Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-10-02-0364

From Thomas Jefferson to John Bondfield, 6 November 1786

To John Bondfield

Paris Novr. 6th. 1786.

Sir

Your favor of the 28th. of October came to hand the day before yesterday. In the mean time your two bills had been presented; the smaller one drawn on my private account I had paid on sight; under the larger one I had written an acceptance and I think an order to Mr. Grand to pay it. I went immediately to Mr. Grand’s; the bill had not been presented for payment and they assured me that by the usage of merchants in this country, the acceptor of a bill of exchange is bound to pay it; that it is no longer a debt of the drawer but of the acceptor, and that it would be personally dishonorable to me, were I to countermand the payment. Under this information I could not undertake to stop the payment. I have therefore only to lament that your letter did not arrive before I had paid the one bill of exchange and accepted the other, as I should have been happy to have done any thing I could to have guarded against a payment of the money, likely to be injurious to you.

I have the honor to be Sir your most obedient humble Servant,

Th: Jefferson

PrC (DLC); in Short’s hand, including signature; at foot of text: “(Test W Short Sec).”

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