121Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 7 December 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter is from Father Richard , the Director of a school at Detroit ; & being on a subject in which the departments both of the Treasury & War are concerned, I take the liberty of inclosing it to yourself as the center which may unite these two agencies. the transactions which it alludes to took place in the months of Dec. & Jan. preceding my retirement from office, & as I think...
122To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 24 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you several letters which must have been intended for the office, & not the person named on the back. They belong therefore to your files, and I will pray you particularly as to those asking office on this & all other occasions to consider me merely as the channel of conveyance, & not as meaning to add an atom of weight to the sollicitations they convey—unless indeed I know any thing...
123To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 25 March 1815 (Madison Papers)
After I had sent my letters of yesterday and the day before to the post office the return of the messenger brought me a letter from Saml. H. Smith informing me you had directed Milligan to come on whenever I should call for him. I mention this to save you the trouble of further writing on that subject. The same mail brought me the Aurora, beginning the publication of the Causes and Conduct of...
124To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 27 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 24th. came to hand last night. The correspondence between mr. Smith & mr. Erskine had been recieved three days before. I sincerely congratulate you on the change it has produced in our situation. It is the source of very general joy here, & could it have arrived one month sooner would have had important effects not only on the elections of other states, but of this also, from...
125Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I duly recieved your favor of the 12 th and with it the pamphlet on the causes and conduct of the war, which I now return. I have read it with great pleasure, but with irresistable desire that it should be published. the reasons in favor of this are so strong, and those against it are so easily gotten over, that there appears to me no balance between them. 1. we need it in Europe . they have...
126Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of yesterday I forgot to put the inclosed one from mr Mill s , which I now send merely to inform you of his wishes, and to do on it what you find right. he is an excellent young man, modest, cautious & very manageable. his skill in architecture will be proved by his drawings & he has had a good deal of experience. he married a daughter of Col o Smith of Winchester formerly...
127To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 12 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I had intended to have been with you before this, but my daughter, who wishes to pay her respects to mrs. Madison & yourself at the same time, has been confined by the illness of her youngest child. He has been mending for some days, but slowly, & from the nature of his complaint (visceral) it will be some days yet before she can leave him. I think therefore, on the departure of our present...
128Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know whether you were acquainted with the late Major Duncanson of Washington , uncle of the writer of the inclosed letter . he was one of the earliest adventurers to the city of Washington . he had made a princely fortune in the E. Indies , the whole of which he employed in the establishments of that city and finally sunk. his political merits were a most persevering republicanism in...
129To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 March 1811 (Madison Papers)
On my return from a journey of 5 weeks to Bedford I found here the two letters now inclosed, which tho’ directed to me, belong in their matter to you. I never before heard of either writer and therefore leave them to stand on their own ground. I congratulate you on the close of your campaign. Altho it has not conquered your difficulties, it leaves you more at leisure to consider & provide...
130To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 25 March 1810 (Madison Papers)
You knew, I believe that the society of Agriculture of Paris had sent me a plough which they supposed the best ever made in Europe. They at the same time requested me to send them one of ours with my mould board. I have made one for them which every body agrees to be the handsomest & of the most promising appearance they have ever seen, and I have five at work on my own farms, than which we...
131To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 November 1812 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Colo. Gibson Secretary under Governor Harrison. I suppose he has addressed it to me on the footing of a very old acquaintance. He is a very honest man, very old in public service & much esteemed by all who know him. All this I believe however is known to yourself, & possibly he may be personally known to you. The seeing whether our untried Generals will stand proof...
132Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 September 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
It is very long since I troubled you with a letter, which has proceeded from discretion, & not want of inclination, because I have really had nothing to write which ought to have occupied your time. but in the late events at Washington I have felt so much for you that I cannot withold the expression of my sympathies. for altho’ every reasonable man must be sensible that all you can do is to...
133Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 12 July 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two letters of the 4 th & 7 th were recieved by the last mail. I now inclose you the rough draught of the letter to myself the emperor of Russia . I think there must be an exact facsimile of it in the office, from which mr. Short’s must have been copied; because that the one now inclosed has never been out of my hands appears by there being no fold in the paper till now, and it is...
134Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I congratulate you on your release from the corvée of a session of Congress , and on the pleasure of revisiting your own fields & friends: and I hope your fields have been more fortunate than ours which have been wet but once since the 14 th of April , and present an aspect never seen since the year 1755. when we lost so many people by famine. but the present drought is only partial; that was...
135Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I had written the inclosed letter but had not yet sent it to the post office when mr Nelson calling, informed me you were to leave Washington on Tuesday last (the 20 th ) I have thought it better therefore to inclose it to you at Montpelier . I am laboriously employed in arranging the library, to be ready for it’s delivery. and as soon as I can name the day on which I shall have finished I...
136Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 August 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your’s of yesterday by mr Coles . my journey to Bedford has been delayed by sickness among my laboring people. no new case having arisen for some time, I am in hopes it is at an end. still no particular object fixing my departure to any precise time, it lies over for convenience, and should I fix a time before we have the pleasure of seeing yourself & mrs Madison here I shall...
137To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 10 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
The writer of the inclosed letter being as well known to yourself as to me, I forward it merely because he has wished me to mention his sollicitation to you. I should in like manner inclose you a letter from Dr. Barton but that it would take you more time to decypher than you ought to give to it. The object of it is to be appointed to the Medical department of the army. His reputation is as...
138To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 7 April 1811 (Madison Papers)
Your favors of Mar. 18. and Apr. 1. have been duly recieved. The extract from Armstrong’s letter of July 28. 08. which you desire is in these words. ‘My poor friend Warden writes to you, & asks from you the appointment of Consul for this place. I could not promise to do more than send his letter. He is an honest and amiable man, with as much Greek & Latin, & chemistry & theology, as would do...
139Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 June 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
However firm my resolution has been not to torment the government, nor be harrassed my self with sollicitations for office, cases will now and then arise which cannot be denied. Charles Jouett formerly of this neighborhood , was appointed by Gen l Dearborne an Indian agent. this was on the sollicitations of W. C. Nicholas , mr Carr & every respectable person of this neighborhood , and indeed...
140To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 February 1813 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 27th. Ult. has been duly recieved. You have had a long holiday from my intrusions. In truth I have had nothing to write about; and your time should not be consumed by letters about nothing. The inclosed paper however makes it a duty to give you the trouble of reading it. You know the handwriting and the faith due to it. Our intimacy with the writer leaves no doubt about his...
141To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 6th. was recieved from our post office on the 24th. after my return from Bedford. I now re-inclose the letters of Mr. Short & Romanzoff, and with them a letter from Armstrong for your perusal, as there may be some matters in it not otherwise communicated. The infatuation of the British government & nation is beyond every thing immaginable. A thousand circumstances announce...
142Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 27 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 24 th came to hand last night. the correspondence between mr Smith & mr Erskine had been recieved three days before. I sincerely congratulate you on the change it has produced in our situation. it is the source of very general joy here, & could it have arrived one month sooner would have had important effects not only on the elections of other states, but of this also, from which...
143To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 25 May 1810 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you the extract of a letter from Govr. Tyler which will explain itself, and I do it on the same principle on which I have sometimes done the same thing before, that whenever you are called on to select, you may have under consideration all those who may properly be thought of & the grounds of their pretensions. From what I can learn Griffin cannot stand it long, and really the state...
144Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 February 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
In a late letter from mr Spafford of Albany I received the inclosed with a request that after perusal I would forward it to you, adding a desire that, when read, you would address it under cover to him, as he sets some value on the possession of it. his object in desiring making the communication to either of us is not explained, but perhaps it may be understood by you. your frank on a blank...
145To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 December 1815 (Madison Papers)
Declining in every possible case to harrass you with sollicitations for office, I yet venture to do it in cases of science and of great merit, because in so doing I am sure I consult your partialities as well as my own. Mr. Hassler furnishes an occasion of doing this. You will find his character, his situation and claims stated in the inclosed letter from Rob. Patterson, whose integrity &...
146Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed papers will explain themselves. their coming to me is the only thing not sufficiently explained. Your favor of the 3 d came duly to hand. altho’ something of the kind had been apprehended, the embargo found the farmers and plinters planters only getting their produce to market and selling as fast as they could get it there. yet I think it caught them in this part of the state with...
147To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
On opening my letters from France in the moment of my departure from Washington, I found from their signatures that they were all from literary characters except one from mr. Short, which mentioned in the outset that it was private, & that his public communications were in the letter to the Secretary of State, which I sent you. I find however on reading his letter to me (which I did not do...
148Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 18 September 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Coles , whom I saw yesterday, informs me you propose to set out for Washington this day week. I have been waiting in the hope that little Benjamin would so far recover as that his mother might leave him. but his recovery, tho’ steady, is very slow. we barely discover every day some little additional proof of his getting better. I shall wait till the day after tomorrow in the hope of mrs...
149To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 31 December 1811 (Madison Papers)
It is long since I have had occasion to address a line to you, and the present is an irksome one. With all the discouragements I can oppose to those who wish to make me the channel of their wishes for office, some will force themselves on me. I inclose you the letters of several merely to be placed on the file of candidates & to stand on their own ground, for I do not know one of them...
150Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 22 December 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Declining in every possible case to harrass you with sollicitations for office, I yet venture to do it in cases of science and of great merit, because in so doing I am sure I consult your partialities as well as my own. mr Hassler furnishes an occasion of doing this. you will find his character, his situation and claims stated in the inclosed letter from Rob. Patterson , whose integrity &...
151Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 2 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
M rs Randolph , Ellen & myself intended before this to have had the pleasure of seeing mrs Madison and yourself at Montpelier as we mentioned to mr Coles ; but three days ago mrs Randolph was taken with a fever, w
152To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 30 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
I recieved last night yours of the 27th. & rode this morning to Colo. Monroe’s. I found him preparing to set out tomorrow morning for Loudon, from whence he will not return till Christmas. I had an hour or two’s frank conversation with him. The catastrophe of poor Lewis served to lead us to the point intended. I reminded him that in the letter I wrote to him while in Europe proposing the...
153To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 9 October 1809 (Madison Papers)
I recieved last night yours of the 6th. & now return mr. Dupont’s letter. At a time when I had a hope that Virginia would establish an University I asked of mr. Dupont & Dr. Priestly to give me their ideas on the best division of the useful sciences into Professorships. The latter did it concisely; but Dupont wrote an elaborate treatise on education which I still possess. After I saw that...
154Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 13 July 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you mr Bassette’s letter & think you may safely tell him we possess no Dutch accounts of Virginia . we have De Laët ; but it is a folio volume of Latin, & I have no doubt a good translation will sell well. I have not examined De Bry’s collection to see if that contains any Dutch account. that is in 3. folio volumes of Latin, and certainly will not take off one single reader from mr...
155Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 26 November 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 6 th was recieved from our post office on the 24 th of after my return from Bedford . I now re-inclose the letters of M r Short & Romanzoff, and with them a letter from Armstrong for your perusal, as there may be some matters in it not otherwise communicated. the infatuation of the British government & nation is beyond every thing immaginable. a thousand circumstances...
156Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
After I had sent my letters of yesterday and the day before to the post office the return of the messenger brought me a letter from Sam l H. Smith informing me you had directed Milligan to come on whenever I should call for him. I mention this to save you the trouble of further writing on that subject. the same mail brought me the Aurora, beginning the publication of the Causes and Conduct of...
157To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 16 June 1809 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you three letters from detained seamen which came to hand by the last post. Your favor of the 12th. was recieved at the same time. The intelligence by the Pacific gives me great anxiety. When I consider the tenor of the new order of council & the official exposition of it by the Lords of trade to the London American merchants (in the inclosed paper) and compare it with the engagement...
158To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 30 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 19th. came to hand by the last post; but that allows us so little time that I could not answer by it’s return. I had not before heard of mr. Latrobe’s claim of Lenthall’s salary in addition to his own. That some of Lenthall’s duties must have fallen on him I have no doubt; but that he could have performed them all in addition to his own so as to entitle himself to his whole...
159Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 October 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Tho late, I congratulate you on the revocation of the French decrees, & Congress still more; for without something new from the belligerents, I know not what ground they could have taken for their next move. Britain will revoke her orders of council, but continue their effect by new paper blockades, doing in detail what the orders did in the lump. the exclusive right to the sea by conquest is...
160To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 10 September 1810 (Madison Papers)
I returned yesterday from Bedford, and according to my letter written just before my departure, I take the liberty of informing you of it in the hope of seeing mrs. Madison & yourself here. And I do it with the less delay as I shall ere long be obliged to return to that place. By a letter of Aug. 15. from Genl. Dearborn he said in a P. S. that he has just recieved information that Bidwell had...
161Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 21 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
your favor of the 6 th has been recieved, and I will beg leave to add a few supplementory observations on the subject of my former letter. I am not a judge of the best forms which may be given to the gunboat; and indeed I suppose they should be of various forms suited to the varied circumstances to which they would be applied. among these no doubt Commodore Barney’s would find their place....
162Thomas Jefferson’s Memoranda to James Madison, [ca. 4–11 March 1809] (Jefferson Papers)
Memoranda for the President. Information having been recieved in October last that many intruders had settled on the lands of the Cherokees & Chickasaws; the letter from Gen l Dearborn to Col o Meigs was written to have them ordered off, & to inform them they would be removed by military force in the spring if still on the lands. these orders remain still to be given, & they should go to the...
163To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 31 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Since my letter of yesterday I have recieved yours of the 27th. & 28th. and in the former the 500. D. for mrs. Trist. The bronze time piece mentioned will run a fortnight, but I found it better to wind it up once a week, as during the 2d. week the greater expansion of the spring occasioned her to lose time. With respect to newspapers, none can now come to Washington for me. Of those which,...
164Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 July 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday from our friend Gov r Nicholas a letter stating that very advantageous offers had been made to his son at Baltimore (late a colonel in the army) which would induce him to go and fix himself at Leghorn , and that it would add very much to his prospects to be appointed Consul there, and counting on my knolege of the character of his son , he supposed my testimony of it to...
165Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 November 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night yours of the 27 th & rode this morning to Col o Monroe’s . I found him preparing to set out tomorrow morning for Loudon , from whence he will not return till Christmas. I had an hour or two’s frank conversation with him. the catastrophe of poor Lewis served to lead us to the point intended. I reminded him that in the letter I wrote to him while in Europe proposing the...
166Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Another communication is inclosed , and the letter of the applicant is the only information I have of his qualifications. I barely remember such a person as the Secretary of mr Adams & messenger to the Senate while I was of that body. it enlarges the sphere of choice by adding to it a strong federalist. The triangular war must be the idea of the Anglomen, and malcontents, in other words the...
167Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 August 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The death of my much valued friend & relation George Jefferson will doubtless produce many competitors for the office of Consul at Lisbon . among these a neighbor of mine, mr David Higginbotham wishes to be considered. he is a merchant of Milton , of very fair character, steady application to business, sound in his circumstances, and perfectly correct in all his conduct. he is a native of this...
168To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 June 1812 (Madison Papers)
I have taken the liberty of drawing the attention of the Secretary at War to a small depot of military stores at N. London, and leave the letter open for your perusal. Be so good as to seal it before delivery. I really thought that Genl. Dearborne had removed them to Lynchburg, undoubtedly a safer and more convenient deposit. Our county is the only one I have heard of which has required a...
169Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 19 th came to hand by the last post; but that allows us so little time that I could not answer by it’s return. I had not before heard of mr Latrobe’s claim of Lenthall’s salary in addition to his own. that some of Lenthall’s duties must have fallen on him I have no doubt; but that he could have performed them all in addition to his own so as to entitle himself to his whole salary,...