1Thomas Jefferson to Hutchins G. Burton, Thomas Cooper, and Samuel Brown, 28 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
The government of the U.S. at a very early period, when establishing it’s tariff on foreign importations, were very much guided in their selection of objects, by a desire to encourage manufactures within ourselves. Among other articles then selected were books, on the importation of which a duty of 15. per cent was imposed, which, by ordinary custom-house charges, amount to about 18 per cent,...
2From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 23 March 1827 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 8th. is just recd & with it a copy of the Printed Circular on the same subject. I forward both to the Faculty of our University who are prohibited by one of its Statutes “from receiving into it any person who has been a Student at any other incorporated Seminary, but on producing a Certificate therefrom, or other satisfactory evidence, with respect to his general good...
3Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 7 April 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
your favor of Mar. 12. was recieved on the 22. but as our Visitors were to meet within a few days, I postponed writing to you until they had determined on the operations of the campaign. our legislature have authorised us to borrow another 60. M .D. and it is confidently understood that if we can accomplish our buildings with that sum, they will spunge the debt, and place us in a condition to...
4Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 6 October 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by mr John Wayles Baker son of the Treasurer of this state, and a connection of mine whom, in a former letter , I mentioned to you with my grandson Francis Eppes , presuming they would go together to the College of Columbia . you will find him a youth of excellent dispositions and orderly conduct, and well worthy of any patronage and good offices you may be so kind as...
5Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 3 March 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
After the passage by our legislature of the act for establishing their University at the Central College , several incidents of expectation suspended my asking a meeting of our visitors , which might enable me to write to you. one of these was the hope that the legislature would make a further donation to enable us to erect our buildings, so that we might be ready soon to open our general...
6Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 25 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Jan. 16. I mentioned to you that it had long been in contemplation to get an University established in this state, in which all the branches of science useful to us , and at this day , should be taught in their highest degree; and that this institution should be incorporated with the college and funds of W m & Mary . but what are the sciences useful to us, and at this day...
7From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 8 July 1811 (Madison Papers)
By the return of the Frigate Essex, I have received from Mr. McRae on whom the Consulate at Paris provisionally devolved, an answer to my letter addressed to Mr. Warden on the subject of the Chemical books you wished to procure. I subjoin the requisite extract “A stranger & almost entirely ignorant of the language even of the Country, I have been obliged to avail myself of the aid of Doctr....
8Thomas Jefferson and John H. Cocke to Thomas Cooper, 15 October 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
By instructions from the board of Visitors of the University of Virginia we make to you the following communications. At our first meeting, in March last, the board determined that three buildings should be undertaken in the present year, which, with the two already on hand might enable them to open the University partially by the first 1 st of April next ; & with this expectation they fixed...
9From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 26 December 1826 (Madison Papers)
The two copies of your Lectures on Political Economy forwarded with your letter Novr. 15. were duly recd. That for Mr. Eppes was delivered to Mr. Trist of the Monticello family who said he could send it on forthwith by a safe conveyance. For the other addressed to myself, I offer my thanks. Before I had time to look into the volume, I had an opportunity of handing it over to Professor Tucker,...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 2 November 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 18. came to hand yesterday. the atmosphere of our country is unquestionably charged with a threatening cloud of fanaticism, lighter in some parts, denser in others, but too heavy in all. I had no idea however that in Pensylvania, the cradle of toleration and freedom of religion, it could have arisen to the height you describe. this must be owing to the growth of...
11Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 22 January 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Richardson had left us about an hour when I recieve d information from Richmond that the University bill had passed our house of Representatives by a majority of between 50. and 100 votes on different votes. altho’ now certain of our establishment I will not write to you finally till the bill is finally past. there are but 2. votes against it in the Senate
12Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 7 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you on the 25 th of Nov. from Poplar Forest from whence I returned but a few days ago, & found here yours of Nov. 10. 20. Dec. 6. & 7. I have taken time to communicate to my colleagues (who all live at distances of 20. or 30. miles around) your acceptance of our Physiological professorship, which they lear
13From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 9 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Mar. 21. was recieved here on the 4th. inst. the warrant to your son as midshipman had been suspended for enquiry on a suggestion of too great a propensity in him to drink. no information has been recieved, but your’s is sufficient. it is sufficient that you are apprised of it, and state the nature of the case yourself. his warrant was therefore signed two days ago, and has been,...
14Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 6 February 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Jan. 23. is recieved with real affliction. I sincerely lament the loss of D r Wistar , whose health, altho not the best, had yet promised, as I hoped, a longer life. in his line he leaves no superior, and his science was among our principal ornaments. distant as is our position from the immediate scene of this calamity I percieve that, in effect, it may reach us heavily. the...
15Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 27 August 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of the 21. and am glad to learn that you will return to Columbia by land; in which case I hope you will take this in your way, and to prevent disappointment I must state to you my movements. Sep. 6. I shall set out to Poplar Forest . 24. I shall be at home.
16From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 30 May 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I am sorry to learn by your letter of the 6 th that the genus irritabile vatum revive their persecutions against you in a state on whose liberal opinions I had believed that fanaticism had no hold. I still hope you will be safe under the wing of the legislature which has given such eminent proofs of their sense of your value to them. the question you ask with respect to this place is one which...
17From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 4 September 1810 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 19th. Aug. and have transmitted the request it makes, to Mr. Warden, who will more certainly be found at Paris, than Genl. Armstrong, and who is perhaps, more in communication with those most capable of assisting his researches. I need not, I hope, assure you that I have felt a pleasure in contributing, in the way you have thought proper to make use of me, to an...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 9 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 23. is recieved. I had not before learned that a life of Dr. Priestly had been published or I should certainly have procured it; for no man living had a more affectionate respect for him. In religion, in politics, in physics no man has rendered more service. I had always expected that when the republicans should have put down all things under their feet, they would...
19From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 5 January 1823 (Madison Papers)
I have received the “Report” on the state of the South Carolina College, covered by your favor of December 21. I have read it with very sincere pleasure as the harbinger of days happy for yourself, as well as prosperous for the Institution. You are not, I perceive, without an adversary of the same family which raised its cries against you elsewhere. The triumphs of education under your...
20Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 7 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your several favors of Sep. 15. 21. 22. came all together by our last mail. I have given to that of the 15 th a single reading only, because the handwriting (not your own) is microscopic & difficult, and because I shall have an opportunity of studying it in the Portfolio in print. according to your request I return it for that publication, where it will do a great deal of good. it will give...
21Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 17 March 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by mr Coffee , an English gentleman of eminence in the arts of sculpture and painting. he has been for some time an inmate with us at Monticello , having been engaged in making the busts in plaister of myself and all the grown members of our family. he has done the same at mr Madison ’s and some other families of my neighborhood, and much in Richmond and to very general...
22Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 4 October 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Before answering the queries stated in your letter of this yester day, I must premise that whatever I say, will be founded on the hypothesis that our legislature shall adopt the Central College as the site for the University of Virginia , which of course entitles it to the funds appropriated to that object. 1. my letter to you of Oct. 10. approved by the Visitors
23From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 1 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. is recieved & with it the copy of Dr. Priestley’s Memoirs, for which I return you many thanks. I shall read them with great pleasure, as I revered the character of no man living more than his. with another part of your letter I am sensibly affected. I have not here my correspondence with Govr. Mc.Kean to turn to, but I have no reason to doubt that the particular letter...
24Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 11 July 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 21 . is recieved, and I have exhibited the different designs for our seal to such friends as had taste for such things. we all preferred the attitude of Minervas Minerva in one of mr Otis ’s designs as being more beautiful, but not the shield & spear. the emblems of another of his figures, the olive branch & cornucopiæ, peace & plenty, are more conformable to the idea...
25Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 16 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Nov. 8. if it was rightly dated, did not come to hand till Dec. 13. and being absent on a long journey it has remained unanswered till now. the copy of your introductory lecture was recieved & acknoleged in my letter of July 12. 1812 . with which I sent you Tracy ’s 1 st vol on Logic. your Justinian came safely also, and I have been constantly meaning to acknolege it, but I...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 17 April 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 2d. inst. is just now recieved. your former one had also come duly to hand, and was properly disposed of to produce it’s effect at it’s just season. it was not therefore from inattention that I had not acknoleged it, but from the absolute impossibility of doing this in the immense number of those I daily recieve. it reduces me to the painful necessity of leaving those who are...
27From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 6 April 1821 (Madison Papers)
I recd. some days ago your letter of Mar. 12. recommending Mr. L. Vanuxem for the Chemical Chair in our University, which we can no longer hope to fill as we had wished. He could not certainly be presented under better auspices; but it is not yet known who may be brought into comparison with him, and it is ascertained moreover that the University cannot be opened for a year or two; and must be...
28Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 10 April 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Our legislature has appropriated 15,000 D. a year for an University, & taken measures for fixing it’s site, which I am confident will result in adopting that of the Central College . our Visitors meet here on the 11 th of May , and I therefore press M r Correa to make his visit a few days before that, because in yours of Feb. 20.
29Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 2 April 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 29 th ult. (the day appointed) we had a full meeting of the Visitors of the University . it consisted of 4. of the former members of the Central College , & 3. others. with this new composition of our board , some changes in our former views arose. the former board had determined to divert the funds of the institution as little as possible, for the present, from the object of providing...
30Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 8 April 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Mar. 1. reached me on the 12 th and I answered it on the 13 th of that month; since which yours of the 21 st has come to hand. the opinion I gave on the subject of D r Rice ’s publication was that of my first impressions, and without having had time to enquire of others who go mo re into the world, and know better what is passing in it. I have since exte
31Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 12 September 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of Aug. 26. Sep. 1. 2. 3. were recieved yesterday evening. I returned from the warm springs a few days ago , in prostrated health, from the use of the waters. their effect, and the journey back reduced me to the last stage of exhaustion; but I am recovering. we shall all be happy to recieve here mrs Cooper , yourself & M. Correa , and expect that according to former request you...
32James Madison to [Thomas Cooper], 31 December 1828 (Madison Papers)
This statement shews that the loan of 60000 with 3 years of the pub: any. wd. compleat ye. estabt. {ye. library excepd.} viz the lawn of 10 pavns. & 55 dorms. & the E. & W. back streets, wth. 5 hotels, a Proctor’s house & 50 dorms. by the last day of 1822, but that this wd. require ye any. of Jany. 1. 1823 & consequently yt. we cd. not commence instalts. until Jany. 1824. The securing then...
33From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 18 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson thanks Judge Cooper for the paper he has been so kind as to communicate to him. he has read it with pleasure, but not with conviction. he is the last of all men however who would consider an honest difference of opinion as ground for any other difference. he has had too much experience of the uncertainty of human reason to be otherwise affected by it’s various aspects than by...
34Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 24 March 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 13 th inst. I gave to mr Coffee a letter of introduction to you . a few days after his departure the inclosed came to my hands, with which I can do nothing better than give it the protection of your cover as he will probably be with you when it gets to your hand. affectionately yours PoC ( ViU: TJP ); on portion of a reused address cover to TJ, the other half of which was reused for PoC...
35Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 7 August 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
A meeting of Comm rs to agree on & recommend to the legislature a site for their University was held at Rockfish gap on the 1 st inst. where we agreed, 16. to 5. that it should be at our Central College ; and from thence I came here to remove some Rheumatic complaints affections
36Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 14 August 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 24 th ult. was recieved in due time and I shall rejoice indeed if mr Elliot and mr Nulty are joined to you in the institution at Columbia , which now becomes of immediate interest to me. mr Stack has given notice to his first class that he shall dismiss them on the 10 th
37From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 24 February 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favors of the 6th. and 16th. and learnt the death of Dr. Priestly with all that regret which the termination of so good and so useful a life necessarily inspires. all late accounts of him had given me apprehensions for him. not indeed that the continuance of life could be important to him, but as every year added to it was usefully employed for the general good of...
38From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 12 April 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to thank you for the copy of the laws of your College, from which I am sure we shall recieve good aid whenever we proceed to form those for our institn if ever that day is to come. our last legislre indeed has had better disposns than the preceding one. they agreed to lend us another 60.M.D. but on interest also. this will compleat our buildings. but then our annuity of 15. M . D will...
39Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 8 March 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 10. came to my hands on the 27 th and expecting a consultation with 2. of my colleagues I postponed answering until that should have taken place. Your pavilion is finished except plaistering and painting. the former will require all this month, from the variableness of the season. the house joiner asks a fortnight after removal of the rubbish of the plaisterer to hang his...
40From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 29 November 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 25. was recieved in due time, and I thank you for the long extract you took the trouble of making from mr Stone’s letter. certainly the information it communicates as to Alexander kindles a great deal of interest in his existence, and strong spasms of the heart in his favor. tho his means of doing good are great, yet the materials on which he is to work are refractory....
41From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 29 March 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, a day or two ago, a small pamphlet on Materialism without any indication from what quarter it came. but I knew there was but one person in the United States capable of writing it and therefore am at no loss to whom to address my thanks for it and assurances of high esteem and respect. ScU .
42Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 10 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Jan. 16. I promised you a sample from my Commonplace book , of the pious disposition of the English judges to connive at the frauds of the clergy, a disposition which has even rendered them faithful allies in practice. when I was a student of the law, now half a century ago, after getting thro Coke Littleton, whose matter cannot be abridged, I was in the habit of abridging and...
43Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 11 April 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you yesterday , since which it has occurred to me that you can render us a great service. among the duties required by the legislature from the Comm rs for the location of their University , one is to state to them the sciences proper for such an institution, and the number of Professors necessary. to determine this so as not to endanger overburthening any Professor, it is essential...
44From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 27 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
When I recieved your letter of the 16th. I thought I had not a copy of my Report on Measures, weights & coins, except one bound up in a volume with other reports. but on carefully searching a bundle of duplicates, I found the one I now inclose you, being the only detached one I possess. it is defective in one article. the report was composed under a severe attack of periodical head ach which...
45Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 13 March 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 1 st came to hand the last night. 4 days before that, to wit on the 8 th I had addressed one to you; in which however I had committed an error which I must correct in the first place. it was in naming 1500 instead of 750.D. this lapse of memory occurred to me after despatching mine. on turning to yours of Oct. 25. 19. I found that the proposition made in that and acceded to...
46Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper and John Wayles Eppes, 16 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
The shortness of the time now left to Francis for the pursuit of Academical studies, calls for extreme parcimony in the employment of the portion of it which still remains to him: and I am rendered more anxious for the economy of this remnant by information recieved from him, of which I was not before apprised. it seems there is a distinction in the College of Columbia between what are called...
47From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 4 April 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
It is very long since I have written to you. now within a few days of fourscore and two, with a weakened body and waning mind, writing is become slow and unpleasant. but another reason has been that I had nothing to write about which could interest you, except our University, in which you have kindly taken an interest; and the constant hope of seeing that get shortly under way, and furnish...
48Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 25 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
My long and frequent visits to this place make me a very inexact correspondent. your letter of Oct. 24. was 11. days on it’s passage, instead of 5. or 6. the ordinary time, and it found me on the eve of my departure from Monticello . It is impossible for me to regret the prospects you have of being satisfactorily fixed at Philadelphia , because I sincerely wish you whatever you think best...
49Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 19 November 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Oct. 25. was recieved here on the 4 th inst. my colle a gue of superintendance lives but 30. miles from me: but it is across the country, & by zig-zag cross posts which have retarded the reciept of his answer till yesterday. your letter was communicated to him and he concurs with me in accepting all it’s proposition which you may therefore consider as established, as we do your...
50Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 9 April 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Leschot of Charlottesville going on to Philadelphia , we charge him with a sum of money, sufficient as we suppose to pay for the 5 stoves. should we undercalculate the amount the dealer in these articles will surely trust us for what it may be deficient on my assurance that it shall be remitted as soon as k nown. he must put them, in proper condition, on board some vessel bound to Richmond...