David Bailie Warden to Thomas Jefferson, 19 January 1810
From David Bailie Warden
Paris, 19 January, 1810.
Sir,
I have the honor of sending you, by Captain Fenwick, a copy of Mr. Bottas’ work—Storia della guerra Americana. It is well written, and contains information not found in any other narrative on the same Subject. The Author is a member of the French Legislative body: his principles are just and liberal, and he is a most amiable man.—
you will have been informed of the Emperors orders to sequester1 the cargoes of American Vessels in Spain and in Naples. This measure seems to put an end to negotiation. Several of the ministers of the Emperor wish for an amicable2 arrangement between the two Countries; but it seems he is determined neither to change, nor to modify his decrees. If an arrangement takes place, I still hope to be continued here as Consul, as I presume that the person who was my rival, no longer wishes to supplant me. Any interest, Sir, you may please to employ in my behalf will be gratefully acknowledged.
David Bailie Warden
P.S. I send you a parcel of seeds from the garden of plants—3
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esquire”; endorsed by TJ as received 17 June 1810 and so recorded in SJL; with TJ’s Dft outline of his 15 July reply on verso. FC (MdHi: Warden Letterbook); in Warden’s hand; lacks closing and postscript. Enclosed in James Madison to TJ, 15 June 1810.
The work by Carlo Botta, Storia della guerra dell’Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America, 4 vols. (Paris, 1809; no. 509; , 4 [no. 134]), was sent separately and did not reach TJ until September 1810 (John R. Fenwick to TJ, 18 Aug. 1810; TJ to Fenwick, 18 Sept. 1810). Angered by the American decision to forbid its vessels entry into French and English ports, but to allow them to visit the Netherlands, spain, and naples, Napoleon had ordered the sequestration of United States ships destined for those three countries (, 20:81–2). my rival: Jonathan Russell.
1. FC: “confiscate.”
2. Word omitted in FC.
3. Postscript, omitted in FC, inserted in RC by Warden in a miniscule hand to the left of his signature.
Index Entries
- Berlin and Milan decrees; unchanged search
- Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo; D. B. Warden’s opinion of search
- Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo; Storia della guerra dell’Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America search
- Fenwick, John Roger; forwards book to TJ search
- France; Berlin and Milan decrees search
- gardens; Jardin des Plantes search
- Jardin des plantes et Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle; seeds from search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
- Naples; American property seized in search
- Napoleon I, emperor of France; Continental System of search
- Russell, Jonathan; and D. B. Warden search
- Russell, Jonathan; candidate for Paris consulship search
- seeds; sent to TJ search
- Spain; American property seized in search
- Storia della guerra dell’ Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America (C. G. G. Botta) search
- The Netherlands; American property seized in search
- United States; and France search
- Warden, David Bailie; letters from search
- Warden, David Bailie; sends publications to TJ search
- Warden, David Bailie; sends seeds to TJ search