21To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 29 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
When I left home Mr Christie was dangerously Ill, being considered in the last Stage of a consumption, my letters just received Say that he cannot exist another Month—Under those circumstances I beg leave to observe that appointments Such as the Collector tend to increase or diminish the Confidence in the ruling powers, and in Baltimore have a powerful Operation on our Elections & politick the...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 17 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed Calculation, if Correct, and I believe it is, Shews how much more expensive to the Nation are indirect Taxes “in their Collection” than Direct taxes would be—Yet Such is the disposition of Man that he would pay more willingly an indirect tax of three times the Amount, than a single tax in any other way.—Yet Sir, It does appear to me that when Peace Shall be restored to the World,...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 18 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The public papers will have informed you of the afflicting loss I have sustained by the Sudden Death of my Eldest Son.—I return’d to my Seat to Seek consolation in Retirement—as yet I find it not.—I find that I want that kind of Philosophy which forbids feeling—Here I received your letter—and Sent Capt. Peckman’s Receipt to Mr Buchanan.—I desired him to give you the Information required—from...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 11 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor to inclose you two letters I have recieved in Consequence of the Death of the Collector of this Port,—The Writers are both Gentlemen of Capacity, Respectability & Integrity, and either would Fill this Office with Security to the Government—As to thier politicks.—Mr. Delozier has acted with the federal party—Mr. Brice’s family Connections are all federal, he has been...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 22 September 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I did myself the honor to inclose you a letter from Major Lenox recommending to the vacant Consulate of Glasgow Mr. George Johnston—I have this moment recieved the inclosed from my very worthy & particular friend Mr. [Arsto] Gracie, in whose recommendations I would place great Reliance. I take it for granted that Mr. Johnston must be a Federalist, for I presume no Democrat would ask a place in...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 16 September 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Letters Such as the inclosed Shew with more truth the State of things at St. Louis than any Official Communication that will be Sent. I Still Continue to be of opinion that It will be for the General Quiet to appoint Some New Man, not known to any of the Parties to the Government of Louisiana & am Dr. Sir/ your friend & Servt. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
27To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 11 September 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor to send you a Copy of a letter I have this instant recieved from my friends in Liverpool—and am sir/ your friend & Servt. Gent Liverpool 26 July 1806. We have only time to accompany the enclosed Price Current with information that the British Parliament is prorogued, & that it is officially announced, in the Speech on that occasion, that our Government is engaged in...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 8 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I am about to ask of you a particular favor. Not an Office for any of my friends, but that you will not Nominate Col Hammond to be the Successor of Genl Wilkenson. I ask it as well on your Account as because that I verily believe his appointment will greatly Estrange the affections of the ancient inhabitants of Louisiana from you and from the Govt of the U.S. General Wilkenson has made himself...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 14 June 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
You will do me the honor to recollect that Sometime in last Winter, I handed you an application from Coll. Lowry, requesting a place in the Customs in Orleans,—he Still appears anxious to have an appointment there, and has requested me to forward the inclosed Certificate from the Collector, Naval Officer & Surveyor of this Port, respecting his Capacity for the Duties of the Office,—Coll. Lowry...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 5 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your letter & I perfectly correspond in opinion with you as to the Appointments in Louisiana, I have always thought & still do think that Genl. W. was precisely the man best fitted for the appointment in every point of view. I take leave to observe that I do not agree with the construction given, at the Navy Department, relative to the law fixing the navy peace Establishment....
31To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 28 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this day recieved the inclosed letter from Genl. Wilkinson. I presume from the Postscript that he has made an offer to relieve you from the Situation in which he Supposes you to be placed by his appointment,—I cannot think that this would be the proper time to make any Change,—nor am I of the opinion that any Change ought to be made, at any Rate, not until he has had full time to shew...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 13 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The Writer of the inclosed letter to me, Coll. William Lowry, is an excellent Tactition, has devoted much of his time to his Regiment—He has for Some time Acted as Deputy Naval Officer for the Port of Balto. in which place he has rendered Satisfaction, he has been regularly bred to Commerce—is a Man of Strict Intigrity—he has resided some time at New Orleans, & is Acquainted with the Manners &...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 10 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
My Brother has gone this Morning to Baltimore, he has taken with him his Eldest Son, not quite recovered from a Violent Cold, and Swelling in his throat. he will find his youngest Son dead, (he died on Saturday night.) and his only Daughter, extremely Ill, without a hope left of her Recovery. a Dropsy in the Brain is Suspected. her head has been Shaved & Blisters were applied—His Distress &...
34To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 2 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor to Inclose you a letter recieved from Judge Davis.—The Territorial Governors have their Enemies. I am Sir/ your Obedt. Servt DNA : RG 59—LAR—Letters of Application and Recommendation.
35To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 31 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
My Colleague Mr. Wright, informs me that he wishes the appointment (now Vacant) of the Associate Judge for the District of Columbia to be given to his Son Robert—I am not much acquainted with the Young Gentleman, I Can only Say that I have never heard any thing to his disadvantag he is about 26 or 27 years of Age, has taken a Degree in College & has Studied & practised Law for Seven years—of...
36To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 22 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Tracy’s motion for a Call for the Letter of Mr. Munroe has been under discussion & has been adjourned until tomorrow—Many Gentlemen have declared that they were absent when the letter was Read—others that they had not attended (all our friends)—I therefore take leave to Submit the propriety of Sending the Letter tomorrow early—It may be requested that (after reading) the Same shall be...
37To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 20 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
When in Balte. a few Days past, I mentioned to Capt. McLellan (of the Artillery) that Genl. Wilkinson had been Charged with having induced the Sheriff of St. Louis to pack a Jury. He said he did not beleive the Charge. The next day he met the Sheriff by Accident in a Store a Copy of whose Deposition I took the liberty to send you least any impression should be made unfavorable to the General...
38To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 24 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreeably to the request of Commodore Truxtun I do myself the honor of presenting his Sketch of the late Battle of Trafalgar, and have the Honor to be your Mo. Obedt Servt. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
39To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 15 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I was led (by the Secretarys Report to the last Session of Congress) to believe that there was no more Salt Petre than what was Contained in that Report—I find the Report is only for that at the Arsenal in Philadelphia. I had no Recollection of any at any other place—If that is the whole that we have, It will produce little more than a Million of Gunpowder,—which I Should Consider not a...
40To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 5 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
My Son is personally acquainted with Mr. Irving to whom you have been So polite as to give a letter of introduction. he prays me to return you his Sincere Thanks. Mr. Irving, being in a foreign Country will probably pay attention to Americans—In London he was too much occupied.—I am extremely Sorry that I have given you the trouble of writing, for Louis found it impossible to be prepared for...
41To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 30 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
My Son Louis B. Smith has it in Contemplation to Spend the Winter at Madrid. will you do me the favor to give him an introduction to Mr. Bowdoin—he perhaps may not be at Madrid but It is possible he may, in any Case your letter will be of infinite importance,—I have not the least Acquaintance with Mr. Bowdoin.—If required Louis might be the Bearer of Dispatches he will land in Lisbon, and...
42To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 16 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor to Send You the inclosed—Mr. Keene is a young Lawyer from this City, the Gentleman who married Mr. Martins Daughter. I have the honor to be, Your Obedt. Servt. DNA : RG 59—LAR—Letters of Application and Recommendation.
43To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 31 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to return my Sincere thanks for the Appointment Conferred on Mr. Donaldson, I am persuaded that he will afford no Cause to regreat—His Father Coll. William Lowrey has been regularly bred & Accustomed to the Selling of Goods of all kinds, is a Man of Integrity and conversant in Accounts—I take leave to mention those qualifications that (Should Such a Character be wanted) he may be...
44To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 17 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I did myself the honor to recommend for your Attention Mr. James Lowrey Donaldson, a Gentleman of the Bar of this City for the Office of Commissioner to Ascertain the Titles to Land in Louisiana—I have taken some pains to ascertain the Character of Mr. Donaldson, and find it unblemished—his talents are highly estimated by Gentlemen well acquainted with him, & his Capacity to fill the Office...
45To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 4 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. James Lowrey Donaldson, a young Gentleman of the Bar, of very handsome talents, has a disposition to reside in the Western Country. he has been 4 Years a practising Lawyer—and Studied four years prior thereto.—his Character is unblemished his Connexions respectable—his Politicks, has been proved by Some handsome pieces in the public Papers they are Republican, his Age about 25—Permit me to...
46To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 8 September 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
The Writer of the inclosed letters Mr. Hatch Dent (a Native of Maryland) imigrated last Winter to N. Orleans.—he lived for seven years in this City & is highly estimated by those Citizens to whom he was known—He was highly recommended by Mr James Mc.Culloh (one of our Senators) for the place of Naval Officer or Surveyor—to either of which I knew him (myself) well qualified—But the application...
47To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 10 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me to have the honor of presenting to you Mr. Peter Hoffman, a Merchant of this City, of the first respectability, Independence & political Rectitude—he Visits you in Company with Mr. J. G. Rapp— who has emigrated at the head of a large number of persons lately Subjects of the Duke of Wirtemberg, in whose behalf he will present a Memorial & State their Wishes—I have on looking at the...
48To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 24 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved a Letter last Night from Mr. Patterson requesting me to remind you of your polite Intention of giving him a Letter to Mr. Livingston on the Subject of his Daughter’s Marriage with Mr. Bonaparte—I believe an Oppertunity will offer in a few Days that he wishes to embrace. I am Sir with Respect Your friend & servt. RC ( DLC ); endorsed by TJ as a letter of 24 Jan. received on the 23d...
49To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 23 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
During the late War between England & France—England levied a Convoy Duty of ½ ⅌C: on Goods exported from G.B. to any Port in Europe & One ⅌C: to all other Countries—for which difference there was some pretext—Neutrals as well as National Ships were Charged therewith—On the Peace this Convoy Duty was Changed to a Duty on Export, and the U.S. were thus subjected to double the Duty paid by other...
50To Thomas Jefferson from Samuel Smith, 17 June 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the Liberty as one of thy wellwishers to address Thee thy Enemies assert that thou art a Deist and thy Friends that thou art a Christian, but thy conduct demonstrates to me that thou art suitable for the office that thou fillest, as I look not at Names but actions. our beloved Saviour says that a Tree is known by its Fruit which is truly Philosophical and consequently agreable to that...