1From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 30 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
To the best of my recollection, Dr. Barton, Doctr. Wistar and yourself are the Vicepresidents of the Philosophical society; but not being entirely confident in my memory and still less as to the order of the names, I take the liberty of putting the inclosed under a private cover to you, with a request that you will communicate it to your colleagues. I salute you with great friendship and...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 13 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by my grandson Th: Jefferson Randolph, who goes to Philadelphia to attend a course in Natural history, Botany, & anatomy. mr Peale’s museum, mr Hamilton’s garden & the anatomical preparations & dissections give to Philadelphia advantages in those branches of science which are to be had no where else in America. other branches being well taught in Williamsburg he will go...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 18 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Two men have been taken up in Kentucky and are confined, on suspicion, merely because they cannot make known who they are, not speaking a word of any language understood there. the inclosed letter from a mr Nash contains all I know of them: but the writings in Arabic characters are supposed to contain their history, as stated by themselves. here we have nobody who understands either the...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 29 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your letter of the 25th. proposing the appointment of an Assistant engraver to the mint at a salary of 600. D. and that mr Reich should be the assistant. you are so exclusively competent to decide on the want of such an officer, that I approve the proposition on the faith of your opinion. with respect to the person to be appointed, my knolege of the superior talents of mr...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 5 January 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I am obliged to return you the inclosed with a request to send me duplicates of them; because I have to lay them before each house of Congress, and they must be equally original . would a copy have sufficed without a failure of respect to either house, I would not have given you this trouble. I salute you with affection & respect ICN .
6From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 5 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the Nautical almanacs, and for the two small tracts sent me since. it is only when science is contracted into the volume of a nutshell, as in these tracts, that I can indulge myself with a look into it. having no means of sending the fractional sum of 2. D 50 c the cost of the Nautical almanacs, I inclose a 5. D. bill which will pay for them & for those of the years 9. & 10....
7From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 17 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 14th. was recieved last night. as to the salaries at the mint which are to be fixed by yourself with the approbation of the President, you are so much the best acquainted with what is proper, and my confidence in you so entire, that I shall approve whatever you advise, and I consequently approve of the addition of 200. D. to the salary of mr Eckfeldt as you propose. I am glad...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 29 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
A pressure of business has put it out of my power sooner to answer your letter of the 14th. I entirely approve of your taking measures for executing the wishes of the banks by the coinage of small silver. but mr Gallatin observes that you should immediately furnish him an estimate of the expence you will incur for that purpose that he may have the necessary appropriations provided. Lest you...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 16 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
When Capt Lewis’s mission was under contemplation, and it’s principal object the obtaining a correct map of the Missouri, I recommended to him the making himself thoroughly acquainted with the practice of the Lunar observations for the longitude. but fearful that the loss or derangement of his watch, on which these were to depend, might lose us this great object of his journey, I endeavored to...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 2 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The failure to send your commission has been an act of forgetfulness of my own, as it should have been with you in time I have directed it to be made out to-day & sent by this evening’s post, under date of the 1st. inst. so that you will recieve it by the mail which carries this letter. Accept friendly salutations and assurances of great esteem & respect. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
11From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 13 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Having now recieved notice from mr Boudinot that he resigns his office as Director of the mint, on the last day of this month, you will recieve the commission to succeed him in due time to recieve from him whatever he may have occasion to deliver over in form. I write to him on the subject, so that you may now enter into communication with him thereon, and consider the matter henceforward as...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 27 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have learnt indirectly that mr Boudinot will shortly resign the office of Director of the mint. in that event I should feel very happy in confiding the public interests in that place to you. will you give me leave to send you the commission in the event of mr B’s resignation? I pray you to consider this as confidential, as what you write me shall be. Accept my friendly salutations. P.S. I...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 10 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof mr Cosa is an Italian Physico-mechanic. he employs himself chiefly in instruments of glass, and executes ingenious things in that line. he has been here about a month, during which time, as far as I have learnt, he has conducted himself correctly. being desirous to go to Philadelphia where he expects to find more employment, he has asked to be made known to some one who might...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 28 April 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of the 18th. with Doctr. Moore’s letter inclosed. by a mistake of the member of Congress who proposed the appropriation for the missions to explore Louisiana, 3000. D. only were given instead of 10, or 12,000. which were deemed necessary. for I had proposed to send two such missions. this error reduced me to a single one, & I fixed on that of the Red and Arkansa...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 2 March 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now able to inform you, tho’ I must do it confidentially, that we are at length likely to get the Missouri explored, & whatever river heading with that, leads into the Western ocean. Congress by a secret act has authorised me to do it. I propose to send immediately a party of about ten men with Capt Lewis, my secretary, at their head. if we could have got a person perfectly skilled in...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 16 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed is merely the letter of form communicating the paper it covers to the society. but I promised Capt Groves to write you a private & more particular one. he has proposed a new method of observing the eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites at sea. you will percieve that he is not expert at explaining his ideas. he has invented an instrument too for making the observations, but what are...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 17 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 12th. is duly recieved. mr Barnes will write by the present post to his friend mr Michael Roberts inclosing funds to enable him to pay the bill for the Hadley’s quadrant and thermometers, which I will pray you to direct the person from whom they are bought to have packed properly: but first to have a stand accomodated to the quadrant: for tho’ at sea the hand is the only...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 22 March 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your favor by mr Engles . the place desired for him is not given by commission from me, but is a mere appointment by letter from the Secretary at war, and consequently rests solely with him, without my interposition. nevertheless I sent him your letter, and afterwards stated to him the weight of your testimony. you have no conception of the number of applicants for this office. the...