301Power of Attorney from Tadeusz Kosciuszko, 30 April 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Know all men by these presents that I Thaddeus Kosciusko late of Poland, but now at Philadelphia in the United States of America do hereby constitute & appoint Thomas Jefferson of Monticello in Virginia my attorney in fact and proxy in all cases within the United States giving him full power & authority over all the property real or personal, in possession right, title or action which I now...
302From Thomas Jefferson to Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 30 April 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 26. reached me Sep. 22. in Virginia. having settled the interest on the account inclosed in it agreeably to a statement which will be at the foot of this letter, I prepared a bond for the amount, which I brought on to this place, and have kept by me till the present season which gives a better chance for a safe conveyance than a winter passage. A paragraph in your letter has...
303From Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 1 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letters to you have been of Mar. 12, & June 30. 97. since which I have recieved yours of Dec. 27. 97. & Jan. 23. 98. I write to you from this place, because I can myself chuse the channel of conveyance. but it is subject to the material inconvenience of writing where I have not a single paper to turn to, & therefore I can only write from memory, & mine is not an exact one. I have at...
304From Thomas Jefferson to Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 1 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you yesterday, acknoleging the reciept of your favor of June 25 and answering it’s contents. General Kosciusko, who has been some time with us, has invested his effects in the bank of Pensylvania, and is about to return to Europe. he has left with me a power of attorney for the superintendance of his interests here, which I shall have specially transacted by mr John Barnes merchant of...
305From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 3 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 26th. since which yours of the 22d. of April is recieved acknowleging mine of the 12th. so that all appear to have been recieved to that date. the spirit kindled up in the towns is wonderful. these and N. Jersey are pouring in their addresses offering life & fortune . even these addresses are not the worst things. for indiscreet declarations and expressions of passion...
306Notes on Presidential Appointments, 3 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
May. 3. the Presidt. some time ago appd. Steele of Virga a Commr. to the Indians, & now Secretary of the Missisipi territory. Steele was a Counsellor of Virga, and was voted out by the assembly because he turned tory. he then offered for Congress & was rejected by the people. then offered for the Senate of Virga & was rejected. the Presidt. has also appd. Joseph Hopkinson Commr. to make a...
307From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 3 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 26th. since which yours of the 22d. was recieved, to wit on the Tuesday. you will have found before this that the Fredericksburg post also is to deliver a mail at Milton. I am very thankful to you for your attention to my affairs, for in truth this state of long abandonment of them on my part gives me great uneasiness. I am in hopes that Page & George will give you but...
308From Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Pendleton, 4 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of April 25. has been duly recieved. were the case of mr Short’s demand one wherein he had left me to decide, I should not hesitate to accept the assurance in your letter in discharge of the US. but mr Short has peremptorily protested against acquitting the US. there was a hesitation on the part of the Secretary of state, whether mr Randolph’s receipt of the money was not by some...
309From Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 6 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 11th. of April, & the day after recieved yours of Apr. 4 . I inclosed you at the same time the communications just then recieved from our envoys. others are lately recieved, but, as far as made known to us, they contain only a long memorial given in by them, justifying all our complaints , and repelling those of France. it takes up the subject from the time of Genet’s...
310From Thomas Jefferson to John Harvie, 6 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Short has an interest in some Green sea lands, which I think he derived from you. he has written to me to attend to them, but has given me no information respecting them. I must therefore take the liberty of asking you to inform me, where they lie, how much there is of them, what is the state of the title, whether he is a sole or joint holder with others & whom, whether they are laid off,...
311From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 6 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your favors of Mar. 15. 26. & Apr. 11. and to thank you for your attention to the several commissions, & particularly the May wheat. every thing I have sent at different times appears to have got to your hands, except a Windsor couch & mattras, which went under the care of mr Lewis in a ship by which he went passenger to Richmond. the day after tomorrow a...
312From Thomas Jefferson to James Lewis, Jr., 9 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged by your friendly letter of the 4th. inst. as soon as I saw the first of mr Martin’s letters, I turned to the newspapers of the day & found Logan’s speech as translated by a common Indian interpreter. the version I had used had been made by Genl. Gibson. finding from mr Martin’s article that his object was not merely truth, but to gratify party passions, I never read another...
313Notes on Insects, 9 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
1798. May. 9. The insect which lays it’s egg in the plumb, apricot, nectarine peach, &c. is a Curculio. William Bartram . probably the Curculio Cerasi. [note the Curculio segetum is the weavil.) that which destroys the Peach tree is an Ichneumon. Wm. Bartram. it lays it’s egg in the peach tree a little within the surface of the earth soon after harvest. it hatches. the worm eats downwards, and...
314From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 9 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 3d. instant. yours of the 29th. April is now recieved. Champlain came perfectly safe: and I am in hopes you will have found Escarbot as I know it is in the library, and I think in one of the 3. presses fronting the door: I mean those near the commode, but the North East range of them. you will see in Bache an Alien bill worthy of the 8th. or 9th. century. it will pass...
315From Thomas Jefferson to St. George Tucker, 9 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged by your friendly letter of the 2d. inst. and your attention to mr Martin’s libels on the subject of Logan, the first only of which I have ever read: for when I found by his stile that truth was not his object, but to gratify party passions, I determined to read no more, but to make proper enquiries into the fact he questioned, & in due time publish it. I turned to the papers...
316From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 10 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
According to [advices] in my letter of the 6th. inst. I now inclose to you the bill of lading for 28. packages & 1. doz. chairs by the sloop Sally capt. Potter, which sails tomorrow morning. be so good as to forward them, when recieved, by the Milton boats. No. 28. will perhaps require new wrapping, being hinges done up in paper, as they were not thought of till all the other packages were...
317From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 3d. inst. since which yours of Apr. 29. is recieved. a day or two after I arrived here J. Bringhurst called on me. since that moment I have never seen him nor heard of him. he cannot therefore be here. but I have put your letter & draught into the hands of mr Barnes, & desired him to get Bohemian glass from Donath. I will myself look to the locks & hinges. but both...
318From Thomas Jefferson to Timothy Pickering, 11 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to the Secretary of state [&] sends him Champlain’s travels which he recieved by the last post, the person whom he desired to search his library , could not, on his first [look], find Escarbot: but promised to examine again, before the next post. Th:J. knows that it is in the library, and therefore hopes it will be found. he is happy in this occasion of...
319From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 10th. since that I have recieved yours of the 5 th. I immediately sent a note to Carey to forward his paper to your brother as you desired. the first vote of any importance on the alien bill was taken yesterday. it was on agreeing to the 1st. section, which was carried by 12. to 7. if all the Senators in town had been present it would have been 17. to 7. the...
320From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 17 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Having nothing of business to write on to mr Randolph this week I with pleasure take up my pen to express all my love to you, and my wishes once more to find myself in the only scene where, for me, the sweeter affections of life have any exercise. but when I shall be with you seems still uncertain. we have been so long looking forward from 3. weeks to 3. weeks, & always with disappointment,...
321From Thomas Jefferson to Mary Jefferson Eppes, 18 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
It is very long since I have heard from Eppington. the last letter I [recieved?] was from mr Eppes dated Apr. 4. so long without hearing from you, I cannot be without uneasiness for your health. I have been constantly in the hope that we were within 3. or 4. weeks of rising, but so often disappointed I begin to lose my faith as to any period of adjournment; and some begin now openly to avow...
322From Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, 20 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the pleasure of seeing you here, I spoke to you on the case of a friend of mine, Dr. James Currie of Richmond [in Virginia] and asked the favor of you to proceed, in the way then spoken of, [to] recover against Robert Morris , Dr Currie’s demand, the paper establishing which you had recieved. I have just recieved a letter from him wishing this matter to be pressed. I take the...
323From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 20 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of the 14th. and am well pleased with the sale of my tobacco: for tho’ if no check were to happen I think it would continue to rise, yet considering the critical affairs of this country, & still more of England, I think a check very possible, & that it must take place this summer, if at all. the price obtained secures my making two paiments of 1200. D. each in...
324From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 21 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of Apr. 8. 14. & May 4. & 14 have been recieved in due time. I have not written to you since the 19th. Ult. because I knew you would be out on a circuit, and would recieve the letters only when they would be as old almanachs. the bill for the Provisional army has got through the lower house, the regulars reduced to 10,000. and the volunteers unlimited. it was carried by a majority of 11....
325From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was of the 17th. since which yours of the 13th. is recieved. the Alien bill of the Senate still hangs before them. some of it’s features have been moderated, which has so much disgusted it’s warmest friends that some of them have declared they will vote against it, so that I think it possible they may reject it. they appear to be waiting for one from the house of repr. worse I think...
326From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 24 May [1798] (Jefferson Papers)
My last was to my dear Martha, of the 17th. the last recieved from you was of the 29th. of Apr. acknoleged in mine of May 9. the severe alien bill of the Senate still hangs before them, & one rather worse in the H. of R. which had got on to it’s 3d. reading, was in that stage recommitted yesterday by a majority of 2. it will perhaps be a little softened. the Senate yesterday passed a bill for...
327From Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, 26 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of the 24th. the notes [delivered by] mr Burwell to mr Ludlow belonged three of them to Dr. Currie, & the [rest to] himself. to wit Doll. Dr. Currie’s. { John Nicholson’s note to Rob. Morris dated Nov. 18. 94 for
328From Thomas Jefferson to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, 30 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Volney’s departure for France gives me an opportunity of writing to you. I was happy in observing many days after your departure that our winds were for you. I hope therefore you quickly passed the cruising grounds on our coast [and] are safely arrived at the term of your journey. your departure is not yet known or even suspected. Niemcewicz was much affected. he is now at the federal...
329From Thomas Jefferson to Jacob Van Staphorst, 30 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My friend General Kosciusko placed his funds here in the bank of Pennsylvania, under my direction, with a desire to remit the dividends arising from them regularly to Europe. as he had no particular correspondent in any [of] the great seaports of Europe, I recommended that your house [in Amsterdam] should be made the deposit, and accordingly forwarded some bills [on Amster]dam and a letter, to...
330From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 24th. since which yours of the 20th. is recieved. I must begin by correcting two errors in my last. it was false arithmetic to say that two measures therein mentioned to be carried by majorities of 11. would have failed if the 14. absentees (wherein a majority of 6. was ours) had been present. 6 coming over from the other side would have turned the scale, and this was...
331From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 31 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter by the last post was to mr Randolph, dated May 24. yours of the 12th. inst. did not get to hand till the 29th. so it must have laid by a post somewhere. the receipt of it, by kindling up all my recollections increases my impatience to leave this place & every thing which can be disgusting, for Monticello and my dear family, comprising every thing which is pleasurable to me in this...
332From Thomas Jefferson to Julian Ursin Niemcewicz, 1 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 27th. came to hand last night, and my occupations of the day have been so incessant as to leave me but a short moment to answer in time for the post. as far as I have heard there is not the [smallest suspicion] here but that our friend is gone to Virginia. it is fortunate for me; for of all men living I am the most awkward at parrying interrogatories which are not to be...
333Certificate for George Logan, 4 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I Thomas Jefferson do hereby certify that George Logan the bearer hereof, who is about to visit Europe on matters of business, is a citizen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and United States of America, of one of the most antient & respectable families of the said commonwealth, of independant fortune, good morals, irreproacheable conduct, and true civism; and as such he is recommended to...
334From 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...
335From Thomas Jefferson to Mary Jefferson Eppes, [6 June 1798] (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 18th. of May since which [I have recieved mr Eppes’s] letter of May 20. and yours of May 27. I have deter[mined to set out from] this place on the 20th. inst. and shall, in my letters of tomorrow, [order my horses] to meet me at Fredericksburg on the 24th. and may therefore be at home on the 26th. or 27th. where I shall hope to have the happiness of meeting you. I can...
336From Thomas Jefferson to John Page, 6 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Apr. 26. & May 28. is duly recieved, and I sincerely thank you for your kind interest in the injurious slanders against me in the public papers. with respect to Logan’s speech I am preparing materials, not to answer mr Martin, but to state to those who have read the Notes on Virginia, the exact fact respecting Logan, whatever it shall turn out to be. for as yet I have not...
337From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 7 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 31st. since which yours of the 27th. of May is received. The alien bill, when we had nearly got through it, on the 2d. reading, (on a report from the commee of the whole) was referred to a special committee, by a vote of it’s friends (12) against 11. who thought it could be rejected on the question for the 3d. reading. it is reported again, very much softened, and if...
338From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 7 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to my dear Martha on the 31st. of May. hers of the 12th. May is the last I have recieved from Belmont. I have now determined to leave this on the 20th. inst. I shall be obliged to you therefore to order Jupiter to set out in time to be at Fredericksburg on Sunday the 24th. instant. he must bring my chair, and three horses, because I have a workman to carry with me. this admits him to...
339From Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Stuart, 8 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you some further communications from our envoys at Paris. to the information contained in these I can add that by the latest accounts mr Pinckney was gone into the South of France for the health of his family, mr Marshall to Amsterdam, and mr Gerry remained at Paris. it appears that neither themselves nor the French government dreamt of war between the two countries. it seems also...
340From Thomas Jefferson to John Beckley, 12 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
In consequence of my undertaking to mr Trigg, I wrote to my manager near Lynchburg to know if he could pay him 240. Dollars the 1st. of July. he has informed me he could not; but that, according to my directions in that case, he had engaged a merchant of Lynchburg to do it, in exchange for my draught for that sum in Richmond. I have accordingly made provision for the payment in Richmond. on...
341From Thomas Jefferson to James Fennell, 12 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to mr Fennel for the Dissertation on his method of making salt. the theory is certainly promising. what may be the actual result depends on so many circumstances as to require experiment to found an estimate. having no experience on the subject himself, he is entirely unable to give an opinion: but doubts not that mr Fennel has sufficiently verified his process...
342From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 14 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 7th. since which yours of the 3d. is recieved. your next (which I shall still be here to recieve on the 19th) will probably acknolege mine of May 31. and will perhaps be your last as you would see by mine of the 7th. that I should leave this on the 20th. which I still purpose. the new citizen or naturalization bill is past the Senate also. it requires 14. years...
343From Thomas Jefferson to Julian Ursin Niemcewicz, 14 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. is but this moment put into my hands, so that I have barely time to get an answer in for the first post. I percieve by your letter that I shall probably fail of the pleasure of meeting you. I shall leave this on Wednesday the 20th. and pass through Georgetown on the 22d. at the Stage hour. before that time I apprehend you will have left it. I have this day recieved the...
344From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 14 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 7th. inst. since which yours of the 3d. is recieved. I shall certainly leave this on the 20th. and be at Fredericksburg on the 23d. consequently one day before my horses, which in my last I desired might set out Saturday the 23d. & be there Sunday the 24th. in the mean time I thank you for putting an end to the cultivation of tobacco as the peculium of the negroes. I...
345From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Harrison, Jr., 15 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Having occasion to enquire into the situation of mr Short ’s Green sea lands, I wrote to Colo. Harvie on the subject, who refers me to you. I wish to be informed of the quantity, county, and whether the taxes have been paid. I will thank you for information on these points addressed to me at Monticello, and also for the patent if in your hands, having been desired by mr Short to look into the...
346From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 15 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 20th. of May, since which I have recieved yours of May 23. and 28. and June 1. I am entirely satisfied with the sale to mr Hooper; the chance run, being one of those necessary to meet in the ordinary course of business. as this sale was made to meet two paiments of 1000. Doll. each to mr Wickam and mr James Lyle which were in fact stipulated for earlier days, I am...
347From Thomas Jefferson to James Lyle, 15 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Having been three times called to this place the last year, and now kept here on a session of 6. months, the expences attending this have so far exceeded what were to have been expected in the ordinary course of things, that they put it out of my power to make the first payment promised in my letter of the last year , in time. I had calculated on one trip only to this place, and a short...
348From Thomas Jefferson to John Wickham, 15 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
In a former letter I informed you of the circumstances which would postpone my annual paiment somewhat later than the day fixed for it, and I recieved your answer that you had communicated my letter to mr Waller. I have lately sold my tobacco to mr Hooper of Richmond and now inclose you an order on him for one thousand dollars payable Octob. 1st. the term of credit allowed him. as you will be...
349From Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, 16 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of May 26. I mentioned to you that Dr. Currie had another demand by judgment against John Tayloe Griffin as principal, and Robert Morris garnishee, which should be the subject of a future letter to you. I now inclose you a transcript of the record of the supreme court of this state. It seems by this (I have not examined the record with minute attention) that the court have...
350From Thomas Jefferson to Tadeusz Kosciuszko, 18 June 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you my dear & respectable friend on the 30th. of May by Volney, putting it under cover, as I do this, to our friend Jacob Van Staphorst, at Paris. Capt. Lee of the ship Adriana has brought for you as a present from the whig club of England an elegant Sabre, mounted in gold, and inscribed ‘the whig club of England to General Kosciuzko’ said to have cost two hundred guineas. Capt. Lee...