1To James Madison from Richard Peters, 1 September 1826 (Madison Papers)
I send to you our 5th Volume of Memoirs of the “Philadelphia Society for promoting Agriculture”; not so much for the interest of its contents, as for the opportunity it affords of renewing to you assurances of the unremitted regards I have ever felt towards you, not only personally, but as one of the few remaining founders of all the Prosperity, Strength & Respectability our singularly...
2To John Jay from Richard Peters, 21 February 1826 (Jay Papers)
I am recovering from a long spell of our fashionable Influenza which is leaving me debilitated; but not materially injured. Generally, thro’ a long pilgrimage, I have had no ^durable^ ill health or disease, chronic or temporary. So that it would be ingratitude to a kind providence, in me to complain. I often think of the few old friends left behind the multitudes who are gone to that...
3To James Madison from Richard Peters, 4 March 1823 (Madison Papers)
I received with great pleasure your letter of the 22d Feby, not for any polite expressions it contains, so much as the gratification I enjoy when I see the hand writing I have been accustomed to be familiar with, in olden times, & days of tribulation. So few of us remain, of those who bore the burthens, & encountered the dangers of those times & days; & so dispersed in distant sections of our...
4To John Adams from Richard Peters, 25 March 1822 (Adams Papers)
Your kind letter of the 12th. roused all my Sympathies & recollections of the pleasures & pains of “ olden times ”. Little do the present generation know of our anxieties, labours, & vicissitudes. What was then feeling , has now become history ; & that distorted in many instances, & almost fabulous in others. The actors in the scenes which originated & ensured the present prosperity of this...
5To John Jay from Richard Peters, 20 March 1821 (Jay Papers)
It is always to me a most gratifying cordial, & delightful antidote to the “ills that flesh is heir to” when I receive an affectionate remembrance from an old & highly valued friend. There are so few left of those we loved in “olden times”, that it seems as if, like other precious commodities, they become the more estimable, in proportion to their scarcity. When I wrote to you on the subject...
6To John Jay from Richard Peters, 25 November 1820 (Jay Papers)
Every occurrence in which you have shared, or originated, seems by some strange perversion to be misunderstood, or misstated, by the present generation, when some favorite individual, or topic, induces the obliquity. Although I give M r Adams his full share of merit in the affair of the Compte de Vergenne’s maneuvring with the british administration on the subject of our treaty of 1783; yet I...
7To John Jay from Richard Peters, 12 December 1818 (Jay Papers)
Although our correspondence is rare, my most sincere regards for you are uninterrupted. I have outlived, & so have you, so many old friends & contemporaries, that the very few left me are the more valuable for their scarcity. New acquaintances I make the most of; but old & valued friends delight me with solid enjoyments, more easily felt than described. And yet, in what is called society, a...
8To James Madison from Richard Peters, 24 August 1818 (Madison Papers)
Your favour of the 15th. arrived in time to enable me to add a little Note to the Errata of our 4th. Vol: which I copy. ☞ “A highly respectable friend has been so good as to point out to me my careless Mode of expression in my ‘Notices to a young Farmer,’ page XXXVI. I mention Wheat being so injured by stagnant water, ‘as to become abortive; & produce only Cheat .[’] I should have said, and...
9To James Madison from Richard Peters, 30 July 1818 (Madison Papers)
I very thankfully acknowledge the Receipt, yesterday, of your very entertaining & apposite Address to your Agricultural Society. It is well calculated for your Auditory; & would be so for any other. But peculiarly for Virginia Gentlemen Farmers; who must have mental Amusement, mixed with practical Instruction. And you have done great Justice to your Subject in both Respects. I am very much...
10Richard Peters to Thomas Jefferson, 28 June 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I waited for a monthly Meeting of our agricultural Society , before acknowledging the Receipt of your kind & polite Attention to my Request , in sending the Hill-side plough. I had it placed in the Society ’s Ware-room; where it will be viewed by those who will take Advantage of it, as a Pattern. The Society were much pleased with the Present, & very thankful to you for the Donation; which...
11Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture to Thomas Jefferson, 13 November 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
AT a Special Meeting of “ The Philadelphia Society for promoting Agriculture ,” held October (10th mo.) 30th, 1816, It was resolved, unanimously, T hat the Curators, with the assistance of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary, and any other Member or Members of the Society, who will procure and give information, collect facts relating to Agriculture and Horticulture, and of all circumstances...
12Richard Peters to Thomas Jefferson, 25 March 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I was gratified by the Receipt of your polite Letter of the 6 th instant which only came to hand a few Days ago. Amidst the Storms which have long agitated our Country, & rendered our Citizens more hostile to each other, when political opinions were adverse, than public Enemies; Recollections of old Attachments are doubly pleasant. I have preserved a Tranquillity on such Subjects which has...
13To John Jay from Richard Peters, 27 November 1815 (Jay Papers)
Your very acceptable Favour of the 20 th . I received on Saturday last, in the Midst of the Bustle of closing a very busy District Court. As soon as I was released, I went in Search of M rs . Bedford, as you seemed anxious that she should receive your Information, with Certainty. I found M rs . Bedford ; but it was not the one I sought for. She is the Widow of an old Friend who was Governor of...
14To John Jay from Richard Peters, 19 January 1815 (Jay Papers)
Your very welcome Letter of the 9 th . inst I have recieved, at the Moment I was contemplating sending to you our 3 d Vol. of Agricultural Memoirs, as a small Token of Remembrance. I shall, by the first Opportunity, have it conveyed to New York, with a Request that it may be forwarded. A few of us endeavour to keep this Subject alive, amidst the Din of Arms; which are ever hostile to the Arts...
15To John Jay from Richard Peters, 14 April 1811 (Jay Papers)
Since my Acknowledgment of the Reciept of your Letter I have perused it with Care & great Satisfaction. I see in it the strong Mind & clear Conception of my old & valued Friend, unaffected by any Decline which afflicts our mortal Frame. The Arguments on the Subject, independent of the Proof of the Fact happily known to you, are sufficient to convince candid Men. But alas! these do not compose...
16To James Madison from Richard Peters, 6 April 1811 (Madison Papers)
I recieved your Letter & the Grains of sweet Corn; for which I return you Thanks. We have, here, that Species of Corn; but I always find that Change of Sied [ sic ] ameliorates. I am much obliged by your Attention to my Request as to the Big-Rye . I hope it will be successful; & that a most valuable Grain will be added to our Stock. I have hoed & cleaned my small Patch, planted last Autumn. I...
17To James Madison from Richard Peters, 11 March 1811 (Madison Papers)
Genl Armstrong, when in France, sent me over some Seeds; &, among them, about 2 Quarts of most remarkably fine Rye , of a Species entirely unknown here. With my usual Desire to disperse what I obtain in this Way, I distributed, in very small Portions, the whole of what I had, except about half a Pint. I planted my Modicum in single Grains, in Drills; &, after some Growth, I found that each...
18To John Jay from Richard Peters, 25 November 1810 (Jay Papers)
When I sent you, as a Token of my constant Remembrance, my Melange about the Tunis Sheep, I intended to have written a Letter to accompany it. But it seems, that Nothing must go with a Pamphlet but the mere Direction, under the Pains & Penalties of sousing the Correspondent or Addressee of ^in^ all Costs of enormous Postage. It is really true, that, now for nearly 6 Years, I have abandoned...
19To James Madison from Richard Peters, 18 March 1810 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed contains Letters to several of the French Savans who, with great Civility, & some very profitable Attention, have corresponded with our Philadelphia Agricultural Society. I have sent Letters thro’ private Conveyances; & have Reason to believe they have miscarried, owing to the Uncertainty of such Conveyances. I take the Liberty of requesting you to have the Letter to Genl...
20To James Madison from Richard Peters, 31 December 1807 (Madison Papers)
I percieve there is a Plan on Foot, for building a Bridge in your Quarter. I send the enclosed; that if any thing useful can be extracted from it, some Service may be done to the Community of Bridge-Builders. It will, at least, teach them to shun, what has perplexed others. If it be thought ego tistical instead of sta tistical, the Smell funguses & Mundunguses are welcome to the Hit. If the...
21To James Madison from Richard Peters, 9 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
From Motives of long & un altered personal Esteem, & as a small Token or Keep-sake, I send you a Collection of Admiralty Decisions, published by my Son. I consented to their Publication, to save myself Trouble, & not with any View to juridical Fame. I know not that they will give you much Information, as a Member of the Corps diplomatique . As to the Subject which now justly rouses the...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Peters, 30 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Gregg writes to me, that you wish that I should inform you of the Circumstances operating to induce our fixing the Term of 5 Years for the Imprisonment of one Coleman , as Part of the Sentence passed on him, by Judge Washington & myself at the Circuit Court, in April last. For the Purpose, he states, of enabling you to judge of the Propriety of your Interposition to remit Part of the...
23To James Madison from Richard Peters, 18 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have recieved from our old Friend Genl. Ternant, who is now in Paris, a Letter dated 14th March last. He mentions the very few of our revolutionary Characters left in that Republic (if it may be so called) who under the old Government assisted us in our War. He writes to me respecting our Friend la fayette as if it were in my Power to do him Service. I can only lament that he is mistaken. I...
24To Alexander Hamilton from Richard Peters, 8 January 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
Yours of the 29 Decr. I did not receive ’till the Day before Yesterday. I marvel that you should be a dissappointed Politician. I am a mortified but not dissappointed one. You must have foreseen the Catastrophe which has befallen us. I was a Cassandra because more of a Looker on, than one playing the Game. Much useless Pains did I take in the Case of the House Tax &c &c to earn among my...
25To James Madison from Richard Peters, 1 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have been much engaged since the Reciept of your Favour, enclosing Robinson’s Cases, & Strickland’s Observations on American Agriculture. I return you my grateful Acknowledgments for your Kindness & Attention. It was with Difficulty I prevailed on the Printer to continue the Publication of Robinson’s Cases. It is a Work much interesting to the Citizens of these United States, diplomatic,...
26To John Adams from Richard Peters, 6 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
Understanding that the Judiciary Bill is likely to pass the Senate as it came up from the House of Representatives I beg to mention to you, without any formal Application in any official Capacity, the 25th. Section of that Law. It is in the Opinion of every legal Character here a most flagrant Violation of the Constitution; & must have been overlooked in this Point of View by the Gentlemen who...
27To John Adams from Richard Peters, 8 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
From motives of humanity towards the objects of the act of Congress entitled “An act for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt,” I have, under several disagreeable circumstances, endeavored to carry that law into effect; but I find it deficient in many essential provisions. It is doubtful whether the district judge is vested with judicial powers, or those of a bankrupt commissioner. It...
28To George Washington from Richard Peters, 3 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am extremely sorry to find by your Favour of the 26th of June that the Fly extends its Ravages this Year so generally. All our Wheat is either much injured or totally destroyed by it in this Quarter & it is so in every Part of this State, on this Side the Mountains. Delaware & Maryland are in the same Situation. Thus this Insect is defeating French Spoliations, by taking away the Subject of...
29To George Washington from Richard Peters, 26 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have endeavoured to find out the Prices of Land at & near Philadelphia & from thence to Lancaster on & near the Route to that Place. But these Prices are so various that I am not able to fix on any Average. £100 ⅌ Acre is offered for Land on the West Side of Schuylkill near the Bridge —Near £60 this Currency were given last year for Land a Mile further West—I would not take this Sum for my...
30To George Washington from Richard Peters, 12 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have so long waited for the Answers to a Number of Queries, I proposed to several of our most intelligent Farmers, on the subject of Manures, & particularly the Gypsum; & have been so much disappointed in not receiving the requisite Information, that I cannot longer trespass on your Patience, by detaining Sr J. Sinclair’s Communications which I now return to you. Many of the Subjects are too...