez considerable dans cette ville pour solliciter des remboursements de la cour du Dannemarc...
3304From Thomas Jefferson to Montmorin, with Enclosure, 6 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of asking your Excellency’s perusal of the inclosed case of an American hostage confined in the prisons of Dunkirk. His continuance there seems to be useless, and yet endless. Not knowing how far the government can interfere for his relief, as it is a case wherein private property is concerned, I do not presume to ask his liberation absolutely: but I will sollicit from your...
3305From Thomas Jefferson to Lambert, 7 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Depuis que j’eus l’honneur de parler à Votre Excellence au sujet des huiles de baleines, j’ai examiné le livre des impots Anglois, et je trouve effectivement que l’impot ancien sur ces huiles y etoit de £17.-6sh.-6d. sterling le tonneau; et je crois etre sur qu’on y a mis dernierement un impot additionel qui fait y monter le tout à environ 18. livres sterling le tonneau. L’huile de baleine...
3306From Thomas Jefferson to C. W. F. Dumas, 9 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Nov. 27. shewing that mine of Nov. 14. had not then got to hand, had given me alarm for it’s fate, and I had sat down to write you a second acknolegement of the receipt of your two favors of Octob. 23. and 26. and to add the receipt also of those of Nov. 14. 22. and 27. A copy of my answer of Nov. 14. was prepared to be inclosed to you, but in that moment came your favors of...
3307To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
In the month of July I received from Fiseaux & Co. of Amsterdam a letter notifying me that the principal of their loan to the United states would become due the first day of January. I answered them that I had neither powers nor information on the subject, but would transmit their letter to the Board of treasury. I did so by the packet which sailed from Havre Aug. 10. the earliest answer...
3308From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 12 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
In the month of July I received from Fiseaux & co. of Amsterdam a letter notifying me that the principal of their loan to the United states would become due the first day of January. I answered them that I had neither powers nor information on the subject, but would transmit their letter to the Board of treasury. I did so by the packet which sailed from Havre Aug. 10. The earliest answer...
3309From Thomas Jefferson to La Boullaye, 13 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of troubling you again on the subject of Mr. Barrett’s claim of duties paid on whale oil, and which ought to be refunded according to the letter of M. de Calonne. I find that the Receveur de Romaine at Rouen has received satisfactory proof that the ship Fox, commanded by captain Hussey, and wherein these oils came, was an American vessel: but that he requires the certificate...
3310From Thomas Jefferson to Carra, 13 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Si le dimanche matin de 9. à 10. heures pourroit vous convenir je serois charmé de vous recevoir chez moi au sujet de la dette des etats unis à Monsieur Cazeau. Ce n’est pas que je suis aucunement autorisé de m’y meler. C’est une affaire qui appartient au departement de la tresorerie à la Nouvelle York, et qu’il faudra traiter à la Nouvelle York, à moins qu’il n’ait eté une convention...
3311From Thomas Jefferson to H. Fizeaux & Cie., 13 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Having forwarded your letter of July 16. to the Board of Treasury of the United states, I had presumed that the arrangements for the paiment of the loan negotiated by you, were going on between them and you. Your favor of the 6th. inst. is the first information to the contrary, and allows me little time to take measures to effect this paiment in time. It was necessary for me to write to Mr....
3312From Thomas Jefferson to Nicholas van Staphorst, 13 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
In consequence of a letter from Messrs. Fizeaux & co. containing a demand of ƒ51,000 due from the United states the 1st. day of next month, I have proposed to Mr. Adams the answering that demand from the produce of the loan going on in your hands and those of Messrs. Willincks. Having had the honor of a conference with your brother on that subject, I have addressed the inclosed letter to the...
3313From Thomas Jefferson to Willink & Van Staphorst, 13 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received from Messrs. H. Fizeaux & co. a notification that a loan of 51,000ƒ obtained for the United states by the mediation of their house will become due the first day of the next month. I immediately communicated the same to Mr. Adams, and proposed to him the authorizing you to pay that sum out of the monies obtained by you on the loan lately opened by him in Amsterdam, if you...
3314From Thomas Jefferson to William Carmichael, 15 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I am later in acknoleging the receipt of your favors of Oct. 15. Nov. 5. and 15. because we have been long expecting a packet which I hoped would bring communications worth detailing to you, and she arrived only a few days ago, after a very long passage indeed. I am very sorry you have not been able to make out the cypher of my letter of Sep. 25. because it contained things which I wished you...
3315To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 16 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on the 12 th instant, that is to say, by the last post. but as that channel of conveiance is sometimes unfaithful I now inclose you a copy of my letter of that date, and of the one of Fiseaux & co. inclosed in that. I have since received my letters by the packet, but, among them, nothing from the Board of Treasury. still their orders may be among the dispatches with which Paul...
3316From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 16 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 12th instant, that is to say, by the last post. But as that channel of conveiance is sometimes unfaithful I now inclose you a copy of my letter of that date, and of the one of Fiseaux & co. inclosed in that. I have since received my letters by the packet, but, among them, nothing from the Board of Treasury. Still their orders may be among the dispatches with which Paul Jones...
3317From Thomas Jefferson to De Corny, 17 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
It is time to give you an account of your copying machine, which, after repeated trial, I find very inadequate to it’s offices. Instead of having two rollers only, thus placed, where the pressure of the upper roller is resisted in the same points by the lower one, and so forces the copy extremely, it is made with one roller above and two below, thus so that at the point where the upper roller...
3318From Thomas Jefferson to Parent, 17 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Votre lettre, Monsieur, du 20me. Juin m’apprit que M. Bachey avoit encore dans ce moment là quatre feuillettes de vin de Meursault goutte d’or, de la meme crue et qualité de celui que vous m’avez envoyé. Je l’ai trouvé si bon que j’en prendrai trois feuillettes, s’il lui en reste autant actuellement. S’il n’en a plus, faites moi la grace de me procurer une seule feuillette de la meme qualité...
3319From Thomas Jefferson to Berenger de Beaufain, 18 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Je viens de recevoir l’honneur de votre lettre du 7me courant, et j’ai celui de vous informer que pour expulser la personne qui a usurpé vos possessions en Caroline ou dans la Georgie il faudra ou envoyer quelqu’un la bas, muni de pleins pouvoirs de votre part pour intenter les procès necessaires pour cet effet, ou d’en munir quelqu’un sur le lieu. Mais dans le dernier cas il faudra etre sur...
3320From Thomas Jefferson to John Bondfield, 18 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have deferred acknoleging the receipt of your favor of Nov. 30. in daily hope of accompaying it with the ultimate decision on our commerce. But it seems to walk before us like our shadows, always appearing in reach, yet never overtaken. I am disappointed in the proportion of returns of country produce from your port to America. I had received a statement from l’Orient by which I found they...
3321From Thomas Jefferson to D’Yquem, 18 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
N’ayant pas l’honneur de vous etre connu, c’est à votre bonté qu’il me faut avoir recours pour excuser la liberté que je prenne de m’adresser à vous directement. J’aurai besoin des petits approvisionnements de vin blanc de Sauterne pour ma consommation annuelle pendant ma residence en France, et meme après ma retour en Amerique, quand cet evenement aura lieu. Je sçai que la votre est des...
3322To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 20 December 1787 (Madison Papers)
My last to you was of Oct. 8. by the Count de Moustier. Yours of July 18. Sep. 6. & Oct. 24. have been successively received, yesterday, the day before & three or four days before that. I have only had time to read the letters, the printed papers communicated with them, however interesting, being obliged to lie over till I finish my dispatches for the packet, which dispatches must go from...
3323From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of Oct. 8 by the Count de Moustier. Yours of July 18. Sep. 6. and Oct. 24. have been successively received, yesterday, the day before and three or four days before that. I have only had time to read the letters, the printed papers communicated with them, however interesting, being obliged to lie over till I finish my dispatches for the packet, which dispatches must go from...
3324From Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 21 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received your two favors of Octob. 23. and that of Nov. 10. I am much obliged to you for your hints in the Danish business. They are the only information I have on that subject except the resolution of Congress, and warn me of a rock on which I should most certainly have split. The vote plainly points out an Agent, only leaving it to my discretion to substitute another. My judgment...
3325From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 21 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The last letters I had the honour of addressing you were of the 3d. and 7th. of November. Your several favors, to wit, two of July 27. two of Oct. 24. and one of Nov. 3. have all been delivered within the course of a week past: and I embrace the earliest occasion of returning to Congress my sincere thanks for the new proofs I receive therein of their confidence in me, and of assuring them of...
3326From Thomas Jefferson to André Limozin, 22 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor now to acknolege the receipt of your favors of the 18th. and 19th. of November and two of the 18th. of the present month. I did not write to you immediately on receipt of the two first, because the observations they contained were to be acted on here. I was much obliged to you for them, as I have been frequently before for others, and you will find that I have profited by them...
3327From Thomas Jefferson to Quesnay de Beaurepaire, 22 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The hour of the departure of the post permitting me to continue to write to America till one oclock, and your departure for Versailles rendering it necessary you should receive by three oclock the Plan for an Academy, which you had been pleased to send me, it has been impracticable for me to give it but a cursory and partial reading, and now leaves me but a moment to return you my thanks for...
3328From Thomas Jefferson to John Paul Jones, 26 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jefferson’s compliments to Commodore Jones and returns him the book he was so good as to give him the perusal of. He incloses him a letter he has just received, and asks his information as to the justice of the claim. He will be obliged now to occupy himself some two or three days about commercial arrangements just now made at Versailles and which he must translate, have printed, and...
3329From Thomas Jefferson to H. Fizeaux & Cie., 27 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly received your favor of the 20th. instant , and have learnt thro’ another channel that my letter to Messrs. Willincks and Van Staphorsts, of the same date with that I wrote to you, did not get to their hands by the same post: so that I shall receive their answer one post late, that is to say, on Saturday next. Of course I shall not be able to answer you definitively till Monday the...
3330From Thomas Jefferson to La Platière, 27 December 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Je vous suis infiniment obligé de m’avoir procuré l’occasion de connoitre la merite de votre excellente galerie des hommes illustres, et je demande votre permission de m’abonner pour un exemplaire, et de garder […] ce livre celui que vous avez eu la bonté de m’envoyer. C’est à vous Monsieur, à considerer combien l’honneur que vous [me] proposez fera de tort à votre ouvrage. Son merite ne...