Thomas Jefferson Papers

Peter Laporte to Thomas Jefferson, 24 March 1820

From Peter Laporte

Ce 24 mars 1820

P. Laporte a L’honneur de présenter Ses Respects à Monsieur Jefferson et de L’informer qu’etant obligé d’aller à Stauton Demain, avec une de Ses filles, Etant lui meme trop indisposé pour faire le voyage à Cheval prend la liberté de prier M[onsieur] Jefferson de vouloir bien avoir [la] Bonté de lui L’aisser avoir pour quatre ou Cinq jours une Chaise ou Cariolle qui puisse Contenir Deux personnes. P. Laporte sera d’une Reconoissance Sans limites, Si Monsieur Jefferson veut bien lui faire Cette faveur

Editors’ Translation

24 March 1820

P. Laporte has the honor of presenting his respects to Mr. Jefferson and informing him that, being obliged to go to Staunton tomorrow with one of his daughters and too ill himself to make the trip on horseback, he takes the liberty of asking Mr. Jefferson to be so kind as to provide him for four or five days with a chaise or carriole that can hold two people. P. Laporte will be endlessly grateful if Mr. Jefferson is willing to do him this favor

RC (MHi); dateline at foot of text; torn at seal; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Montecello”; endorsed by TJ. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene.

The term chaise was applied to a variety of carriages over time, while a “carriole” (cariolle) was a small open carriage or a covered cart (OED description begins James A. H. Murray, J. A. Simpson, E. S. C. Weiner, and others, eds., The Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed., 1989, 20 vols. description ends ).

Index Entries

  • carriages; loan of requested search
  • French language; letters in, from; P. Laporte search
  • Laporte, Peter; family of search
  • Laporte, Peter; health of search
  • Laporte, Peter; letters from search
  • Laporte, Peter; requests loan of carriage search