Thomas Ritchie to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 21 May 1818]
From Thomas Ritchie
[ca. 21 May 1818]
Dear Sir
After all my exertions, it is impossible for me to execute your commission.
I cannot find in this City one map of Va which is not pasted on linen and mounted on Rollers.—The Agent of the map resides here; but he has no1 Copy of the description you desire.—A new Edition of it is in hand, and he has therefore pushed off the old ones as fast as he could.
If you will instruct me to purchase a linen mounted one for you, at $10, I will try to put it up in any way you may direct.—I need not say how much pleasure it will give me.
Thomas Ritchie
RC (MHi); undated; endorsed by TJ as received 29 May 1818 from Richmond and so recorded in SJL; notation by TJ beneath endorsement: “May 31. wrote note declining a map on linen & rollers” (note not found and not recorded in SJL). RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to James Breckinridge, 6 Oct. 1818, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Charlottesville”; franked; postmarked Richmond, 21 May.
TJ requested the commission of Ritchie in a letter written in April 1818 after TJ’s arrival at Poplar Forest on the 14th of that month, not found and not recorded in SJL but described in TJ to James Leitch, 28 May 1818.
1. Word interlined in place of “one.”