To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin W. Stuart, 12 April 1801
From Benjamin W. Stuart
Bale. April 12th. 1801
Most Hond. Sir
I presumtively address your fealing soul; although elivated on lifes highest perogative. I daine to request what in my Country’s cause, and for my Country’s glory, and for the perminant establishment of that liberty, for which my father shed his blood. you will not, you can not, refuse. although a Destitute young man of Eighteen. I reste asured of genirous patronage, in your patriottic soul.
Then Hond. Sir. to one who pants to shed his blood. and to one, whose soul Burnes to raise a monument of heroisem to his Country’s faime. grante him Kinde Sir. but Small the means, & he presumes to raise them to as yet unheard of glory. no hills. no Dailes. no Vallies. shall impeed his course.
With the Greatest respect I am Hond. Sir Yr. Very Obe: Hbe. Servent
Benj W Stuart
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at head of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr.”; endorsed by TJ as received 24 Apr. from Baltimore and so recorded in SJL with notation “Off.”
The Editors have been unable to identify the author of this letter, but he is probably the same Benjamin Stuart who wrote TJ an undated letter received on 22 Dec. 1808. By then, suffering from blindness that created “incalculable difficulties for the delivery of my Orations, Political, Phylosophical, and Physical, intended for public benefit as well as my own good,” Stuart again sought TJ’s “bounty for an elevation of my destitute dustress’d situation” (RC in MoSHi: Jefferson Papers; at head of text: “To the President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 22 Dec. 1808 and so recorded in SJL).