Thomas Jefferson to Binney & Ludlow, 5 February 1820
To Binney & Ludlow
Monticello Feb. 5. 20.
Messrs Binney & Ludlow
I am much indebted to you, gentlemen, for your attention and civility in the notice I recieve from you of a cask1 of garden seeds from Marseilles, supposed to be intended for me. but I think it probable the Captn was mistaken in supplying from his memory the defacement of the address on the cask. I never had a correspondent in Marseilles but mr Cathalan our late Consul and his successors, and particularly I know nothing of Messrs Hews and Fettyplace. I never requested seeds from that place, nor have I recieved any advice from anyone of this shipment. it has sometimes indeed happened that strangers in foreign countries have address[ed] seeds to me; sometimes with & without notice, with the benevo[lent]2 view of having them propagated, or from personal motives. if these were really addressed to me, it has been in this way. and in tha[t] case I would request you to offer them to the acceptance of the botanical garden attached to the University of Cambridge; and if charges, duties Et. are3 due on them, on your having the goodness to drop me a note of them, I will immediately remit the amoun[t.] be pleased to accept my respectful salutations.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of Thomas Appleton to TJ, 10 Nov. 1818; edge trimmed; endorsed by TJ.
university of cambridge: Harvard University.
1. Word interlined in place of “box.”
2. Word faint.
3. Word reworked by TJ without fully canceling illegible word.
Index Entries
- Binney & Ludlow (Boston firm); and seeds for TJ search
- Binney & Ludlow (Boston firm); letter to search
- Cathalan, Stephen (Étienne) (1757–1819); as consul at Marseille search
- gardens; at Harvard University search
- Harvard University; botanical garden at search
- Hughes & Fettyplace (Marseille firm) search
- seeds; sent to TJ search