To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1806
From Thomas Jefferson
Monticello May 23. 06.
Dear Sir
Your’s by the last post was recieved yesterday,1 and I now return Monroe’s letters. That Armstrong should be returning so suddenly & without notice is quite an impossibility. Any other hypothesis for his journey to Amsterdam would be more probable. I send you a letter from Pierpoint Edwards respecting Swartout:2 his testimony against him cannot be suspected, considering their mutual relation to a common center, Burr. I send you also a letter from mr. Gallatin on account of the last paragraph,3 tho’ as far as I can trust my memory, every article suggested has been provided for. These two letters to be returned. I have desired the Postmasters of Washington & Richmd. to send nothing here after the 28th. proposing to leave this on the 4th. & be in Washington the 7th. of June. It occurred to me yesterday that a letter is necessary from me to the Bashaw of Tripoli, and I have hastily prepared a draught which will need much correction. I pray you to give it freely and submit it to Mr. Smith also. If you can return the fair draught by the post leaving Washington the 28th. I may sign & send it by the return of the same post, so that you may recieve it the 3d. of June, or if not wanting sooner, it may lie with you till the 7th. when I can sign it at Washington.
At length we have had a copious rain. It continued with slight remissions two days (Wed. & Thursday) falling moderately so that the earth is saturated without raising the streams. It was from the N.E. and has cleared up cold, the wind at N. & thermometer 50°. Mr. Burwell is here. He understands well the occurrences at Washington but had not so well understood Clarke.4 Accept affectionate salutations.
Th: Jefferson
May 24. 7. oclock A.M.
P.S. The above was written yesterday morning. In the evening it recommenced raining, continued steadily tho moderately thro’ the night, and still continues this morning, withe the wind at N.W. The earth has enough; but more is wanting for the springs and streams.
FC, two copies (DLC: Jefferson Papers).
2. Letter not found.
3. The last paragraph of Gallatin’s 19 May 1806 letter to Jefferson (DLC: Jefferson Papers; 2 pp.) reads: “Supposing the purchase of Florida not to be attainable, could not our Ministers be provisionally instructed to agree to some kind of convention on the basis of statu quo without affecting the claims of the parties, of the reciprocal freedom of navigation of the Mobile & of the Mississipi to Baton rouge, and of a ratification of the convention?”
4. Jefferson presumably referred to William Armisted Burwell, his former secretary, and Christopher Henderson Clark. Clark, a supporter of John Randolph, resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives on 1 July 1806 after his attempt to have Randolph named minister to England failed, and Burwell was elected to succeed him (Malone, Jefferson and His Time, 5:140, 163).