1Charles Thomson to Thomas Jefferson, [by 7 January 1817] (Jefferson Papers)
I received your letter of January last when I was under a paralytic stroke but not Sensible of it. I felt no acute pain, and my Sight was as usual. I could read without spectacles but could not comprehend what I read, nor its connextion with what preceded or followed. I read your letter and was pleased. I made sundry attempts to answer it but in vain, and what at last I sent as an answer , I...
2Charles Thomson to Thomas Jefferson, 16 May 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 9 of January last which did not reach me till the latter end of April was to me indeed a cordial. It recalled to mind the trying Scenes through which we passed with undessembled confidence, but in a particular manner rejoiced me as it informed me of the firm state of your health and the full enjoyment you have of your faculties both of body and mind and more especially of...
3To James Madison from Charles Thomson, 4 February 1809 (Madison Papers)
I received your favour of the 22d. of Decr. and thank you for the copy of the documents which you were so kind as to send me I had such a share in the struggle for the independence of our country that I cannot be indifferent to its preservation. We have insidious, and dangerous enemies to guard against both foreign & domestic. However I hope the same kind over-ruling Providence which conducted...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 4 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your favour of the 25 of December and sincerely congratulate with you on the close of your arduous administration and the meas sibi confeia reiti which you must needs carry with you into retirement. This is the sweet reward of the good man and the true patriot, and that of which neither envy, malice nor faction can ever rob him. I was going to say that from the insidious designs of...
5To James Madison from Charles Thomson, 13 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
Thomas Amies the bearer of this is the son of one of our capital manufacturers of paper. His father has within about a mile of me three paper mills at work. One of them is under the Superintendance of this young man, who by his prudent conduct close attention to his business & discreet management in discharging the trust reposed in him bids fair to be an eminently useful member of society. By...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 13 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I am ashamed after so long a delay to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 3 July; more especially when I reflect on the pleasure which it gave me to find that I was still remembered by him whom I ardently love and esteem. I read over cursorily but with great satisfaction the correspondence you sent me. It perfectly coincided with what I expected and on which I relied. I resolved...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 24 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your favour of the 11 January, and not only hold myself honoured by it but am exceedingly gratified by your sweet address and kind remembrance of me. Your letter lay many days in the post office, because the post master as he informs me did not know where I lived nor by what route to forward it to me. On receiving it I went to Philadelphia and altered the size proposed for my...
8To James Madison from Charles Thomson, 1 December 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 December 1804. “Enclosed I send you an explanation of the Device for an armorial Atchievement and Reverse of a Great Seal for the United States in congress assembled.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, ML ); enclosures ( DNA : RG 360; reproduced in Papers of the Continental Congress , 179–80). RC 1 p.; damaged by removal of seal; docketed by Wagner as received 1 Dec. 1804. The enclosures (2 pp.) are a...
9To James Madison from Charles Thomson, 1 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
Enclosed I send you an explanation of the Device for an armorial Atchievement and Reverse of a Great Seal for the United States in Congress assembled. It was drawn up when I made report & contains the Sentiments which I had in my mind when I was considering the subject, and which I wished to express covertly by the device. It has never been published nor have I ever given a copy of it. If you...
10To John Adams from Charles Thomson, 17 March 1795 (Adams Papers)
The day after receiving your favour of the 20 Feby I wrote the enclosed answer. But as my mind has been so long withdrawn from the occurrences in Congress and so wholly bent on a different object, I was not in haste to send it until I refreshed my mind by looking over the journals. After all the search I have made and the recollection I am master of I see no reason to alter it. I have now the...
11To John Adams from Charles Thomson, 9 March 1795 (Adams Papers)
“I did not till yesterday receive your letter of the 4 of Feby with the enclosed letter to you from Doctr. Belknap dated Jany 2d 1795” The Doctr. with an anxious regard for the reputation of his country states, “That Doctr Kippis has published a life of capt. Cook the famous navigator & in vol 2. p268 has given at large the directions issued in March 1779 by Doct Franklin then in France to all...
12To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 31 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
I am this moment honoured with the receipt of your favour of this day and rejoice to hear that the Western Indians have proposed a conference. I hope as well for their sakes as for that of our country that it will terminate in an honorable & lasting peace. Short as the time is I can be at no loss to return you a direct and possitive answer in regard to myself whom you have been pleased to...
13To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 25 December 1789 (Washington Papers)
At the time I made my resignation, I took the liberty of recommending to your notice John Fisher, who had served as a clerk in the office for several years and whom I then considered not only as sober attentive and diligent, but as faithful. To my astonishment and indignation I find by a letter which I received last evening that I entertained an opinion of him which he by no means deserved, I...
14To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 25 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
I cannot find words to express the feelings of my heart, on the receipt of your favour of yesterday, at this repeated instance of your goodness. I shall ever retain a grateful remembrance of this and of your condescension to me on a former occasion when your presence administered a balm to my wounded spirit. From the love and veneration I bear and have continually felt for you, and the light...
15To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 23 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
Having had the honor of serving in quality of Secretary of Congress from the first meeting of Congress in 1774 to the present time, a period of almost fifteen years, and having seen in that eventful period, by the interposition of divine Providence the rights of our country asserted and vindicated, its independence declared acknowledged and fixed, peace & tranquility restored & in consequence...
16To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 19 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
I intended to have done myself the honor of waiting on you this evening but the dampness of the weather prevents my going abroad I therefore take the liberty of enclosing my opinion on the paragraph in the constitution which you were pleased to mention; the result of my conference with Mr Jay on the subject of sea letters; and the lights I have received by examining the laws of Pensylvania and...
17To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 24 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
I intended to have waited upon you in person and submited to your inspection the enclosed report which I have prepared to send to the Senate but by the interruption of visits I was not able to finish it until it was your time of receiving visits. I meant to have submitted to your consideration whither the words “however that” in the answer with which you were pleased to honor me might not be...
18Address by Charles Thomson, 14 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
The president of the Senate, chosen for the special occasion having opened and counted the votes of the Electors in the presence of the senate & the house of Representatives I am honored with the commands of the Senate to wait upon your Excellency with the information of your being elected to the office of President of the United States of America. This commission was entrusted to me on...
19Ratification of the Fourth Dutch Loan, 4 July 1788 (Adams Papers)
Be it remembered that the within Contract or Engagement, entered into by the Honorable John Adams Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to their High Mightinesses the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands, in Behalf of the said States, with sundry Money Lenders, for a Loan of one Million of Guilders dutch current Money, dated at Amsterdam the thirteenth Day of...
20To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 27 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed order of the United States in Congress assembled will apologize for the trouble I give in requesting you to send me the copy of a paper enclosed in Mr President Lauren’s letter of the 19 feby 1778 and marked “Committee’s Conference with Baron Steuben.” The Baron thinks himself entitled to an indemnification for an annuity of about £600 sterling for life which he relinquished upon...
21Ratification of Third Dutch Loan, 11 October 1787 (Adams Papers)
Be it Remembered that the within Contract or Engagement entered into by the hon ble: John Adams, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to their High Mightinesses the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands in behalf of the said States with sundry Money Lenders for a Loan of One Million of Guilders dutch Current Money, dated at Amsterdam the first day of June 1787,...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 6 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Having come to this place on account of some private business, I have been waited on by Mr. J. Churchman, a native of this commonwealth, who flatters himself that he has made a discovery which will be of great public utility, in short nothing less than an easy and certain mode of ascertaining the longitude by what is commonly called the variation of the compass. He offered to explain to me the...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 28 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 30 July 1786 I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 10 May, wherein you informed me that a botanical friend of yours had written to Charleston for a number of plants and seeds which were to be sent to me and forwarded to you by the packet. I heard no more of this matter till yesterday when Capt. Lathim delivered me the letter and invoice of which I enclose a copy and informed...
24To James Madison from Charles Thomson, 15 September 1786 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to You herewith enclosed a copy of the proceeding of Congress in the appointment of a court for hearing and determining a matter in question between the States of South-Carolina and Georgia, by which You will be duly informed and notified that You are a Member of the court, and that it is summoned to meet at the city of New York on the third Monday in June next. As...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 30 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your letter of the 10 of May and am happy in the opportunity of being serviceable to you or any of your friends. I shall with pleasure honor the draughts of Mr. Watson or Mr. Eveleigh and take care of and forward the seeds and plants as you desire. While on this subject I shall beg leave to mention a circumstance I have heard touching the introducing the native plants of one...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 8 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received by the way of Baltimore your letter of the 22 April with the new invented lamp, for which I return you my most hearty thanks. I conclude you were disappointed in sending the one you mentioned in a former letter by Col. Senf, as he never called on me. The one you have now sent is an elegant piece of furniture, if it were not otherwise valuable on account of its usefulness....
27To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 6 April 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your letter of the 8th October as well as those of 21 June by Mr. Otto and the 14 July by Mr. Houdon. I read your notes with much pleasure and intended to have troubled you with some observations on them; but they have been so much out of my hands, though entrusted to such as you would approve, that I have not had an opportunity to revise them with that attention I wished and...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 2 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your several favours of Feby 8 June 21 and July 14 and also a copy of your Notes by Mr. Houdon, for which I am much obliged. It grieves me to the soul that there should be such just grounds for your apprehensions respecting the irritation that will be produced in the southern states by what you have said of slavery. However I would not have you discouraged. This is a cancer...
On the intimation contained in your first letter of the 2 d . Congress have been pleased to pass an Act of which the enclosed is a copy, vesting you with the necessary powers. It is the desire of Congress that this be kept as secret as the nature of the case will admit; for which reason I have not entrusted it to the inspection of any of the young men in my Office. In consequence of a report...
30To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 22 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
I received yesterday your letter of the 5. And as the subject therein referred to belongs to the department of foreign affairs, I have transmitted it to Mr Jay. I have no doubt but the Minister who is to negotiate with the court of London will have occasion for the list; but as it would not be safe to trust a paper of such importance to the common conveyance by the post, and as it is proper...
31To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 6 March 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your favour of Novr. 11, with the pamphlets, for which I return you my hearty thanks. The report on animal magnetism gave me great satisfaction. Before I had heard of these experiments and of this report, I was greatly at a loss what to think of the matter. The Marqs. de la Fayette had come over quite an enthusiast in favour of it. He had got a special meeting called of the...
32To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson: Résumé, 26 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Historical Society of Pennsylvania ⟨October 26, 1784: Mr. Joseph Norris, the second son of our friend Charles Norris, will wait on you with this letter. He goes to Europe with the intention of establishing commercial connections. He is anxious to see Paris, and wants it to be known that you are an old friend of his family. I hope you will point out to him the paths of virtue and...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 26 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of 18 June last I recommended Mr. Isaiah Norris to your friendly notice. I now take the liberty of doing the same for his brother Joseph, first because I know the benevolence of your disposition and next because he is so desirous of being introduced to your acquaintance that I am persuaded the notice you will take of him will excite his utmost endeavour by a proper deportment to...
34To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, with Letter from Joseph Wharton, 26 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I shall not trouble you at this time with any thoughts on our southern boundary or the views and disposition of our southern Neighbours, as I imagine Mr. Madison whose letter I enclose has written fully on that subject; but it is possible he may not have known what I am told is a fact that the Sp: are strongly fortifying at the Natches. I am informed by some of our merchants trading to Lisbon,...
35To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 1 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Though I have nothing agreeable to write, yet I cannot suffer Mr. Short to go without a line to give you some information of the present situation of Affairs. Agreeably to your advice, when Congress adjourned, I met the Committee of the States and having opened a book for their journals and made the necessary arrangements, I applied for leave of absence which was readily and unanimously...
36To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 18 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
I should have answered your letter ^ of 12 Aug. ^ much sooner, had I not from the tenor of it flattered myself with the hopes of seeing you here in a very short time. I wish exceedingly to see and converse with you not only on the subject of your acceptance but on the general State of our Affairs. There is at present no person whose business or whose duty it is to attend to matters of national...
37Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 13 August 1784 (Adams Papers)
In pursuance of the orders of the Com ee of the States I have the honor to transmit to you the Copy of a letter signed T. Gilfillan dated London the 19 feb y 1784 with the copy of an inspection roll of Negroes taken on board certain vessels at Anchor near Staten Island on the 30 Nov r 1783. to be made use of in any negotiations you may have with the Court of Great Britain agreeably to the...
38Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 13 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania In pursuance of the Orders of the Committee of the States, I have the honor to transmit to you the copy of a letter signed T. Gilfillan, dated London the 19 feby 1784 with a copy of an inspection roll of Negroes taken on board certain vessels at anchor near Staten Island on the 30 of November 1783, to be made use...
39To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 13 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Historical Society of Pennsylvania The renewal of our ancient correspondence and the receipt of your letters excited those sensations, which real friends feel on meeting unexpectedly after a long separation. As Mr Jefferson, who I hope is by this time safe arrived will explain matters to you and make you fully acquainted with the state of our...
40Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 13 August 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
In pursuance of the orders of the Committee of the States I have the honor to transmit to you the copy of a letter signed T. Gilfillan dated London the 19 feby 1784 with the copy of an inspection roll of Negroes taken on board certain vessels at Anchor near Staten Island on the 30 Novr. 1783. to be made use of in any negotiations you may have with the Court of Great Britain agreeably to the...
41To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 9 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
As M r Henry Remsen the bearer of this has obtained leave to visit his father and friends in New York, I could not suffer him to pass without a line to you. In April last Congress appointed him under Secretary in the Office of foreign Affairs that he might open & take charge of the papers which had till that time remained sealed up from M r Livingston’s quitting the Office. Before that...
42To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 29 July 1784 (Jay Papers)
Being informed of your safe arrival at New York I embrace the earliest opportunity of Congratulating you on that event and hope M rs . Jay and your little family are all well. On the 18 of June I wrote to inform you that I had received your letter of 7 April and to thank you for the attention you paid to my letter in favour of M r I. Norris. As the post sets out sooner than I expected I shall...
43Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 16 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives; copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania In obedience to the order of the Committee of the States, I have the honor to send you copies of the papers relating to the brig L’Amiable Elizabeth a french vessel that was deserted by her Crew at Sea and was boarded and taken up by citizens of the United States and carried into St Johns in Newfoundland, where she was seized by...
44Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 16 July 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
In obedience to the order of the Committee of the States, I have the honor to send you copies of the papers relating to the brig L’Amiable Elizabeth a french vessel that was deserted by her Crew at Sea and was boarded and taken up by Citizens of the United States and carried into St. Johns in Newfoundland, where she was seized by a public Officer and her cargo disposed of; that you may require...
45Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 18 June 1784 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor of forwarding three comm[issions] which were not prepared in time to go by M r Jefferson, [and] a duplicate of the instructions he carried with him. I [also] enclose a copy of the Journal of the last session of Congr[ess] as far as printed and a news paper containing the Ordinance for putting the treasury into commission and an Act defining the powers of the committee of the...
46Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 18 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have the honor of forwarding three comm[issions] which were not prepared in time to go by Mr Jefferson, [and] a duplicate of the instructions he carried with him. I [also] enclose a copy of the Journal of the last session of Congress as far as printed and a news paper containing the Ordinance for putting the treasury into commission and an act...
47To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Thomson, 18 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania On the third of this month Congress adjourned to meet at Trenton on the 30 of Octr. next, having first appointed a comee. [committee] of the states to sit in the recess, agreeable to the Articles of Confederation. Previous to the adjournment I had the honor to receive your letter dated, if I recollect right, on the 8 March, which I immediately laid...
48To John Jay from Charles Thomson, 18 June 1784 (Jay Papers)
On the 16 I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of 7 April and am extremely obliged by the attention you have paid to my letter in favour of M r I. Norris. I am sensible on what slight grounds such recommendations are too often given and how much trouble they often occasion to men in public character. But I had a long and intimate acquaintance with his family, which held a very...
49To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 18 June 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I flattered myself with the hopes of seeing you on my return to Philadelphia, but found you had set out for Boston with a view to embark at that place. I have therefore sent by a conveyance directly for France three Commissions for negotiating, if necessary, additional treaties of Commerce with France, the United Netherlands and Sweden, and a duplicate of the Instructions. The affair of...
50Charles Thomson to the American Commissioners, 18 June 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of forwarding three comm[issions] which were not prepared in time to go by Mr. Jefferson, [and] a duplicate of the instructions he carried with him. I [also] enclose a copy of the Journal of the last session of Congr[ess] as far as printed and a news paper containing the ord[i]nance for putting the treasury into commission and an act defining the powers of the committee of the...