1[To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 5 December 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Nantes, 5 Dec. 1779 . Mazzei’s “Representation” of his conduct as agent for Virginia in Europe states that in a letter of this date, his second dispatch to TJ, “he foretold, that we ought not to expect any good from the Irish commotions, and signified his reasons for such a conjecture, which he confirmed in letter 11, dated Paris, April 10th 1780,” q.v., below (Marraro, Mazzei , p. 88)....
2[To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 19 August 1780] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Genoa, 19 Aug. 1780 . Mazzei’s “Representation,” written in 1784, states that he wrote in his dispatch No. 21, of this date, “that some money might be obtained there [Genoa] at 5 P. Cent. Interest, allowing three or four P. Cent for all charges, once for ever, which rendered the loan much cheaper to the borrower than one P. Cent Annually, as it had been offered for charges by Doctor...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 15 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 15 June 1780 . Sends Leyden gazette of 6 June with accounts of “various insolent and ignominious actions of the British subjects at sea.” The whole world now believes that “the sentiments contained in the enclosed Manuscript No. 1. may be considered as the Emperors”—an East India Company now forming at Trieste under his auspices. King of Naples goes on as fast as possible to form his...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 4 April 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 4 Apr. 1780 . Abstract, with liberal quotations, of Edmund Burke’s speech in Parliament on Economical Reform, delivered 11 Feb. 1780. Sends text of Louis XVI’s message to the widow of Capt. Couedic, which Mazzei hopes will be translated for the “perusal of our people.” Enlarges on the good qualities of the French king. RC ( NN ); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Mazzei; 4 p. At head of...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 12 May 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, May 12, 1780 . De Ternay’s fleet with 6,300 troops under Lt. Gen. Rochambeau sailed from Brest on 2 May; a second division, with 3,000–4,000 men is expected to sail in about three weeks. The Spanish fleet, with 11,460 men, sailed from Cadiz on 28 Apr. Observations on the comparative naval status of the three powers. France is fast winning the confidence of the other European powers;...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 16 August 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Dartmouth College Library I find myself under necessity of troubling your Excellency on account of some papers of importance I have but lately recd. from the Govr. of Virginia. The last of them are dated May 31st. 1780, and were sent by the Fier Rodrigue, just then under sail. All the parcels were sent to the direction of Messrs: Penet, da...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 19 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The bearer of this will be my noble friend Mr. Celesia, whom you will probably remember, as he was Minister of this Republick in London from the year 55 to 60, & in consequence of his superiour talents must have been well acquainted with several of your worthy friends there. He is esteemed here for what he really is, an ornament to his Country, & his...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 24 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I understood long time since that Your Excellency had recd. a letter for me from America, & had been so obliging as to tell Mr. Favi at Versailles, that you would take the trouble of sending it to him, in consequence of which he had given you his direction. Having heard nothing more of it as yet, I am apt to think that there must have been some...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 5 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: American Philosophical Society I received the honour of your answer, by Mr. Jefferson, with the pamphlet, for which I return you my sincere thanks, as by enlightening my mind it greatly contributes to the happiness of my life. The seeds, called Ravizzoni by the Lombards, and cavolo rapa in the Tuscan language, may be very usefull to us in America when we shall have more leasure...
10To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 19 October 1780 (Adams Papers)
I shall make no apology for troubling you, Sir, as you have been so Kind as to grant me that liberty. I hope you received by Mr. Celesia my preceeding letter of 19th. August, inclosed in which there was one for the Govr. of Virginia numbered 21. You will find here the following, numbered 22, which I beg you to peruse, and forward to its destination. You will see by it that after Mr. Celesia...
11To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 8 March 1782 (Jefferson Papers)
Florence, 8 Mch. 1782 . Five months have elapsed since the capitulation of Cornwallis and several vessels have arrived in France which sailed from America after that event; does not complain of being neglected before that time but is “greatly disappointed and mortified” by the present silence. Recapitulates the substance of his earlier dispatches; has received no financial aid; has lived too...
12[To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 2 October 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Florence, 2 Oct. 1781 . Mazzei’s “Representation” of his conduct as agent for Virginia in Europe states that in a letter of this date, his dispatch “No. 26” to TJ, he wrote: “My Bill drawn by your Excellency’s order, on Messr. Penet, D’Acosta, Freres & Co., has been protested. I am at a loss what to do. It was my intention to tell my circumstances to this Sovereign, and was I to do it, I...
13To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 23 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
I am obliged to trouble your Excellency about a letter M r. Lynch writes me to have sent me from Nantes the 10 th. of October last, under cover to your Excellency as well as the two preceding, which were delivered to me unsealed by M r. Dumas. I don’t recollect which motive M r. Dumas told me had been the occasion of it; and as the same, or any other motive, may have occasioned the abovesaid...
14[To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 19 March 1780] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 19 Mch. 1780 . Mazzei’s “Representation … of His Conduct, from the Time of His Appointment to Be Agent of the State in Europe untill his Return to Virginia,” written in 1784 and printed in Marraro, Mazzei , q.v., p. 86, states that in his 9th dispatch, of this date, he sent the Governor of Virginia a “narrative of Mr. Mazzei’s captivity.” No copy of the 9th dispatch has been located,...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 23 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having never recd. an answer from your Excellency to any of my letters ever since I left Paris, I should not take the liberty of troubling you again, was I not induced to it by what I think a just motive. Mr. Penet wrote me that he had directed to your Excellency the papers mentioned in my last of 16 August, as soon as he recd. them, which was in July 1780,...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 19 May 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
It is obvious that the European adventurers cannot, during the war, fetch from America but a Small proportion of their Capital. My intention has always been to persuade them to leave the Greatest part of it in our funds; which would be the means of interesting them in our welfare, and of taking a great deal of paper money out of circulation. The late resolutions of Congress tending to so...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 10–19 April 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 10–19 Apr. 1780 . Russia has confirmed her strict neutrality, dashing England’s hopes, and has insisted as well that her trading vessels are not to be visited. This declaration has been well received in Europe; and hence “I hope … soon to see the friends and allies of Great Britain limited to the inhabitants of the Coast of Barbary, with whom they can’t help sympathising from a...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 20 May 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 20 May 1780. Gives a sketch of the plan of operations by the French land and naval forces recommended by Mazzei in influential quarters. Has sent a copy of his plan to Rochambeau by the Comte de Deux-Ponts, “to whom I gave a letter of recommendation for you dated March 27th.” Postscript: John Adams before sailing for America made “the first and strong motion towards sending us effectual...
19To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 19 August 1780 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed, which you will be so Kind as to peruse, seal, and send to its destination, will inform you with my situation, my views, and my wants. Among the last I have thought proper not to mention the money necessary to bear my expences, as they know that I live on what I can raise on my own credit, which cannot honorably continue too long. You see, Sir, in what need I am of information. I...
20To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 2 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
Being not in my power to go & pay my respects in person to your Excellency, on account of an indisposition occasioned by the short, but very hard journey from Rotterdam to this City, I have thought proper to send you here inclosed a packet M r. Dumas gave me for your Excellency at the Hague. I had rec d. in Amsterdam the letter you did me the honour to write me the 28. of December last;...
21To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 30 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
The honour of your Excellency’s letter of the 3d. instt. has afforded me a great satisfaction on many accounts, but particularly for the information of the flourishing state of our dear Country. I hope you will have received before this my preceding of 28. ulto., to which I refer you in regard to the intentions of the European Courts. What your Excellency says on that subject confirms me in my...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 5 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Being still deprived of the honour of an answer from you, I think it a duty to inform you of it. You may probably have sent me before now, either new Commissions and Instructions, or the duplicates of my first, and expect that I have received them. Untill I do, I shall trouble you every now and then to remind you, that to my great sorrow I am, and must continue to be a useless servant of the...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Mazzei, 8 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I sent the original of this by one Mr. Shore, a Virginia Gentleman and merchant, who has letters of recommendation to you and Mr. Deane from Mr. Jefferson; and some from me to my friends in Italy. In delivering the first letter without direction I wish you would take notice of my parcel of papers, which you sent me word by Mr. Jefferson went to Bristol. I...
24Philip Mazzei to the American Peace Commissioners, 2 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania What I am going to mention to your Excellencies will, I hope, apologize for the liberty I take of addressing myself to you. In January 79. I was appointed by the Government of Virginia to go to Europe to transact there some business of importance for the State. I was taken prisoner in coming, & did not recover my liberty ’till Novr. the same year. I...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, 8–12 February 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Nantes, 8–12 Feb. 1780 . Is still at Nantes but has been obliged to beg personal financial assistance from Tuscany. Action of the Spanish and British fleets off Cadiz; capture of numerous Spanish merchantmen by Admiral Rodney. French success under M. LaMotte Picquet at Martinique. Encloses extracts from French Gazette to show “the monstrous contrast” between the published accounts in Spain and...
26To George Washington from Philip Mazzei, 27 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Although I had not in my power to pay you my respects, as often as I did wish, the notice you was pleased to take of me when I came into this Country will, I hope, apologize for the liberty I take of asking the honour of your commands for France & Italy, which I am certain to receive if lodged with the Governor or Mr Blair in Williamsburg. I am going to Europe with the most sanguine...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Philip Mazzei, [20 October 1780] (Jefferson Papers)
In letter 20, dated Paris, June 22d., I said that I should set out for Genoa and Florence, and do all my endeavors to pave the way for executing such orders as I might receive. So I have done, and with as much success in both places, as I could almost wish, considering that I have nothing to show to corroborate what I say in regard to my Commissions. I have greatly lessen’d here and there the...
28To John Adams from Philip Mazzei, 24 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Dana’s journey to Russia (the first notice of which I have it in Mr. Favi’s Letter of the 6. instant) will probably have retarded my answer to your Excellency’s favour of the 18 of January. I hope Mr. Favi has forward it to you through a safe channel. I send this, through the french Minister at this Court, to a gentleman in the bureau of Mr. de Vergennes, who is desired to convey it safe...
29To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, [7 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Water stains have entirely eliminated the last four lines of this letter and largely blotted out what appears to have been the first eight lines. [Questa serv?]irà di supp[lemento alla pr?]ecedente d[el 30 del passato?] unicamente [un’aneddoto che potrebbe causare una revoluzione?] della Regina [d’Ungheria] della guerra [al me questo?] ultimo [L’Imperatore è tutto...
30To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, 5 April 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The cover is only a fragment, reading, “Hble: James Madi … of the Virgi.” Letter unsigned. A norma di quanto vi scrissi nella mia quarta lettera dei 28. del passato, vi mando l’incluse pregandovi di aggiungere a quella di Mr. Lomax il suo nome di battesimo, che non ò mai saputo. Da quella, e dall’altra che v’inclusi p[er] Mr. Man Page, voi vedete quel che penso...