1Thomas Jefferson and John H. Cocke to James Breckinridge, Joseph C. Cabell, Chapman Johnson, James Madison, and Robert … (Jefferson Papers)
In obedience to the resolution of the visitors of the university at their last session, the Proctor has been constantly employed in ‘ascertaining the state of accounts under contracts already made, and the expence of compleating the buildings begun and contemplated’: and we have consequently suspended, according to instructions, ‘the entering into any contracts for the Library until we see...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your favor of the 16 th yesterday at noon and immediately turned in on the task it prescribed to me, in order that I might get it into the mail which is made up this evening. I am so worn down by the drudgery that I can write little now: the bill is most hastily drawn and will need your severe amendmt. I have said nothing of the manner of obtaining an account of the funds of the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 23 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote my letter of yesterday I had not seen the Enquirer of the 17 th I recieved it in the evening & did not close my eyes thro’ the night but to dream of the Scotch gift presented us by the University bill with it’s amendatory Provisos. for thus they make it stand. ‘Be it enacted that the 15,000. D. annual endowment given to the University shall stand discharged of all liability for...
4Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 10 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I omitted in my letter of yesterday to return Barrois ’ catalogue with thanks for the use of it. I omitted also to observe that it would be better that the bill for the elementary schools should not be known as coming from me. not knowing the present pulse of the public, should there be any thing unpalatable in it, it may injure our college as coming from one of it’s visitors. I wish it to be...
5Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 15 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
The messenger who carried mine of yesterday brought me in return your’s of the 5 th . I shall be anxious to hear from you after our report of the 6 th shall have been laid before the legislature , & to learn what impression it makes. because that shews how near we are to the accomplishment of a good College, one that cannot but be thought of some value to the state, and the urgency of their...
6Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 16 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
A resolution which I saw in the papers for the adjournment of the legislature the day before yesterday prevented my writing to you in the belief it could would not find you in Richmond . M r Summers now tells me he thinks you will set into the next week. the obj after acknoleging the reciept, since
7Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 14 January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your two favors of the 3 d & 7 th and in them the proof of your continued zeal for the object of our joint labors. of the course most prudently to be pursued mr Johnson & yourself are best judges. you alone are in a situation to know the state of the pulse of the body on which our institution depends for life or death; and to you I leave it entirely. silence and...
8Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 22 January 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you the inclosed as an exhibit to our enemies as well as friends. Kentucky , our daughter, planted since Virginia was a distinguished state, has an University , with 14. professors & upwards of 200 students. while we, with a fund of a million & a half of Dollars, ready raised and appropriated, are higgling without the heart to let it go to it’s use. if our legislature does not heartily...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 19 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I percieve that to the bill concerning the University an amendmt is proposed for suspending interest a certain number of years. you are sensible we could not propose to persons in foreign countries to break up, and abandon their prospects there and come here on compensations of temporary continuance only, which at the expiration of the suspension of interest would leave them without resource...
10Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 6 March 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to have the inclosed inserted immediately in the e Enquirer , and to place the expence to account of your next instalment? affectionate salutations. RC ( ViU: TJP ); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “ Joseph C. Cabell esq. of the Senate of Virginia now in Richmond ”; franked; endorsed by Cabell
11From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Let the contents of this letter be known to you & my self only. we want a Professor of Ethics. mr Madison and myself think with predilection of George Tucker, our member of Congress. you know him however better then we do. can we get a better? will he serve? you know the emoluments, and that the tenure is in fact for life, the lodgings comfortable, the society select E t c. if you approve of...
12Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 30 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
You will recollect that at the meeting of the Visitors of the University on the 4 th of Oct. last , mr Johnson being disabled by sickness to attend and having been prevented at the April meeting by bad weather we were we were apprehensive his commission might be vacated by a failure to act for one the space of one year , and I was requested to apply to the Governor for a renewal of the...
13Thomas Jefferson to University of Virginia Board of Visitors, 30 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Brockenbrough has been closely engaged, since our last meeting in settling the cost of the buildings finished at the University , that we might obtain a more correct view of the state of our funds, and see whether a competency will remain for the Library. he has settled for 6. Pavilions, 1. Hotel, and 35. Dormitories, and will proceed with the rest; so that I hope, by our next meeting, the...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 28 January 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your favor of the 23 d and it has entirely converted me to your opinion that we should let the primary schools lie for the present, avail ourselves of their temporary discredit, and of the breeze in our favor, until the University is entirely secured in the completion of it’s buildings and remission of it’s debt; and then to come forward heartily as the patrons of the Primaries...
15Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 20 November 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I very much lament the cause which has deprived us of the pleasure of seeing mrs Cabell and yourself at Monticello on your way to Richmond . I now commit to your care a letter to be delivered to the Speaker of the Senate , which contains the Report of the Commissioners who met at Rockfish gap . having been written in great haste, and by several hands, dividing the work in order to expedite...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 13 November 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I rec d with real regret your’s of Oct. 27. the necessity of looking out for a substitute obliged me to act immediately. I consulted mr Madison, but it is of great importance to see you. pray therefore call on me as you go down. affectionate salutations ViU .
17Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, [ca. 26 February 1819] (Jefferson Papers)
M r Cabell is requested to lay the inclosed proceedings of his Collegues before the Governor & Council for the exercise of their power of Controul, should they consider any part of them as requiring. RC ( Vi : RG 79, House of Delegates, Speaker, Executive Communications); undated. Tr (
18From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 July 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
About a month before the reciept of your favor of June 24. I had been requested to draw the plan of a jail for the county of Cumberland adapted to the requisitions of the late law. I send you a copy of it, with estimates of the cost. some articles of it are left blank, because I had no ready means of coming at their value; but this may be as well obtained with you as here. there is only one...
19Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 18 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been detained a month by my affairs here, but shall depart in three days & eat my Christmas dinner at Monticello . I expect to find there the returns of our subscription papers , and I hope, the donation of the Cincinnati . these will enable me to make the report to the Governor which our board determined on. it will have to go the rounds of their residences for their amendments &...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 11 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
We are dreadfully non-plussed here by the non-arrival of our three Professors. we apprehend that the idea of our opening on the 1 st of Feb. prevails so much abroad (altho’ we have always mentioned it doubtfully) as that Students will assemble on that day, without awaiting the further notice promised. to send them back will be discouraging, and to open an University without Mathematics or...
21Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 22 February 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I some time ago put into your hands a pamphlet proving indirectly that the Coll. of W m & Mary was intended to be a seminary for the church of England . it had been so long since I had read their printed statutes that I had forgotten them. looking lately into them, I find they declare that the 3. fundamental objects of the institution are 1. learning & morals. 2. to prepare ministers for the...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
After sending off my letter of the 19 th it occurred to me that I should have sent also the distribution of the sciences as I should propose them on the scale of 8. Professors. the inclosed is copied from the 1 st page of the Code of regulations which I have been preparing for the consideration of the Visitors. you will see by that that the Professors are already overcharged, and consequently...
23Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 19 February 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 15 th was rec d yesterday. the appointment of Visitors of the University is entirely unexceptionable; the only fear is that the distance of Gen l Breckenridge & mr Taylor will render their attendances uncertain. I should have been sorry indeed if either yourself or Gen l Cocke had been left out:
24Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 14 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
When, on the 6 th instant , I was answering yours of Dec. 29. I was so overwhelmed with letters to be answered , that I could not take time to notice the objection stated that ‘neither the people, nor their representatives, would agree to the plan of assessment on the wards for the expences of the ward-schools.’ I suppose that by this is meant the ‘pecuniary expence of wages to the tutor.’...
25Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 25 January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
In a conversation with mr Garrett after his return from Richmond a few days ago he mentioned to me that the general opinion in the circles there in which he was, seemed to be that we could not expect within any moderate time more than 100. students at our university . this wonderful error proceeds from a want of information even as to our own state . my position with respect to that...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 February 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Brockenbrough has shewn me a letter, written anonimously, charging him with the grossest frauds and malversation in the office of Proctor of the University, and addressed to M r Griffin a member of the legislature. I know the hand writing of the letter as well as I do my own, and possess many samples from the same pen. it is from James Oldham one of our undertakers. I have known him 15. or...
27Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 3 January 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved a letter from M r Griffin a member of the legislature on the subject of the University , to which I have this day given an answer . not knowing to what purpose it may be used I inclose the letter and a copy of the answer for the information of mr Johnson and yourself, to enable you to meet any quotation which might be made otherwise than in the genuine terms & spirit of the...
28Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 9 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I promised you that I would put into the form of a bill my plan of establishing the elementary schools , without taking a cent from the literary fund. I have had leisure at this place to do this, & now send you the result. if 12. or 1500. schools are to be placed under one general administration, an attention so divided will amount to a dereliction of them to themselves. it is surely better...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 28 December 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 19 th was recieved some days ago, those of the 23 d the day before yesterday. at the same time with the former I recieved one of the same date from mr Rives, proposing a question to me, which, as he is absent, I will answer to you. it was, If the remission of the principal debt, and an accomodation of the cost of the library cannot both be obtained, what would be most desirable?...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 12 March 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Having received from all our brethren approbations of the loan, I authorised M r Brockenbrough to engage the work of the Rotunda, and have it commenced immediately. we had only two bricklayers and two carpenters capable of executing it with solidity and correctness; these had not capital sufficient for so great an undertaking, nor would they have risked their little all but for a great advance...