31From Thomas Jefferson to MacCarthy Brothers, 23 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to acknolege your favor without date as also that [enclosed from Mr. Alexander Cain of] Bordeaux [who has desired] me to apply to the government so the bounty [….] which bounty [….] because [….] has mislaid or lost his clearance, and can only supply it by his own oath and that of others of his crew. I cannot ask of the government in any one case what I would not ask in every...
32From Thomas Jefferson to François Soulés, 23 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the honor of notifying to you before that the manuscript which I put into your hands contained notes which I had made, in the course of my reading for my own use as the member of a legislature in America. As such it was necessary for me to know not only the law of the moment but what it had been at other times. The qualifications of a knight of a shire have been different at...
33From Thomas Jefferson to James Swan, 23 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jefferson has the honor to present his compliments to Mr. Swan and to express his regret that his absence today prevented him the pleasure of seeing him. He now returns him his letters in which he finds a great deal of good matter, and many useful views. In the course of perusing them, Mr. Jefferson noted on a bit of paper the following doubts, the importance and justice of which are...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Jean Baptiste de Gouvion, 19 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the honor heretofore of apprising you of the measures taken for paiment of the arrearages of interest due to the foreign officers, and that it rested on two points. 1. The success of a loan opened in Holland. 2. Orders from America to apply to that object so much of the money to be borrowed when so much shall be in hand. The last object is fulfilled by the resolution of Congress...
35From Thomas Jefferson to William Gordon, 18 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I received in due time your favor of Dec. 9. and also the six copies of your history. I put off acknoleging the receipt in hopes I might find time previously to read them. But that time is not yet come, and I am unwilling longer to delay my thanks for your attention in sending them. I have had occasion to consult your history in various parts, and have always done it with satisfaction. In...
36From Thomas Jefferson to David Humphreys, 18 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Nov. 29. 1788. came to hand the last month. How it happened that mine of Aug. 1787. was fourteen months on it’s way is inconceivable. I do not recollect by what conveyance I sent it. I had concluded however either that it had miscarried or that you had become indolent as most of our countrymen are in matters of correspondence. The change in this country, since you left it, is...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Paine, 17 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter to you extended from Dec. 23. to Jan. 11. A confidential opportunity now arising I can acknolege the receipt of yours of Jan. 15. at the date of which you could not have received mine. You know long ago that the meeting of the States is to be at Versailles on the 27th. of April. This country is entirely occupied in it’s elections which go on quietly and well. The Duke d’Orleans...
38From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 16 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
That you may see whether any of my letters to you or of yours to me have miscarried, I will here state them. Mine have been Sep. 20. 24. Nov. 21. Dec. 8. Jan. 22. Feb. 9. 28. Yours which have been received are Sep. 24. Oct. 2. 3. 11. 18. 28. Nov. 19. 29. Dec. 23. 31. Jan. 14. Feb. 11. 17. 25. We have no news from America since my last. This country is entirely occupied in electioneering, which...
39From Thomas Jefferson to John Trumbull, 16 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you by yesterday’s post. The present is merely to avail myself of a private conveiance which occurs to London to send you my American dispatches and pray you to forward them by the first safe conveiance to New York preferably to any other port. Vessels going to Philadelphia have to go up the river, a navigation of many days. Those going to Boston expose us to as long an intermediate...
40To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 15 March 1789 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 12th. of Jan. since which I have received your’s of Octob. 17. Dec. 8. & 12. That of Oct. 17. came to hand only Feb. 23. How it happened to be four months on the way, I cannot tell, as I never knew by what hand it came. Looking over my letter of Jan. 12th. I remark an error of the word ‘probable’ instead of ‘improbable,’ which doubtless however you had been able to...