1Thomas Jefferson to Littleton W. Tazewell, George Hay, and William Wirt, 9 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
In a former letter I promised a list of the books quoted & possessed by me, & of those quoted but not possessed, that these last might be sought for in time, as far as necessary.that list is now inclosed with explanatory notes. such of them as it will be necessary for me to send, shall be sent to Richmond whenever desired. the communications by water between Richmond & Norfolk are so frequent,...
2Thomas Jefferson to George Hay and William Wirt, 23 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
It is sometime since I recieved from mr Tazewell a letter in which he says ‘I presume it will be essential to procure much evidence from N.O. in order to sustain the defence proposed. as those however who may be there employed to prepare this evidence, from the circumstance of their not being accurately acquainted with the points & course of this defence, very probably may commit many errors,...
3Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt and George Hay, 19 May 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday a letter from mr Wickham informing me that Edward Livingston had by letter desired him to issue a writ of Trespass on the case against me in the Federal district court of this state. I inferred from mr Wickham’s letter that he was not engaged for the plaintiff, and in answering his letter therefore, I requested his aid for myself, & further that he would be so good as to...
4Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 3 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have rejoiced to see Ritchie declare himself in favor of the President on the late attack against him, and wish he may do the same as to mr Gallatin . I am sure he would if his information was full. I have not an intimacy with him which might justify my writing to him directly, but the inclosed letter to you is put into such a form as might be shewn to him, if you think proper to do so....
5Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 5 August 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 24. came to hand on the 31 st and I will proceed to answer your enquiries, in the order they are presented, as far as I am able. I have no doubt that the 5 th of the Rhode island resolutions, of which you have sent me a copy , is exactly the one erased from our journals. the mr Lee s, and especially Richard Henry , who was industrious, had a close correspondence, I know,...
6Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 14 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been laying under contribution my memory, my private papers, the printed records, gazettes & pamphlets in my possession to answer the enquiries of your letter of July 27. and I will give you the result as correctly as I can. I kept no copy of the paper I sent you on a former occasion , on the same subject, nor do I retain an exact recollection of it’s contents. but if in that I stated...
7Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 28 June 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter dated the 27 th is recieved, & shall be communicated to mr Carr to remove the impressions of a former one to him. the object of the present is merely to observe that mr Rodney’s letter was not inclosed in it as was intended. I write by this post to mr Tazewell . Affectionate salutations. PoC ( DLC ); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ. A letter from Wirt to TJ of 16 July...
8Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 12 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Among some queries you addressed to me some time ago, was one on the case of Josiah Philips , which happened early in the revolution. not aware that the propriety of the proceeding in that case had been questioned and reprehended, my answer was general on that query. an application from another quarter having informed me of the doubts which have been expressed on it, I have bestowed more...
9Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 8 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your 3 d parcel of sheets just as I was leaving Poplar Forest , and have read them with the usual pleasure. they relate however to the period of time exactly, during which I was absent in Europe . consequently I am without knolege of the facts they state. indeed they are mostly new history to me. on the subject of style they are not liable to the doubts I hazarded on the 1 st...
10Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 1 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly respects to mr Wirt , and incloses him an order on Gibson & Jefferson for 50.D. for the kindness of his services in the suit of Scott against him. he is anxious it should be forced on at the first calling that he may be rid of the obligation which the purchaser required of him. he salutes mr Wirt with friendship & respect. PoC ( MHi ); dateline at foot of...
11Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 20 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson with his friendly salutations to mr Wirt sends him some short Notes on the several queries suggested in his letter of the 9 th inst. RC ( MdHi , 1944); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “William Wirt esquire Richmond”; franked and postmarked; endorsed by Wirt. PoC ( DLC ); endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: enclosure to TJ to James Madison, 20 Aug. 1810 . Other enclosure printed below.
12Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 12 November 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of Oct. 23. was recieved here on the 31 st with the last sheets of your work. they found me engaged in a business which could not be postponed and have therefore been detained longer than I wished. on the subject of our antient aristocracy, I believe I have said nothing which all who knew them will not confirm, and which their reasonable descendants may not learn from every quarter. it...
13Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 25 March 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson salutes mr Wirt with friendship & respect, & informs him that the answer to his letter of Jan. 18. is now in hand & advanced; but that a journey to Bedford , on which he sets out tomorrow, will delay it a month at least. it will be written in the supposition that it is to be entirely confidential. PoC ( DLC ); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ. Tr ( MdHi : Wirt Papers).
14Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 30 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Dabney Carr has written to you on the situation of the Editor of the Aurora , and our desire to support him. that paper has unquestionably rendered incalculable services to republicanism thro’ all it’s struggles with the federalists, and has been the rallying point for the orthodox of the whole Union. it was our comfort in the gloomiest days, and is still performing the office of a watchful...
15Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 18 June 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
This letter is for yourself alone. I have recieved a communication thro’ D. Carr for which I sincerely thank you. I am busily engaged in collecting materials from the offices, arranging, E extracting E t c so as to place a very plain case in your hands. when fully possessed of the materials, I shall state the points on which I consider myself justified, submit the matter to my counsel, recieve...
16Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 18 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I will with pleasure undertake the perusal of your work and with the frankness to which you are entitled will make the observations to which it may give occasion, and this I will do on the condition and confidence that you will thi shew you think me worthy of equal frankness by regarding the observations I shall hazard exactly as much only as your own judgment shall dictate on severe...
17Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 3 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
The interest you were so kind as to take, at my request, in the case of Duane , and the communication to you of my first letter to him, entitles you to a communication of the 2 d which will probably be the last. I have ventured to quote your letter in it, without giving your name, & even softening some of it’s expressions respecting him. it is possible Duane may be reclaimed as to mr Madison ....
18Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 29 September 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I found, on my arrival t here the 2 d parcel of your sheets, which I have read with the same avidity and pleasure as the former. this proves they will experience no delay in my hands, and that I consider them as worthy every thing I can do for them. they need indeed but little, or rather I should say nothing. I have however hazarded some suggestions on a paper inclosed. when I read the former...
19Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 15 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 10 th was recieved yesterday. I should be unwilling that any use should be made of my letter which would shew my interference in the case in question, because I know how gladly the dogs of federalism would turn from Duane upon me and tranquility is now become the summum bonum with me. should Duane push his state-partyism against mr Gallatin to an opposition to the President ,...
20Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 13 July 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
A suit has been brought by Samuel Scott of Campbell county against myself & Samuel Harrison of Lynchburg for a parcel of land which I had sold to Harrison . it is palpably groundless, but yet has a right to go through all the usual forms, & I wish to push it through them with all the celerity possible, from an anxiety to quiet Harrison in his title. having borrowed from Harrison a copy of the...
21Recollections of Patrick Henry: Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 12 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Livingston’s suit having gone off on the plea to the jurisdiction, it’s foundation remains of course unexplained to the public. I have therefore concluded to make it public thro’ the ordinary channel of the press. an earlier expectation of the pamphlets and the desire to send you one has delayed, from post to post, my sooner acknoleging your kind aid in this case, and praying your...
22Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 4 September 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have read with great delight the portion of the history of mr Henry which you have been so kind as to favor me with, and which is now returned: and I can say from my own knolege of the cotemporary characters introduced into the canvas, that you have given them quite as much lustre as themselves would have asked. the exactness too of your details has in several instances corrected the errors...
23Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 11 March 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to mr Wirt , and on enquiry what had been done in Scott ’s suit against him he learns that it was dismissed in June last, and that the execution for the costs has been delivered to mr Wirt . he asks the favor of it’s being forwarded to him and salutes him with assurances of his great esteem and respect. PoC ( MHi ); dateline at foot of text; on verso of...