1Jared Sparks: Notes on conversations with James Madison, 19 April 1830 (Madison Papers)
The apportionment of taxation in the old states of 3/5 for slaves was decided rather from accident, than any accurate calculation. The subject caused much debate in Congress. The east and the south differed. The former was for a high ratio, the latter for a low;—¼, ½, 2/3 were proposed and rejected. At length Mr Madison proposed 3/5, which was accepted, & he still thinks it very near the true...
2Jared Sparks to Thomas Jefferson, 20 August [1820] (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Sparks accepts with pleasure Mr. Jefferson ’s invitation to dinner at 3 oclock. His friend and travelling companion, Mr. Steell of Baltimore will accompany him. RC ( NNPM ); partially dated; dateline at foot of text; addressed: “ Thomas Jefferson . Esqr. Montecello ”; endorsed by TJ as a letter of 20 Aug. 1820.
3Jared Sparks to James Madison, 15 April 1830 (Madison Papers)
I have received your favor of the 8th. instant, and shall accept with very great pleasure your kind invitation to visit Montpellier and examine the letters of General Washington in your possession. I shall probably go in the stagecoach, which I understand will reach Orange Court House on monday. Meantime please to accept the assurances of the perfect respect with which I am, Sir, your much...
4Jared Sparks’s Account of a Visit to Monticello, [20 August 1820] (Jefferson Papers)
But one of the greatest curiosities I met with was Thomas Jefferson . Whether you will call this a natural or an artificial curiosity, I am puzzled to know. At all events, I went to see him at the exhibition-house at Monticello , up a long hill, which is almost daily trod by many a weary pilgrim’s foot. I was very kindly received and politely treated; and I think there are very few persons who...
5To James Madison from Jared Sparks, 27 February 1828 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 7th: of January came safely to hand. I trust you have before this time received the packet of letters sent by Col. Storrow. Had any accident befallen them I think he would have informed me. It is probable he has waited for a safe conveyance. I have written him on the subject. As all Genl. Washington’s papers are put up in chests, and deposited in the safety vault of an...
6Jared Sparks to James Madison, 16 April 1835 (Madison Papers)
Will you allow me to ask a favor, which I cannot doubt you will very readily grant? By some accident, for which I cannot account, a letter from you to General Washington, dated Decr. 9th. 1786, has been mislaid or lost. I think I remember having seen the letter, but whether it was in the parcel that I sent to you I cannot say. General Washington alludes to it in such a manner, that it seems...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Jared Sparks, 13 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I hope you will pardon me for the liberty I take in sending you the last number of the North American Review. I have thought you might be pleased to see an article, which I have there drawn up, on the subject of colonizing free blacks in Africa. The interest, which you formerly took in the subject, encourages me to this belief. In another part of the work, (p. 163) you will see I have made...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Jared Sparks, 13 May 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind favor of 8 th ult o reached me in Raleigh, and I write to thank you for the willingness you express to promote my project of a history of the Revolution. As my tour has already been much longer in duration than I expected, and as pressing duties at home demand my speedy return, I am compelled for the present to deny myself the pleasure of the visit to Monticello, which I...
9Jared Sparks to James Madison, 24 May 1831 (Madison Papers)
I am under many obligations to you for your full and satisfactory letter, respecting the part taken by Gouverneur Morris in the Convention. The information is valuable, & not to be obtained in any other Quarter. I should not trouble you at present, were it not for a hint contained in the postscript to your letter, respecting a pamphlet by Mr Morris on the threatened repeal of the law of...
10Jared Sparks to James Madison, 5 May 1830 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty to forward to you a recent number of the N. A. Review, which contains an article (p. 454) written by me respecting early revolutionary matters, in which you may possibly find some things to interest you, should you ever have leisure to look into it. Since my return I have conversed with Mr Adams concerning Charles Pinckney’s draft of a constitution. He says it was furnished...