9001From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Hardy, James Madison, and James Monroe, 5 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Mr. Franklin , being about to return to America, I take the liberty of presenting him to your acquaintance. Your esteem for the character of his grandfather would have procured him a favourable reception with you: and it cannot but increase your desire to know him, when you shall be assured that his worth and qualifications give him a personal claim to it. I have taken the...
9002Thomas Jefferson to Binney & Ludlow, 5 February 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much indebted to you, gentlemen, for your attention and civility in n the notice I recieve from you of a box cask of garden seeds from Marseilles , supposed to be intended for me. but I think it probable the Capt n was mistaken in supplying from his memory the defacement of the address on the cask. I never had a correspondent in Marseilles but mr Cathalan our late Consul and his...
9003Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 21 April 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved here your favor of the 13 th . I had seen on my way here Col o Nicholas who told me he had advised the suspension of my note until his return which was to be the last of that week, and of course I presume he is now in Richmond . I write by the mail to Charlottesville to desire my grandson to send you a proper order for the reciept of the money, the propriety of it’s going from...
9004From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 31 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you the circular letter to the registers on the subject of intruders on the public lands, with a proposition for a single alteration. this is in the paper B. where, instead of specifying for what purposes they may cut wood, how much land they may clear & what other acts shall be deemed waste or damage, which would be to be accomodated to every tract according to it’s nature, &...
9005From Thomas Jefferson to Buffon, 1 October 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honour of informing you some time ago that I had written to some of my friends in America, desiring they would send me such of the spoils of the Moose, Caribou, Elk and deer as might throw light on that class of animals; but more particularly to send me the complete skeleton, skin, and horns of the Moose, in such condition as that the skin might be sowed up and stuffed on it’s...
9006From Thomas Jefferson to Edward Gantt, 29 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you a fresh supply of vaccine matter. the toothpicks are perhaps feebly impregnated; the thread well soaked. they are from pustules in a very proper state; but it is now 3. or 4. days since they were impregnated. we happen at this time to have no subjects in a proper state for communication. by the next post I hope we shall have some who may furnish matter on the morning of the...
9007From Thomas Jefferson to St. George Tucker, 22 June 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
As to an undoubted zeal for the cause of the American states you have always added a proper disposition to aid the island of Bermudas in her distresses, we have cast our eyes on you as a proper person to communicate to them what we are authorized to do by a recommendation from Congress and resolution of our assembly . For this purpose I take the liberty of inclosing to you three copies of a...
9008From Thomas Jefferson to John Vaughan, 30 October 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
The kind good wishes you have so often manifested for the success of our University has encoraged me to levy on you as a contribution the little services we may have occasion to ask in Philadelphia, which I am sure you will consider rather as occasions of exercising your benevolence than as burthens. I had engaged a most excellent Brewer to furnish our boarding houses at the University, and...
9009From Thomas Jefferson to James Lyle, 13 January 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 3d. inst. is at hand. that also of Aug. 18 was recieved in September. I deferred answering it in expectation of recieving & remitting the paiment of the year, but the instalments for my tobacco were not paid up till I came here, at which time a new circumstance was coming on the preparatory expences of which obliged me to throw the paiment which should have been made to you...
9010Thomas Jefferson to Horace C. Story, 27 April [1822] (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to L t Story for the pamphlet from the Salem East India Marine society which he has been so kind as to forward to him , and to that society particularly for the attention with which they have been pleased to honor him, and he sees with great satisfaction the rich prospect of additions to our science for which we are likely to be indebted to the ex er tions of...
9011From Thomas Jefferson to John Farrar, 10 April 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to mr Farrar for the N o of the Boston Journal which he has been so kind as to send him. he finds in it several excellent papers and among these he is particularly pleased with mr Farrar’s ingenious proposition for determining the mean temperature of the air thro’ a given time by the vibrations of a pendulum varying in sympathy with the variations of the air ....
9012From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 30 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my messages of the 22d. instant letters have been recieved from our Ministers at Paris & London, extracts from which, with a letter to Genl. Armstrong from the french minister of foreign relations, & a letter from the British Envoy residing here, to the Secretary of State, I now communicate to Congress. They add to the materials for estimating the dispositions of those Governments...
9013From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 28 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
What would you think of raising a force for the defence of New Orleans in this manner? give a bounty of 50 acres of land, to be delivered immediately, to every able bodied man who will immediately settle on it, & hold himself in readiness to perform 2. years military service (on the usual pay) if called on within the first seven years of his residence. the lands to be chosen by himself of any...
9014From Thomas Jefferson to Rabaut de St. Etienne, 3 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
After you quitted us yesterday evening, we continued our conversation (Monsr. de la Fayette, Mr. Short and myself) on the subject of the difficulties which environ you. The desireable object being to secure the good which the King has offered and to avoid the ill which seems to threaten, an idea was suggested, which appearing to make an impression on Monsr. de la Fayette, I was encouraged to...
9015From Thomas Jefferson to George Weedon, 10 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have laid before the Board your Letter of yesterday handed me by Mr. Page. They are sorry it is not in their power to do what you desire as to Mr. Page and Mr. Fitzhugh, but on revisal of the law they find that their powers do not extend to it. On the embodying the Militia the law authorises the Executive to appoint General Officers. Nothing is said about their Aids, which therefore are we...
9016From Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Bacon, 11 January 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you two hundred and forty five dollars, to wit for mr Dinsmore 20. D. mr Chisolm 50. mr Walker 100. yourself on account 75 245. the 75. for yourself you will pay to those you think best. if mr Perry is with you, tell him I retain 100. D. which I will either remit to him or to mr Speer as he shall direct. mr Speer told me it was to be paid to him, but I wait mr Perry’s order to do...
9017From Thomas Jefferson to John Browne Cutting, 2 July 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
An appeal to my memory is an appeal to a blank. the mass of matters in various office which has been passing thro’ my mind for 60. years, has exceeded the capacity of any human memory, and, like pouring water into a full bucket the new matter could only displace the old. age too has lent it’s heavy hand to the work of obliteration I have therefore been obliged to take time to examine my letter...
9018From Thomas Jefferson to Armand Duplantier, 29 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to M. Duplantier and forwards him a letter which he recieved in one from M. de la Fayette of very antient date. he will be very glad to learn from M. Duplantier what progress is made in the location, and survey of General Lafayette’s lands, and whereabouts they are located. and it would much more add to his satisfaction to have the grants presented for...
9019From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 18 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Genl. Weedon which I suppose will inform you, as he did me, that he has between 6 and 700 men embodied, and expects 500 more in the course of this week from the Western side of the Blue ridge. By a letter of the 16th from Genl. Nelson he informs me he has ordered the Louisa militia (about 150) to turn off to Fredericksburg. They were not called on at all, so that...
9020Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 10 May 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Were I twenty years younger your fav or n ot recieved till Oct. 16. should not h ave long unacknoleged. but the torpor of age is on me, writing is particularly slow and irksome. this oblig es me to brevity. I remember well your duck foot paddle and am pleased to learn that you expect to make it a means of defence; altho I hope there will be no occasion for it in your time or mine. one war is...
9021From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenant of Shenandoah, 27 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
On the invasion which took place in January I called on your County by Letter to you for militia. Having never received any answer or return from you and knowing that no men from your County have been in the Field, I must suppose that the Express to whom we intrusted the Letter has deceived us. You will be pleased now to send 217 of your militia [&c. as in the preceding Letter to the County...
9022From Thomas Jefferson to Joel Barlow, 14 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you Dr. Triplett’s letter to mr O’Brien with thanks for the communication. Coxe remains at Tunis only till we can find some one of prudence & good sense equal to the station, of honesty sufficient to be trusted with the expenditure of monies without account, & willing to be located there. do you know such a man? I do not. Davis was an unfortunate appointment. I knew it before he went...
9023Thomas Jefferson to John Preston, 19 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
The Lancastrian system of education was proposed w hen I was too much engaged in business to attend to it; and after my retirement I considered it as the commencement of a system which was to go into operation with another generation and with which of course I should have nothing to do. I have therefore neve r read a sentence on the subject, nor know a single element of it I am therefore...
9024To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 22 February 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of state having recieved information from Thomas Auldjo, who was appointed Vice consul of the United States at Cowes in Great Britain, that his commission has not been recognised by that government, because it is a port at which no foreign Consul has been yet recieved, and that it has been intimated to him, that his appointment to the port of Poole and parts nearer to that than...
9025From Thomas Jefferson to John Paul Jones, 17 August 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Mine of the 13th. informed you that I had written to the M. de Castries on the subject of Puchelberg’s interference. Yesterday I received his answer dated the 12th. In that he says that he is informed by the Ordonnateur that he has not been able to get an authentic roll of the crew of the Alliance, that, in the probable case of there having been some French subjects among them, it will be just...
9026From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 20 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson, with his respects to the President, incloses him a publication by Mr. Knox an Under-secretary of state in England, who seems to have been the true parent of the British system with respect to our commerce. He asks the favour of the President to read the paper No. 18. page 60. as it shews the expectation of what would be done on our part, and an acknolegement of the injury it...
9027From Thomas Jefferson to William Frederick Ast, 24 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
In your favor of Oct. 31 . you refer to a letter of July I never received, and you mention nothing of mine of June 19. wherein I inclosed you an order on Messieurs Willinck & Van Staphorsts for two thousand nine hundred and fifty three livres. I will beg the favor of you to inform me whether you received that letter. I am happy in hearing you are established [at] Lorient, and shall be more so...
9028From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 August 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Rebello of Brazil, who has rendered us an agreeable visit tells me you will be in Washington on the 10 th and that we may hope to have the pleasure of seeing you here very soon after that. this we shall ever do with heart felt welcome. I am not well. but it is a local complaint which confines me to the house indeed, but intolerable health otherwise, and I shall be much the better for your...
9029From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 7 November 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 3d. are recieved. if 5½ D can be got for my tobo. in Richmond I would have you sell it at once, unless you see that the market is rising. credit to be given to the 1st. day of deposit. I inclose you the Manifests for the 21. hhds from Poplar Forest. whether you have before recieved those for the 9. hhds made here, or whether they have never been taken out, I am unable to say at...
9030From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 17 June 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
By a letter recieved this day I find that Mr. John Watson has recieved in Albemarle 100. D. in part of the 285. D. which I had desired you to pay him. consequently you will have had to pay him 185. D. only. as this difference will probably, with the 679.84 D exchanged with mr Short, cover your [loss in part] for me to Bell on the draught of mr Eppes , & [such other] draughts as have been made....
9031From Thomas Jefferson to Adrien Petit, 13 August 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Ce n’est que d’hier, mon ami, que j’ai reçu votre lettre du 28. Juillet et je suis très faché des desagremens qu’on vous a fait eprouver pendant mon absence. Mais je ne trouve aucun difficulté de l’arranger à votre gré. J’ecris actuellement à Monsr. Taylor de parler à François, de lui rapeller que ce n’etoit que de pure indulgence que j’ai permis à sa famille d’occuper leur apartement, que...
9032From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 29 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress appropriated 20,000 D. to effecting the Marine hospital . the Site purchased of the Commissioners cost between 8. & 9000 Dollars. but it was thought that 4000 D. only of that in cash would be requisite for their purposes & that the balance might be applied to their credit in account of the sum guaranteed by Congress: consequently that there remained 16,000. D. of the appropriation...
9033From Thomas Jefferson to John Milledge, 30 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to mr Milledge and incloses him an itinerary from hence to mr Randolph’s, with a strong recommendation to him to let no man’s persuasion induce him to vary the route in any part, Th:J. after near 30. years travelling and trying every road, having by little and little learned this particular route, which he believes no other person is acquainted with, and...
9034Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 16 October 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I this moment and at this place recieve your favor of the 5 th with mr Lear’s reciept for the original certificates of Gen l Kosciusko of which I think it a duty to give you immediate notice to place you at ease, & to assure you as ever of my constant and aff te frdshp & respect Dft ( MHi ); on verso of RC of Barnes to TJ, 5 Oct. 1821
9035From Thomas Jefferson to James Westwood Wallace, 28 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
You were so kind as to procure for me a pair of wild geese & a pair of Summer ducks, & to say you could give me some plants, towit Balsam Capivitrae, Sun briar, Mammoth apple &c. this will be delivered you by the person who comes on with my waggon to remove my effects from this place. he will pass Fauquier C.H. again on his way back about the 10th. or 11th. of March, and as his caravan will be...
9036From Thomas Jefferson to United States House of Representatives, 20 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
It is with satisfaction I inform you that the treasons & misdemeanors meditated & prepared by Aaron Burr & his accomplices were finally supprressed, & chiefly by the exertions of our faithful fellow citizens, who when apprised that enterprises were meditated against their country & it’s lawful authorities, stepped forward with promptitude in the several places where these designs were in...
9037From Thomas Jefferson to Sampson Mathews, 12 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy have retired from this place and fallen down James River. We have reason to apprehend their next stroke is at Fredericksburg where Mr. Hunter’s Works and some public Works are of such importance as to require protection. Having heard of your being on the road with the Militia from beyond the Ridge I am to desire you to turn off immediately to Fredericksburg, and to proceed with all...
9038From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 9 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two letters of the 2d inst. were recd. yesterday afternoon, and I now return you Penniman’s & Gray’s papers & the N.O. petition. Penniman’s conduct deserves marked approbation, and there should be no hesitation about the expences reasonably incurred. if all these people are convicted, there will be too many to be punished with death. my hope is that they will send me full statements of...
9039From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Knox, 11 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to General Knox, and being entirely uninformed where Judge Symes should be directed to in Jersey he asks the favor of General Knox to put his direction on the inclosed, and his advice how it may be conveyed.—He has reflected on the proposition for publishing the rules of Aug. 3. and thinks the inserting them in the newspapers with some such preface as the...
9040From Thomas Jefferson to Craven Peyton, 8 June 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Lest you might be gone to Richmond, as mentioned in your letter of the 2d. instant , I have thought it best to send the balance you desired, to mr George Jefferson of that place; and have accordingly inclosed 140. D. this day in a letter addressed to you, sealed, and have desired him to deliver it to yourself or to your written order; so that you can apply to him on your reciept of this. in...
9041From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 31 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 27th. was recieved last night. those of Nov. 25. & Dec. 29. had been recieved in due time. the pressure of business had prevented my acknoleging them. I shall be happy to see you here, and repeat my hope of your taking your daily soup with us when not otherwise engaged. I have just recieved information that Russia has interdicted to her subjects all intercourse with England,...
9042From Thomas Jefferson to Matthew Anderson, 15 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved from a gentleman travelling in Italy a box containing the seeds or eggs of the fine Italian silk-worm. I do not know that I can better fulfill his patriotic views than by transmitting them to mrs Anderson & yourself, who alone as far as I know pay attention to that branch of culture. he says that towards the 1st. of May when the leaves of the white mulberry are grown & yet tender,...
9043From Thomas Jefferson to the Board of Trade, 23 March 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
It having been concluded that the Council shall discontinue business at this place from the 7th. of the ensuing month, and commence at Richmond on the 24th. I am desired to mention it to you as our desire that your board should make a correspondent adjournment. I must ask the favor of you to order a vessel or vessels to be in readiness on the evening of the 7th. at the landing most convenient...
9044Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Poplar Forest Survey, 6 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Beg g at the ∠ over New London road. ✓ S. 52. E. S. 40. E. S. 50 E . 99. po to w.o. stump in Cobb’s field near his yard fore & aft. ✓ S. 50. E. 22 ¼ to w.o. stump in y
9045From Thomas Jefferson to Lanchon Frères & Cie., 24 November 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Circumstances which I could not controul have occasioned your letter of Sep. 29. to lie above a month by me, unanswered. I avail myself of the first moment it has been in my power to take up the letters of my correspondents. The sets of Exchange on the Commissioners of the U.S. at Paris, of which you speak to me, are 6. or 7. years old. Those commissioners remained in France till the year...
9046From Thomas Jefferson to Christopher Greenup, 21 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ the present state of things on the Western side of the Missisipi does not threaten any immediate collision with our neighbors in that quarter, and it is our wish they should remain undisturbed until an amicable adjustment may take place; yet as this does not depend on ourselves alone, it has been thought prudent to be prepared to meet any movements which may occur. the law of a former...
9047From Thomas Jefferson to William Hylton, [5 June 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favors of Mar. 27. & June 1. the former had come during my absence and when I returned, which was a month after it’s date, I presumed you had already proceeded on your voyage. I thank you for it’s kind congratulations on my appointment to the first Executive office, and am sensible how much my powers are overrated. I have two important objects before me, to reduce the...
9048Thomas Jefferson to Ebenezer Herrick, 9 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I received last night only your favor of Mar. 24. altho we generally get our letters from N. York in 6. days. I shall certainly recieve your machine from that port more readily than from Boston . I had named the latter place, because being the seat of government of your state, I had presumed your communications with it more direct. if to the address of Mess rs Gibson and Jefferson at Richmond...
9049From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Ware Peacock, 22 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
My business not permitting me to participate in the benefit of the course of lectures proposed in the inclosed paper, and having been obliged moreover to lay it down as a law to myself not to put my name to any subscription paper; I can but return it to you with my wishes for it’s success, both as it regards yourself, and for those whose situations may enable them to attend. certainly the...
9050From Thomas Jefferson to Mary Jefferson Eppes, 6 April 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at length, my ever dear Maria, recieved by mr Eppes’s letter of Mar. 24. the welcome news of your recovery. welcome indeed to me, who have past a long season of inexpressible anxiety for you: and the more so as written accounts can hardly give one an exact idea of the situation of a sick person. I wish I were able now to leave this place & join you. but we do not count on rising till...