1To 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...
2From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 20 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 8th. came to hand only two days ago & I hasten to say I shall be glad to recieve mr Martin’s drill whenever it can be ready. during the present interruption of commerce we send an Aviso every 6. weeks to France & England for the purposes of public & mercantile correspondence, and in any one of these I can send the drill. I have recieved the plough from the Agricultural...
3To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 8 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment been informed by Mr: Martin, that he has at length found a workman capable of executing the drill, and he expresses an anxiety to furnish you with it. He is however apprehensive that the long delay, and the disappointment of your wish to have it in time to be sent by the vessel you mentioned, may have altered your disposition to have it made at all. Be pleased to drop me a...
4To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 12 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of June the 22d. only reached me this day; being directed “near the Bowling Green” it has slept in that post office; for I now live 17 miles from it, near Port Royal. Immediately on receiving your first letter, I applied to Mr. Martin to make a drill for you, and my instances have been often repeated. His inclination to comply was strong and he promised it. The difficulty was to...
5From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 23 June 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The Agricultural society of Paris has had a plough presented to them which, performing equally good work, requires but one half the force to draw it necessary for what had till then been deemed the best plough in France. in their zeal for improvement they sent one of them to England, and have sent me one, lately arrived at New York, & ordered round to Richmond where it will be open for...
6To James Madison from John Taylor, 15 January 1808 (Madison Papers)
Although I see that you do not like my letters, yet as I like your friendship, I write again, and ask a favor or two, to shew you that I do not feel an atom of that little sensation, which sometimes lurks in the bosoms of the best friends, who happen to differ, even in speculative subjects. Indeed, I cannot persuade myself that we do differ; for I believe that the government are pursueing...
7From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 6 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your ingenious friend, mr Martin, formerly made for me a drill of very fine construction. I am now very desirous of sending one of them to the Agricultural society of Paris, with whom I am in correspondence, & who are sending me a plough, supposed to be of the best construction ever known. on trial with their best ploughs, by a dynamometer, it is drawn by from one half to 2/3 of the force...
8From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 1 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved two days ago your letter recommendatory of mr Woodford. I knew his father well and can readily believe that his merits are descended on the son, and especially after what you say of him. if we could always have as good grounds to go upon it would greatly relieve the terrible business of nominations. but lest you should not have attended to it, I have taken up my pen in the moment of...
9From Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 6 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Dec. 26. has been duly recieved, and was recieved as a proof of your friendly partialities to me of which I have so often had reason to be sensible. my opinion originally was that the President of the US. should have been elected for 7. years, & for ever ineligible afterwards. I have since become sensible that 7. years is too long to be unremoveable, and that there should be a...
10To 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...
11To James Madison from John Taylor, 10 August 1804 (Madison Papers)
Robert Baylor Carter, is the son of a person who was minister of the parish in which I formerly lived. There the father died, and there the son was born. I have known him from a child, and therefore can say positively, that he is a native of Virginia. This young friend of mine writes on the 4th. instant from Norfolk, that he was to sail the next morning for the Bay of Honduras, and he desires...
12To Thomas Jefferson from John Taylor, 1 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I herewith send you the Swedish turnip seed promised. This species of turnip seems to me to require earlier sowing than the common kind, to be drilled and cultivated. Accept the highest esteem and respect, of, Sir, Yr: mo: obt: St. RC ( ViU ); endorsed by TJ as received 5 July, but recorded in SJL as received 6 July. TJ had introduced the Swedish turnip , or rutabaga, to Taylor in 1795, and...
13To James Madison from John Taylor, 26 December 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 December 1803, Port Royal, Virginia. “Inclosed is the copy of a letter addressed to the Secretary of the treasury, for reasons therein stated. My motive for writing it, is an opinion that neither yourself or Mr: Gallatin, have the most distant chance of employing a clerk, likely to be so agreeable and useful as Mr: Mc.Allister; and I felt it a duty to make one of you to avail yourself (if...
14To James Madison from John Taylor, 15 November 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
15 November 1802, Caroline, Virginia. Introduces his neighbor Landon Carter of Cleve, who comes to Washington “with an invention, which, if it is as successful in practice, as it promises in theory to be, will serve still farther to exalt the American character.” “Altho’ you may have no particular acquaintance with him, his reputation must undoubtedly have reached you.” RC ( DLC ). 1 p....