1From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, [June? 1776] (Jefferson Papers)
The dignity and stability of government in all its branches, the morals of the people, and every blessing of society, depend so much upon an upright and skilful administration of justice, that the judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and executive, and independent upon both, that so it may be a check upon both, as both should be checks upon that. The judges, therefore,...
2From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 1 November 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
I have got thro’ the bill ‘for proportioning crimes and punishments in cases heretofore capital,’ and now inclose it to you with a request that you will be so good as scrupulously to examine and correct it, that it may be presented to our committee with as few defects as possible. In it’s style I have aimed at accuracy, brevity and simplicity, preserving however the very words of the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 1 March 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I left you I have reflected on the bill for regulating the practising of attornies, and of our omitting to continue the practitioners at the county and General courts separate. I think the bar of the general court a proper and an excellent nursery for future judges if it be so regulated as that science may be encouraged and may live there. But this can never be if an inundation of...
4From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 29 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by Mr. Paradise, a Græcian and honest man by birth, a gentleman and man of learning by education, and our countryman by choice, the most rational of all titles. I need not say more to ensure him all the services you can render him. He has a heart which will repay your attentions with overflowings of gratitude. Probably he will want your counsels, perhaps too your...
5From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 13 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Jan. 10. and Feb. 10. came to hand on the 20th. and 23d of May. I availed myself of the first opportunity which occurred, by a gentleman going to England, of sending to Mr. Joddrel a copy of the Notes on our country, with a line informing him that it was you who had emboldened me to take that liberty. Madison, no doubt, informed you of the reason why I had sent only a single...
6From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 6 May 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Paradise being desirous of placing the conduct of his steward under the controul of some one or two good gentlemen in the neighborhood of his estate, has desired me to recommend his affairs to the persons whom I should think best. But since my departure from Williamsburg things are so much changed that I am incompetent to that nomination. I therefore advise him to execute a power of...
7From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, with Enclosure, 16 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now to acknowlege the receipt of your favors of Dec. 13. and 22. 1786. and of Jan. 1787. These should not have been so long unanswered, but that they arrived during my absence on a journey of between 3. and 4. months through the Southern parts of France and Northern of Italy. In the latter country my time allowed me to go no further than Turin, Milan, and Genoa; consequently I scarcely...
8From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 17 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My friend Mr. Eppes is informed that his son’s situation at the college, by subjecting him to attendance on certain courses of lectures, withdraws him from the pursuit of what you might recommend preferably. But his first wish being that his son should follow implicitly what you would be so good as to recommend, he does not hesitate to decide on his quitting the college, and boarding in such a...
9From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 13 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
An indisposition of several weeks has prevented my sooner acknowledging the reciept of your favor of Apr. 22.—The bookseller whom I have employed at Strasburgh always is Armand Koenig. A Biographical dictionary to which I have been obliged to have recourse for information about Phlegon, authorises me to inform you of these circumstances relative to him. He was surnamed Trallion, from a city in...
10From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 14 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I am really ashamed to be so late in acknowleging the reciept of your favor of Jan. 10. which came to hand the 2d. of February. But during the session of Congress the throng of business was such as to oblige me to suspend all my private correspondence. Their recess now enables me to resume them. I think the allusion to the story of Sisamnes in Mr. West’s design is a happy one: and, were it not...
11From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 12 July 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
On receipt of your favor inclosing the device for a seal, I had enquiry made of different workmen here, and have found one of them alone, who is within the bounds of reason. This is a Mr. Poupard who will do the seal for 32. dollars for each side, say 64. for the two sides, in brass, and for twice that sum in steel. I have thought it best to ask your pleasure in which metal you will have it...
12From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 11 September 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly received your favors referring to me the size and execution of the seal for your court, and as I can best decide on this after a consultation with the artist and due enquiry from him, I refer it till my return to Philadelphia which will now be within about ten days.—As I propose to return home to reside at the close of the next session of Congress I hope I shall then have...
13From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 26 February 17[93] (Jefferson Papers)
I have just now received your favor of [15 Feb. 1793. A?] law is passed on the subject of patents which [will require Mr.?] Clarke to present his petition anew. This [will appear?] in the newspapers within a few days. Having [only given?] it a slight reading in the Roll, I am unable [to give you a?] particular account of it. Your seal is promised in time to [be given to Mr.?] Giles on his...
14From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 17 March 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Your seal not being finished till this morning I was not able to send it by any of the gentlemen bound directly to Richmond. I now put it into the care of Mr. Madison and Colo. Monroe, who go to Fredericksburg and there will find some person going on to Richmond. It has been delayed by an error in the engraver, who in engraving the word EYΘEIAN , mistook the Y for a ψ and had engraved the...
15From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 27 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I received not till yesterday your favor of the 12th. Mr. Poupard was paid the 64. Dollars agreed for, on the delivery of his work. As draughts on Richmond cannot be disposed of here, take any opportunity at your convenience of remitting the sum here. The Custom house officers can generally give post-bills of the bank of the US. here: but these must not be confounded with branch-bank bills...
16From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, [26 May 1793] (Jefferson Papers)
I duly received, my Dear Sir, the note you inclosed for the 64. dollars which was paid.—We have two blind stories here of which as yet we make nothing. The one is that DuMourier is gone over to the Austrians. The credit of this stands on an English paper only. It is opposed (not by the virtue of the man; he has none, but) by the great forfeit of reputation which he has acquired with the world,...
17Thomas Jefferson and Edmund Randolph to George Wythe, 1 September 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Aug. 17. was received, and the address it covered was immediately delivered to the President. We are sincerely & affectionately Your’s PrC ( DLC ); entirely in TJ’s hand; at foot of text: “George Wythe, Chancr. of Virginia.” Tr ( ViU : Edgehill-Randolph Papers); 19th-century copy. Recorded in SJL as a letter from “Th:J. & E.R.”
18From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, [23 October 1794] (Jefferson Papers)
I received a few days ago your friendly enquiries after my health. I have had a painful and tedious rheumatic complaint. It has now nearly left me. I inclose for your perusal a little treatise by Kuster on the use of the Middle voice in Greek. I never saw a copy of it till I met with this, nor had ever heard of it. I presume therefore it may be new to you; and if it gives you half the pleasure...
19From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 18 April 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you sincerely for your book . I shall read it with great pleasure and profit, and I needed something the reading of which would refresh my law-memory. My collection of acts of assembly are in a very chaotic state, insomuch that I have not had the courage to attempt to arrange them since my return home. As soon as this is done, I shall send the printed acts to be bound in Richmond after...
20Bill in Chancery on the Henderson Milldam, [24 September 1795] (Jefferson Papers)
To George Wythe Judge of the High Court of Chancery of Virginia humbly complaining Sheweth your orator Thomas Jefferson of the County of Albemarle, that he is and upwards of thirty years has been seized by devise from Peter Jefferson his father of a tract of land in the said County on both sides of Rivanna river and including the bed thereof on the north side of which river and on the said...
21From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 12 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your letter on the subject of the laws, and certainly will trust you with any thing I have in the world. A waggon was going off this morning from hence to Varina, and I have exerted myself to send them by that. As I have always intended to have my copies bound up so as to make as complete a set as I could, I thought it best to do this now, before you begin to make use of...
22From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 16 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I was so hurried to get ready my collection of printed laws before the departure of the waggon, that I did the work imperfectly. I have since found the laws of 1783. May and Octob. which I should be glad to have added to the end of my 6th. volume. If you can procure a copy of those of 1773. I will pray you to add it to the end of the 5th. volume, and in both cases to make corresponding changes...
23From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 16 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter which accompanied the box containing my collection of Printed laws, I promised to send you by post a statement of the contents of the box. On taking up the subject I found it better to take a more general review of the whole of the laws I possess, as well Manuscript as Printed, as also of those which I do not possess, and suppose to be no longer extant. This general view you will...
24Enclosure: Statement of the Laws of Virginia, 13 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
A statement of the Volumes of the Laws of Virginia, Manuscript and Printed in my possession A M.S. marked A. given me by the late Peyton Randolph. It had belonged to his father Sr. John Randolph, who had collected papers with a view to write the history of Virginia. It is attested by R. Hickman, and contains the acts of 1623/4 Mar. 5. 35. acts MS. marked purchased of the executors of the late...
25From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 8 August 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
The object of my letter of January 16. was the preservation of the laws of this state still in existence; and it is one which I have had much at heart from an early period of my life. Of this, the industry I have used in making the collection is sufficient evidence. I consent therefore chearfully to your making any use of that letter which may promote it’s object. I will take upon me any labor...
26From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 22 January 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems probable that I shall be called on to preside in a legislative chamber. It is now so long since I have acted in the legislative line that I am entirely rusty in the Parliamentary rules of procedure. I know they have been more studied and are better known by you than by any man in America perhaps by any man living. I am in hopes that while enquiring into the subject you made notes on...
27From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 29 May 1799 (Jefferson Papers)
In order to relieve you, my very dear & antient friend from the trouble of the volumes I sent you in 96. I have desired my friend & relation George Jefferson to call & recieve them, if you have no further use for them. he is to get them bound. I think I had arranged them into volumes, & labelled each, but that in a subsequent letter to you I wished a change of some of the labels. I inclose him...
28From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 28 February 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I know how precious your time is and how exclusively you devote it to the duties of your office. yet I venture to ask a few hours or minutes of it on motives of public service, as well as private friendship. I will explain the occasion of the application. You recollect enough of the old Congress to remember that their mode of managing the business of the house was not only unparliamentary, but...
29From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 7 April 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved in due time your favor of Feb. 22. and shall with pleasure assist mr Marshall in the negociation with mr Lowndes, whenever desired either by mr Marshall or our executive. I wrote you a troublesome letter sometime ago, and now propose some additiments to it. it is with vast reluctance I do it, and would not do it, if books could furnish the information I want. but these are minutiae...
30Enclosure: Queries on Parliamentary Procedure, [7 April 1800] (Jefferson Papers)
When a motion is made to strike out a paragraph, section, or even the whole bill from the word ‘whereas,’ and to insert something else in lieu thereof, it is understood that the friends of the paragraph, motion, or bill have first a right to amend & make it as perfect as they can, before the question is put for striking out. suppose the question is then put on striking out, & that it passes in...
31From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, [23 June 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 19th. is this moment recieved. the moment your former one came to hand, I engaged Capt. Lewis, my secretary to take measures for procuring paiment from the debtor , who it seems is at St. Mary’s on the Southern frontier of Georgia. he happened to have [the] opportunity of seeing the paymaster who refused to [stop] […] his next paiment after seeing the debtor. Capt. Lewis thinks...