41From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 January 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to let me know how much I am in your debt for travelling expenses and the horse. My monstrous bill of freight rendered the question useless till now. I send you a moment’s amusement at my expence in the Connecticut paper. I suppose it is from some schoolmaster who does not like that the mysteries of his art should become useless. RC ( DLC : Madison Papers); addressed:...
42To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 13 January 1821 (Madison Papers)
I return you mr. Coxe’s letter without saying I have read it. I made out enough to see that it was about the Missouri question, and the printed paper told me on which side he was. Could I have devoted a day to it, by interlining the words as I could pick them out, I might have got at more. The lost books of Livy or Tacitus might be worth this. Our friend would do well to write less and write...
43To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
I have sent to Havre the following packages, with directions to send them by the first vessel to New York to your address. TI. No. 29. A box of books. These were packed before I took a list of them, therefore I cannot inform you of it’s contents. I believe the whole are for you; tho’ should it be otherwise the person’s name will always be found written on or in the book. TI. No. 33. TI. No....
44To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 28 October 1785 (Madison Papers)
Seven o’clock, and retired to my fireside, I have determined to enter into conversation with you; this is a village of about 5000 inhabitants, when the court is not here and 20,000 when they are, occupying a valley thro’ which runs a brook, and on each side of it a ridge of small mountains most of which are naked rock. The king comes here, in the fall always, to hunt. His court attend him, as...
45From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 2 November 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I overtook the President at Baltimore, and we arrived here yesterday, myself fleeced of seventy odd dollars to get from Fredericksburg here, the stages running no further than Baltimore. I mention this to put yourself and Monroe on your guard. The fever in Phila. has so much abated as to have almost disappeared. The inhabitants are about returning. It has been determined that the President...
46From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 5 November 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you consider whether a copy of the inclosed sent to each head of department would be best, or to avail myself of your kind offer to speak to them. my only fear as to the latter is that they might infer a want of confidence on my part. but you can decide on sounder views of the subject than my position may admit. [if] you prefer the letter, modify any expressions which you may think need...
47To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 June 1792 (Madison Papers)
Your No. 1. came to hand two days ago. When I inclosed you the papers of the last week I was too much hurried to write. I now therefore write earlier, & inclose only one of Fenno’s papers. The residue of the New York election was as follows Clinton Jay Albany 444. 1178 Montgomy. 306. 424 Herkimer. 247. 401 Ontario. 28. 92 Total. 8,457. 8,315 difference 142
48From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 September 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the perusal of the two letters which are now inclosed. I would also have inclosed Fenno’s two last papers but that Mr. Randolph, who has them, has rode out. If he returns in time they shall be sent you by the bearer. They contain nothing material but the Secretary’s progress in paying the national debt, and attacks and defences relating to it. The simple question appears to me...
49From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 20. & 21. were recieved yesterday. I have sent on the letter to Turreau without alteration. it was as little as either the stile or matter of his letter deserved. I shall be with you probably on Wednesday. mr Barlow stays with us till then, & returns at the same time. The bearer is mr Chisolm the bricklayer who wished to see you before your departure. Dinsmore has suggested a...
50To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 10 August 1812 (Madison Papers)
The death of my much valued friend & relation George Jefferson will doubtless produce many competitors for the office of Consul at Lisbon. Among these a neighbor of mine, mr David Higginbotham wishes to be considered. He is a merchant of Milton, of very fair character, steady application to business, sound in his circumstances, and perfectly correct in all his conduct. He is a native of this...
51To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 30 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
Your two favors of the 25th. & blank were recieved yesterday; and all the papers forwarded me are returned by this post. I must pray you to direct an extract from so much of mr. Clarke’s letter as relates to the dissatisfaction of the Chickasaw chief with the Spanish governor, to be taken & sent to Genl. Dearborn to whom I have written on the subject. Mr. Clarke’s letter cuts out a...
52From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 April 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 4th. came to hand the day before yesterday. I have turned to the Conventional history, and inclose you an exact copy of what is there on the subject you mentioned. I have also turned to my own papers, and send you some things extracted from them which shew that the recollection of the P. has not been accurate when he supposed his own opinion to have been uniformly that declared in...
53To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 29 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
By the last post I recieved & forwarded your letter to Duane, in which there was nothing but what was safe and proper. Duane is honest, & well intentioned, but over zealous. These qualities harmonise with him a great portion of the republican body. He deserves therefore all the just & favorable attentions which can properly be shewn him. By the same post I recieve from the collector of Norfolk...
54From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 January 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
A gentleman returning from this place to Philadelphia gives me an opportunity of sending you a line. We reached Newport the evening of the day on which we left you. There we were misled by an assurance that the lower ferry could not be crossed. We therefore directed our course for the Bald friar’s: and thence to another ferry 6 miles above. Between these two we lost two days, in the most...
55To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 14 April 1807 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Rodney not being at Washington I send you the inclosed because it requires to be acted on immediately. I remember it was concluded that witnesses who should be brought from great distances, and carried from one scene of trial to another must have a reasonable allowance made for their expences & the money advanced. I expect it will be thought proper that the witnesses proving White’s...
56Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by Mons r de Neufville a person of distinction from France who came over to this country with his family some years ago, & is established as an Agricultural citizen near New Brunswick in Jersey . he brought recommendations from some friends of mine which established his merit, as well as his right to any service I could render him. since his settlement in Jersey I have...
57From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 5 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I think the District atty of N.Y. should be immediately instructed to investigate the expedition of the Leander, & of every person concerned in it; and to learn how it has happened that the officers of the government at that place should have paid no attention & given no information of it while going on. on the report of the Atty to us we may decide what shall be done. DNA : RG...
58Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 May 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
As the measures which were adopted at the last meeting of our visitors were of a very leading character I have thought it proper to inform our absent colleagues of them; and have delayed the communication only until I could add what has been done under the resolutions of the board . as this latter information has not been received by you, I inclose you my letter to General Taylor for perusal...
59From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 November 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
A merchant neighbor of mine, sets out to-day for Philadelphia for his fall goods, and will return with them by water himself. This furnishes me a favorable opportunity of gleaning and getting the books I left in Philadelphia. But I must ask your friendly aid. Judge Wilson has Mably sur l’histoire de la France 4. v. 12mo. and Houard ’s Britton , Fleta, Glanville &c. 4. v. 4to. which he promised...
60To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1808 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 17th. came to hand yesterday. I wrote to Mr. Gallatin that the principle to govern our indulgencies of vessels to foreign ministers, was that it was fair to let them send home all their subjects caught here by the embargo & having no other means of getting home, proportioning the tonnage permitted to the number of persons according to the rules in the transport service; and that...
61From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours by yesterday’s post is recieved. the letter to Higginson & others is entirely approved, and is sealed & forwarded to mr Brent. the Consulate at Nantes must be disposed of according to our former arrangement. I do not know whether the mr Lynch recommended is the one who was living at Nantes when I was in France, or his son. of that one there is something not favourable resting in my mind,...
62To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 23 August 1799 (Madison Papers)
With this you will recieve the IVd. nails desired in your memorandum, that is to say 25. ℔ weighing about 2½ ℔ to the M̶. Probably they yield something more than a thousand to that weight, not being so uniform as they ought to be. We are now working up some remnants of hoops of different breadths till the arrival of a supply of proper size from Philadelphia. They are 1/3 pr. ℔. consequently...
63II. Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I sit down to write to you without knowing by what occasion I shall send my letter. I do it because a subject comes into my head which I would wish to develope a little more than is practicable in the hurry of the moment of making up general dispatches. The question Whether one generation of men has a right to bind another, seems never to have been started either on this or our side of the...
64To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, [29 December] 1801 (Madison Papers)
To compleat the roll of governmental officers on the plan inclosed will give the departments some serious trouble: however it is so importan⟨t⟩ to present to the eye of all the constituted authorities, as well as of their constituents, & to keep under their eye, the true extent of the machine of government, that I cannot but recommend to the heads of departments to endeavor to fill up, each,...
65To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 11 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
I pray you to peruse & consider the inclosed letter of Governor Cabell and my answer, and to exercise over the latter the same discretion I have confided to Genl. Dearborne; returning it to me for any material correction, or forwarding it to the General if you think it will do, and by the same post, as it goes so circuitously. I suspect your difficulty with the mail lock proceeded as it did at...
66To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1809 (Madison Papers)
I recieved your’s of yesterday by mr. Coles. My journey to Bedford has been delayed by sickness among my laboring people. No new case having arisen for some time, I am in hopes it is at an end. Still no particular object fixing my departure to any precise time, it lies over for convenience, and should I fix a time before we have the pleasure of seeing yourself & mrs. Madison here I shall...
67From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 22 November 1799 (Jefferson Papers)
I have never answered your letter by mr Polk , because I intended to have paid you a visit. this has been postponed by various circumstances till yesterday, being the day fixed for the departure of my daur Eppes, my horses were ready for me to have set out to see you. an accident postponed her departure to this day & my visit also. but Colo. Monroe dined with us yesterday, and on my asking his...
68To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1812 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed papers will explain themselves. Their coming to me is the only thing not sufficiently explained. Your favor of the 3d. came duly to hand. Altho’ something of the kind had been apprehended, the embargo found the farmers and planters only getting their produce to market and selling as fast as they could get it there. I think it caught them in this part of the state with one third of...
69To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 March 1801 (Madison Papers)
I am still here. Three refusals of the Naval Secretaryship have been re[c]ieved, and I am afraid of recieving a 4th. this evening from mr. Jones of Phila. In that case Genl. Smith has agreed to take it pro tempore, so as to give me time; and I hope the moment it is in either his or Jones’s hands, to get away; but this may be yet three four or five days. Lincoln is doing the duties of your...
70From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 12th. of Jan. since which I have received yours of Octob. 17. Dec. 8. and 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...