Thomas Jefferson Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Lear, Tobias" AND Period="Washington Presidency"
sorted by: editorial placement
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-27-02-0272

From Thomas Jefferson to Tobias Lear, 5 November 1793

To Tobias Lear

Germantown Nov. 5. 1793.

Dear Sir

Your favor of Oct. 10. reached me at Monticello only the night before my departure; that of Nov. 1. last night. I have thrown upon paper very roughly such notes as my memory enables me to make, for my papers are not at present at this place. I also inclose letters to such acquaintances of mine as I think may be most useful to you. There are none to London, because I have none there, and you will easily get them from everybody; and only one to Dumas, at Amsterdam, because Mr. Greenleaf will so perfectly introduce you there. I could only have given you letters to the V. Staphorsts & Hubbard, with whom Mr. Greenleaf is particularly connected. I have1 given you none to political men in Paris, because all my friends there have been turned adrift in the different stages of the progression of their revolution. I add my sincere wishes for your success and safety, and assurances of perfect esteem & attachment from Dear Sir your friend & servt

Th: Jefferson

P.S. I retire decidedly the 1st. day of January next.

RC (Mrs. Francis R. Stoddard, New York City, 1945); at foot of text: “Mr. Lear.” PrC (DLC). Tr (Viu: Edgehill-Randolph Papers); 19th-century copy. Enclosures: (1) TJ to William Boyd, 5 Nov. 1793. (2) TJ to Delamotte and Others, 5 Nov. 1793. (3) TJ to Ferdinand Grand, 5 Nov. 1793, consisting of the first three sentences in No. 1 nearly verbatim and a concluding sentence requesting him “to present my respect to your son and your ladies” (PrC in DLC, at foot of text: “M. Grand”; Tr in ViU: Edgehill-Randolph Papers, 19th-century copy). Other enclosure not found.

Lear’s letter of 1 NOV., recorded in SJL as received from New York on 4 Nov. 1793, enclosed a representation from Captain Welsh of the brigantine Maria about the capture and plunder of his ship near “the Caps” by the French frigate Médée and its recapture by a British letter of marque (not found, but summarized in Washington, Journal description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed., The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797, Charlottesville, 1981 description ends , 245).

1TJ here canceled “only to add my sin.”

Index Entries