1Alexander Garrett and Valentine W. Southall to Thomas Jefferson, 30 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 23 has been received. The abscence of each of us from town with other circumstances is the apology for this delay in our Reply: but it affords us now infinite satisfaction to be enabled to acquaint you, in behalf of our brethren, that, on second thought, it has been concluded to dispense with a small part of the ceremony and to undertake the laying of the corner-stone of the...