11To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 18th. came to hand this morning, & I feel exceedingly obliged by your early attention to mine of the 13th. I should have been the happiest Man in the United States had you adopted my first instead of my second proposition. But you have not, & I must now pluck up the courage of a Man who marches to meet certain death at the breach, & do my duty without inquiring the result of...
12To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of reporting to you the present State of the public buildings, a practice which I conceived it to be my duty to pursue, once a month, during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, & which you will, I doubt not, receive as a proof of my respect, & attention to the trust you have committed to me. During your very short visit to this city, I did myself twice the honor of waiting upon...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 13 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I promised in a letter I wrote to You on Tuesday last to transmit to You by the post of the next day a statement of the progress which might reasonably be expected in the work of the South Wing of the Capitol in the course of the present season. A difficulty had occurred in the course of that day which had induced me to postpone this statement,—the flaws which were discovered in the stone...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Board of Directors & Committee of Works of our Company broke up only last night. The Subscribers are in debt to the Company for arrears of Subscriptions 86.000$ & upwards,—a deficiency fatal to any active operations this season. I have therefore been directed to discharge all our hands (about 300) excepting 60, and in this distressing business I have been all day engaged,—& have not yet...
15Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 20 March 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 March 1809, Philadelphia. Encloses samples of “two kinds of lace” for use in the chariot ordered by JM. The coach will be finished by 15 May, “the Chariot about a fortnight later.” Has examined a “very handsome” English chariot made in London last July which has influenced his thinking. Mrs. Latrobe [a friend of Dolley Madison’s since childhood] is suffering from an eye inflammation, but...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In reply to the letter I have had the honor to receive from you this morning I beg to submit the following estimate & remarks.— Estimate of the prime cost of Stone walling, in Washington, May 1st. 1808. 1./ The price at which we have paid for rough Stone for the last Season at least, (I believe for 3 Years past) is ⅌ perch delivered at the Wharf.— $1.75 It will not be lower this season,...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 29 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The storm of yesterday prevented my waiting upon you to state, that having done all the business relative to the accounts & design of the public buildings, which can now be done,—it was my wish to return for a short time to my family, from whom I have for the last 3 months been almost entirely separated.—Your note of to day found me just ready to go off by the mail, and as Mr. Lenthall is with...
18Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 20 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter has remained a week unanswered in consequence of my absence, but immediately on my return I wrote (yesterday ) to Philadelphia , desired one of the Carpenter’s pricebooks to be sent to You, which I have no doubt will be done without Loss of time.— I am under the necessity of resigning my situation at the Capitol . The present Commissioner Colonel Lane , has from the first week,...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin H. Latrobe, 29 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I herewith transmit to you, a separate Roll containing drawings:—being the plans & sections of the South Wing of the Capitol according to the ideas which I explained to You when I had the favor of seeing you last.—I fear however that these and any other preparations for proceeding with the public Works may be useless,—for by a letter from Mr Lenthall I learn, that the appropriation bill has...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter d. Philadel. July 26th. gave you an account of the measures I had then taken, and was about to take in order to procure the necessary of supply of articles for the Capitol which can only be had to the North ward, & also to engage as many Stonecutters as could be got.—The consequences of my complaint had till then rendered it impossible for me to ride,—but I on the twenty seventh...