121Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 19 th is recieved. I have carefully examined my letter files from July 1808. to this day, & find among them no such anonymous letter as you mention. indeed the strong impression on my memory is that I never recieved an Anonymous letter from England , or from any other country than our own. Certain newspapers are taking a turn which gives me uneasiness. before I was aware of it, I...
122Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 26 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
As I sent you my first effort to keep Duane right, so I communicate the second , which the failure of our efforts measures to help him obliged me to write. it probably closes our correspondence as I have not heard a word from him on the subject. Ritchie is correct as to the administration generally. I have written to a friend there what I am in hopes will put him right as to mr Gallatin ,...
123Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 3 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have seen with very great concern the late Address of mr Smith to the public. he has been very ill advised both personally and publicly. as far as I can judge from what I hear, the impression made is entirely unfavorable to him. every man’s own understanding readily answers all the facts and insinuations , one only excepted, and for that they look for explanations without any doubt that they...
124Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 October 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
M rs Lewis , the widow of Col o Nich Lewis , has requested me to mention to yourself the name of a mr Wood , an applicant for a commission in the army . on recieving the request I rode to her house to ask something about him, observing to her that something more than his name would be necessary. she candidly told me at once that he was a very capable young man, connected with her only as being...
125Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 December 1811 (Jefferson 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...
126Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 19 February 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 12 th has been duly recieved. I have much doubted whether, in case of a war, Congress would find it practicable to do their part of the business. that a body containing 100. lawyers in it, should direct the measures of a war is, I fear, impossible; and that thus that member of our constitution, which is it’s bulwark, will prove to be an impracticable one from it’s cacoethes...
127Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 26 March 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 6 th was duly recieved. the double treachery of Henry will do lasting good both here & in England . it prostrates the party here, and will prove to the people of England , beyond the power of palliation by the ministry, that the war is caused by the wrongs of their own nation. The case of the Batture not having been explained by a trial at bar as had been expected, I have...
128Thomas 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...
129Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 2 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
It is a grievous thing to be pressed, as I am, into the service of those who want to get into service themselves. the great mass of those sollicitations I decline: but some come forward on such grounds as controul compliance. M r Archibald C. Randolph , an applicant for command in the new army, is my near relation, which in his own eye and that of our common friends gives him a claim to my...
130Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The difference between a communication & sollicitation is too obvious to need suggestion. while the latter embarras adds to embarrasments, the former only enlarges the field of choice. the inclosed letters are merely communications. of Stewart I know nothing. Price who recommends him is I believe a good man, not otherwise known to me than as a partner of B. Morgan of N. O. and as having...
131Thomas 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...
132Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 June 1812 (Jefferson 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 Gen l 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...
133Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 29 June 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I duly recieved your favor of the 29 th 22 d covering the declaration of war. it is entirely popular here, the only opinion being that it should have been issued the moment the season admitted the militia to enter Canada . the federalists indeed are open mouthed against the declaration . but they are poor devils here, not worthy of notice. a barrel of tar to each state South of the Patomac...
134Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 5 August 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
In a letter of May 6. from Foronda is this passage. ‘No remito a Vm exemplares de mis papelitos para el ilustrado y sabio Madison, aunque le tributo todos mis respetos: pero es Presidente, y las viles almas, lexos de conocer que esto seria un acto de Cortesania que no tiene relacion con la presidencia, me tacharian tal vez de poco afecto à la patria, alegando que tenia consideraciones con...
135Thomas 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...
136Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 August 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The letter within which this is inclosed contains the truth: there is not a word in it that is not so. but duty while the sollicitations of a friend have obliged me to present his case, duty to yourself & the public oblige me to say it does not contain the whole truth. one single circumstance is to be added. this candidate for the office of Consul at Lisbon , who often has to transact...
137Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 August 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The mail of yesterday does not tell us whether you have left Washington . I am this moment setting out for Bedford , & shall be absent 3. or 4. weeks. should you be at Monpelier when I return I shall certainly have the pleasure of paying my respects to mrs Madison & yourself. in the mean time accept the assurance of my affectionate esteem & respect RC ( MH : Hemenway Collection); at foot of...
138Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 2 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of inclosing to you a letter from mr Meigs , heretofore President of the University of Georgia . this has been delayed by my the same absence from home which prevented my having the pleasure of delivering it to you personally at Monpelier . I do not know mr Meigs personally, but have always heard him highly spoken of as a man of science. he was selected for the university of...
139Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 October 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by Mons r de Neufville a person of distinction from France who came over to this country with his family some years ago, & is established as an Agricultural citizen near New Brunswick in Jersey . he brought recommendations from some friends of mine which established his merit, as well as his right to any service I could render him. since his settlement in Jersey I have...
140Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 November 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Col o 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...
141Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 27 th 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...
142Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 21 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
On the occasion of your separation from mr Robert Smith , I recollect your mentioning in one of your letters to me that among the circumstances which afflicted you, was the impression it might make on his connections in this quarter , for whom you entertained so much friendship & esteem. it was soon discernable that on one of them whom I had the most frequent opportunities of seeing, no other...
143Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 April 1813 (Jefferson 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 D r 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...
144Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 21 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter from Whit was unquestionably intended for you. the subject, the address both of title and place prove it, and the mistake of the name only shews the writer to be a very uninquisitive statesman. Doct r Waterhouse’s letter too was intended for your eye; and altho’ the immediate object fails by previous appointment, yet he seems to entertain further wishes. I inclose too the...
145Thomas 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....
146Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 13 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I was so unlucky as to write you a long letter of business , when, as I learned soon afterwards, you were too ill to be troubled with any matter of business. my comfort has been in the confidence that care would of course be taken not to disturb you with letters. my hope in writing the present is of a pleasanter kind, the flattering one that you are entirely recovered. if the prayers of...
147Thomas 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...
148Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been prevented setting out to Bedford as early as I had counted. I depart tomorrow. in the mean time I have consulted with as many as I could of the leading men of our county on the subject of the Principal assessor, as I proposed to yourself in my letter of the 15 th . of those consulted who are known to yourself were mr Divers , the mr Carrs , mr Randolph , Bankhead E t c. one...
149Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter from Col o Earle of S. C. induces me to apprehend that the government is called on to reimburse expences to which I am persuaded it is no wise liable either in justice or liberality. I inclose you a copy of my answer to him , as it may induce further enquiry, & particularly of Gen l Dearborn . the Tennisee Senators of that day can also give some information. We have not yet seen the...
150Thomas 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...
151Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 7. was duly recieved. that which it gave me reason to expect from mr G. did not come till the 4 th inst. he mentioned in it that a state of things existed which probably would oblige him to make a solemn appeal to the public, and he asked my testimony to certain specific facts which he stated. these related solely to charges against him as a Burrite, and to his agency in...
152Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you two letters from mr Burrall , postmaster of Baltimore . you will percieve by them that the removal of mr Granger has spread some dismay in the ranks. I lodged in the same house with him (Francis’s) during the sessions of Congress of 97. 98. 99. we breakfasted, dined E t c at the same table. he classed himself with the federalists, but I did not know why, for he scarcely ever...
153Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 26 March 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed from D r Brown is this moment come to hand, and supposing it may possibly be of some importance I send it off immediately to the post office in on the bare possibility it may get there in time for the mail of this morning. if it fails it will have to wait there 4. days longer. ever affect ly yours PoC ( MHi ); at foot of text: “The Pres. US.”; endorsed by TJ. The
154Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed paper came to me for I know not what purpose; as it came, just as you see it, without a scrip of a pen: perhaps that I might join in the sollicitation. Augustus Chouteau , the first signer, I always considered as the most respectable man of the territory , and the more valuable as he is a native. of the other signers I know nothing; and I know how easy it is to get signers to such...
155Thomas 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...
156Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 13 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems as if we should never find men for our public agencies with mind enough to rise above the little motives of pride & jealousy, & to do their duties in harmony, as the good of their country, & their own happiness would require. poor Warden , I find, has been thought an object of jealousy to Crawford , and the scenes of D r Franklin and mr Adams , D r Franklin & Lee , D r
157Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 15 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the information of your letter of the 10 th . it gives at length a fixed character to our prospects. the war undertaken, on both sides, to settle the questions of impressment & the Orders of Council, when now that these are done away by events, is now declared by Great Britain to have changed it’s object, and to have become a war of Conquest, to be waged until she conquers from...
158Thomas 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...
159Thomas 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...
160Thomas 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...
161Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 12 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I have totally forgotten the writer of the letter I forward to you , and every circumstance of his case. I leave it therefore on his own letter and that of the Marquis de la Fayette to you, which came inclosed, and is now forwarded with the other. I shall set out for Bedford within three days, and expect to be absent as many weeks. the newspapers have begun the war for the European powers; but...
162Thomas 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...
163Thomas 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...
164Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 July 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
One of those cases now occurs which oblige me to relax from my general wish not to add to your troubles in the disposal of offices. I inclose you the papers which produce the occasion, and they will present to you all the grounds of interest which I can possibly feel in the success of the application. they will have with you exactly the weight they intrinsically merit & no more. Accept the...
165Thomas 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 &...
166Thomas 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
167Thomas 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...
168Thomas 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...
169Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 February 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, mr George Flower , is an English gentleman farmer, was the companion of mr Burkbeck in his journey through France , and is the person to whom the dedication of that book is addressed, he came over on behalf of his own family and that of mr Burkbeck , to chuse a settlement for them. having made the tour of the temperate latitudes of the US. he has purchased a settlement near...