121To James Madison from John Taylor, 4 March 1799 (Madison Papers)
Yesterday I received a letter from the southward of this state, written by a gentleman upon whom I can rely, containing the following sentence. “Mr: Henry has certainly declared for the next Assembly, in obedience to the call from General Washington, who has called on him to step forward and save his country —this is laughable; after the abuse formerly lavished upon that character, they now...
122To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 23 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Several opinions, in relation to the present aspect of publick affairs, have long pressed on my mind; to publish them might be pernicious and to suppress them, criminal; The badness of my judgment and information, suggests the first apprehension, and the possibility nevertheless of their containing some useful hint, the second; to satisfy both; and recollecting that common soldiers have aided...
123Memorandum from John Taylor, 11 May 1794 (Madison Papers)
On the 8th. or 9th. instant T. asked leave of absence of the Senate, and expressed seriously his intention to resign. K. soon after invited T. into one of the committee rooms, and informed him, that he wished to converse with him seriously & candidly upon a very important subject. He stated that it was utterly impossible for the union to continue. That the southern and eastern people thought...
124To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 26 December 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
If this letter should be improper; its apology is, that no evil design suggested it. An idea is circulated, that after the expiration of the next presidential term, you purpose to decline a re-election.—as one of your constituents; as one of your friends; I am about to inform you of its reception within the compass of my observation, and to add several remarks as to its propriety. The...
125To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 14 October 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
A model of Martin’s machine for seperating the grain of wheat from the straw, is now before me, and yet simple as it is, I have no hopes that my mechanical knowledge is equal to a description so perspicuous, as to enable you to erect one. For it probably bears a very distant analogy to the Scotch machine or to Booker’s, neither of which had ever been seen by Mr: Martin, when he invented his....
126From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 29 December 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
I have long owed you a letter, for which my conscience would not have let me rest in quiet but on the consideration that the paiment would not be worth your acceptance. The debt is not merely for a letter the common traffic of a day, but for valuable ideas, which instructed me, which I have adopted, and am acting on them. I am sensible of the truth of your observations that the atmosphere is...
127To Benjamin Franklin from John Taylor, 2 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I find myself under very great difficulty how to address you on a matter of private concern, when your time is so much taken up with public business but presuming on the many former instances of kindness you have shewn me, I hope to meet your forgiveness, if I act improperly by requesting your opinion on an affair of great moment to myself & large family....
128To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, with Jefferson’s Opinion on Mary Wayland, [16 August 1782] (Jefferson Papers)
Your most Curious Council is required on the following Cases. Case the 1st. Adam Wayland of Culpeper County in the Virga. State, after 1st. Lawful Marriage had 6 Children by his wife and She pregnant with the 7th.—Made a Will by which will he bequeath’d his wife one full Third part of his Estate, his wife in time of her pregnancy was Taken with the Small pox and Died—after remaining a widower...
129To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 5 March 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
There is a spice of fanaticism in my nature upon two subjects—agriculture and republicanism, which all who set it in motion, are sure to suffer by. Tho’ there is no comfort, there is a warning in the confession, enabling you at this moment to escape from its effect. For I am about to go farther into the means which I have practised for the recovery of worn out lands, the experiments I have...
130From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 4 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I now inclose you mr Martin’s patent. a patent had actually been made out on the first description, and how to get this suppressed and another made for a second invention without a second fee was the difficulty. I practised a little art in a case where honesty was really on our side & nothing against us but the rigorous letter of the law, and having obtained the 1st. specification, and got the...
131To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 1 June 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter dated one month past, was delivered to me, as I was about to leave philadelphia, and this circumstance defered my answer hitherto. It was my purpose previously to have seen Mr: Martin, who is the inventor of the drilling machine , the simplicity of which is its best recommendation; but a succession of heavy rains have swept off our mills and bridges, and left a gulf between Mr:...
132To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, 5 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
The intelligence which I last transmitted to your Excy is in part confirmed. It is certain that the enemy have repaired their flat bottomd boats—but for the present have deferred the expedition which they had in view. The reinforcement arrived with Adml Arbuthnot will amount to more than three thousand men many of them sick, consisting of two Scotch Regiments and two small companies of German...
133From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 26 November 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
We formerly had a debtor & creditor account of letters on farming; but the high price of tobo. which is likely to continue for some short time, has tempted me to go entirely into that culture and in the mean time my farming schemes are in abeyance, and my farming fields at nurse against the time of my resuming them. but I owe you a political letter. yet the infidelities of the post office and...
134To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 15 February 1799 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter concerning a successor to Mr. Tazewell , took the rout to Richmond, and found me at home a few days past, for the assembly had risen before its arrival. It was my wish to have tried Colo. M. against Wood at the last session, of which I informed Colo . Nicholas previous to its meeting, but it was prevented by a doubt of success. This however would have been a pledge for my exertions...