1From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 19 March 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 17th. on the subject of the stores for Algiers, since which your’s of the 12th. is recieved. I thought I had spoken to mr Madison on the day of my departure on the subject of the gun carriages for the emperor of Marocco. I now write to him respecting them. I presume the date of the enlistment of the crews of our frigates in the Mediterranean should decide which of them shall...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 16 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson salutes mr Smith and incloses him a letter from a mr Nichols of Massachusets desiring to be a midshipman, of whom he knows nothing but what is contained in the letter. health & happiness. PrC ( DLC ). Enclosure: John H. Nichols to TJ, 8 Aug. 1803 (recorded in SJL as received from Charlestown on 15 Aug. with notation “to be Midshipman,” but not found).
3From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 6 September 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Can you inform me of the progress made in the gunboats, where they are building, and when they may probably be ready. were they now ready I should certainly make a proposition to send the whole to New York & to clear out that harbour. should they be ready by the meeting of Congress, and the armed vessels still lying in that port, we might consult Congress on the measure. After waiting almost...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 6 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have made some slight alterations with a view to perspicuity in order to confine Article Ist. to those breaches of the peace & of the law of nations which are subjected to the discretion of the Governors acting under standing instructions from this government. IId. to cases of piracy which are left to the discretion of the officer himself who commands the boat. IIId. to those offences...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 14 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday mr Thomas’s favor covering the list of warrants for the week, and your’s of the 7th. inst. I am very glad to learn your opinion on the question of admitting French & English prizes into our ports, & that it coincides with my own. indeed it is the opinion of every member of the administration. I consider that we are free to recieve, or to refuse the prizes of both nations,...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 8 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It is suggested to me (indirectly from the person himself) that Jerome Bonaparte is at Baltimore, under the name of Monsr. Dalbarton, with a son of Rewbell, [&] that they mean to ask a passage to France in one of our frigates. if this be the fact, he will have satisfied thereof the minister of his nation, thro’ whom we shall be apprised of it, & relieved from all trouble in deciding on it....
7From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 28 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter and other papers which I recieved from Captain Truxton by the last post. the malice and falsehood so habitual in Federal zealots had prepared me against surprize at the insinuations of this officer against you and myself. but what was his view in inclosing the letter to me? was it to give greater point to his disrespect? or did he imagine I should make him overtures to...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 10 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have heard of your misfortune and lament it, but will say nothing, ha[ving] learnt from experience that time, silence, & occupation are the only medicines such case. I should have regretted the necessity of writing to you on a subject of business, did I not believe it useful to withdraw the mind from what it is too apt to brood over, to other objects. You know the importance of our being...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 9 July 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
When it became necessary for me to name a successor to Mr. Stoddart, as Secretary of the Navy, my attention was naturally first called to those gentlemen whose line of life led them to an intimacy with ship-building & navigation. the place was therefore proposed to your brother, to mr Langdon & to Capt Jones. they have all declined it. it becomes now necessary to find one in some other line....
10X. To Robert Smith, 14 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to give the inclosed a strict revisal, and to suggest on a separate paper any alterations which occur to you as for the better. the sooner you can return it the more thankfully will the kindness be acknoleged. RC ( CtY , 1944); on verso of an address sheet with canceled “The President of the U. States” in Jacob Wagner’s hand; addressed: “The Secretary of the Navy.” Not...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 15 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
The calls for our gunboats at Charleston, Savanna, Mobille & N. Orleans are very imperious. the late insult to our peace officers at Savannah should never be permitted to be repeated a second time. Capt Casson tells me mr Fox is engaged in making the drawings for the lighter gun boat. but while the drawings are preparing to be sent to the several places of construction, could not your orders...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Reibelt, bookseller, St. Patricks’s row, Baltimore having sent me a box of books to select such as I should chuse, I observe one which I think would be useful for your office or for our young eleves. tho the French are behind the English in the practice of the Nautical art, they are, from the excellence of their institutions, far before them in the theory. The price of the book is 10 D. 8....
13From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 6 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
We have now authentic information from mr Simpson that the Governor of Tangiers has by letter informed him of the Emperor of Marocco’s permission to him to return for six months. this is a clear enough expression of his object, which is presents, and peace. on these we have time to consider. but this change in the state of things renders it proper that we should change our purpose of sending...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 22 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just returned from Mr. Madison’s, where I have had conferences with him on the subject of our Barbary affairs & on consideration of the opinions of yourself & the Secretaries of the Treasury & War. there is an entire concurrence of opinion among us in every material point. the amount of these opinions is, and consequently the decision on them as follows. The hundred guncarriages, and...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 14 October 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from one Baldwin respecting things at the Wallabough. the proper use of such information is to put one on enquiry as it comes often from good men with patriotic views. with respect to himself, I presume from Blackley’s letter he has been heretofore in employ, & is now out. you will judge whether his situation does not merit such notice, useful to him, as circumstances...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 22 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Francis Mitchill of Richmond in Virginia has been recommended for a midshipman’s place by Colo. John Harvie of that place and mr George Divers, gentlemen worthy of all confidence . I saw him myself, & found from his own statement that he had proceeded in geometry as far as the 6. first books of Euclid. William G. Stewart of Philadelphia applies for a place of midshipman. I am personally...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, Henry Dearborn, and Robert Smith, 5 May 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson asks the favor of the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary at War & Secretary of the Navy to carry into execution the inclosed resolution of the H. of representatives of May 3. 1802. desiring a statement of expenditures from Jan. 1. 1797. by the Quarter Master Genl. the Navy agents, for the Contingencies of the Naval & Military establishments and the Navy contracts for timber &...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 30 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 27th. was recieved yesterday. the host of commissions had come to hand and been signed & sent back by the last post. those now recieved are therefore returned: as are also the instructions to Commodore Morris with the suggestion of a small alteration or two. I doubt too whether it might not be proper to say something on the conditions of peace with Tripoli & Marocco; to wit that...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 14 May 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly salutations to the Secretary of the navy and incloses him a letter from mr Page asking a furlough for a son of Genl. Spotswood . if it be within rule it is worth while to oblige the Genl. (tho’ a true federalist) as well as mr Page PrC ( DLC ). Recorded in SJL with notation “furlough for Spotswood.” Enclosure: probably Mann Page to TJ, 9 May 1802, recorded...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 30 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Having understood that you have been unwell, & that your family is still so, I have not asked your attendance here, lest these circumstances should stand in the way. Mr. Madison, Dearborne & Gallatin are here & mr Lincoln expected tomorrow. we have not only to decide on the matters to be communicated to Congress, but as early a decision of the administration as possible is requisite on one of...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 5 September 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Aug. 27. 31. 31. are received. the last one requires only to be acknoleged. the commissions , which are the subject of the first, are signed & forwarded herewith. with respect to the Boston she may get ready for departure as soon as possible. we do not consider it as proper to delay either the vessel or mr Livingston. the delay under which the treaty is may possibly be...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 16 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
We have this morning recieved authentic information from mr Simpson that a state of peace is happily restored between us & the emperor of Marocco. information habitually recieved shews there has never been any danger of rupture between us & Tunis or Algiers. in this state of things, and considering the approach of winter, it becomes necessary we should have a general consultation of the heads...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 17 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from a mr Isaac Mansfield as attorney for the representative of James Mugford , who was killed in an action on board a vessel which he commanded whereby, under the then existing regulations, his widow became entitled to a bounty . I inclose it to you because, if entitled by the existing laws, the [inquiries] first come to your office for it’s sanction before it could be...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from mr Simpson to mr Madison shewing very clearly that our plan of having the gun carriages for the Emperor of Marocco made in Europe, cannot take place. to cut short all further delay on this subject, I think we must furnish them from hence. you observe they must be of the very best & fitted for land service. if we have such, really good, tho’ wanting for our own...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The act of the Virginia legislature which is the foundation of the inclosed will become null by it’s own provision that it should be so if not assented to by Congress before Mar. 3. it is too late for Congress to take it up, but as it possibly may be brought forward at the next session it will be well in the mean time to procure necessary information. RC ( LNT : George H. and Katherine M....
26From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 29 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress appropriated 20,000 D. to effecting the Marine hospital . the Site purchased of the Commissioners cost between 8. & 9000 Dollars. but it was thought that 4000 D. only of that in cash would be requisite for their purposes & that the balance might be applied to their credit in account of the sum guaranteed by Congress: consequently that there remained 16,000. D. of the appropriation...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 13 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I should be much better pleased to see a due proportion of candidates for the place of midshipmen from the North. they ought not to expect to reap that whereon they have bestowed no labour, nor where others have laboured that they should reap the fruits. I am sorry they are not disposed to make the sacrifice of time & money necessary by which our young midshipmen qualify themselves for...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 3 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
As mr Pinckney may be arrived in the country some time before I hear of it, will you be so good as to take the first decent occasion, after his arrival, of offering him the office of a judge of the Supreme court of the territory of Orleans, and of asking an answer? we can only await a certain time for that: but when that time is out, I will give you notice to avoid a proposition to him after...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 11 September 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just recieved from Govr. Drayton a letter [on] the subject of the French prisoners there, with copies of those which had passed between him and the French agent, which I inclose you. in his letter to me is this passage. ‘I should be glad to know in what manner the expences of the said prisoners are to be defrayed: whether by the US. or the French republic. for as they were brought in...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 20 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had an opportunity of consulting with mr Madison and of considering with his assistance the question whether the John Adams should proceed. I had before been favored with a letter from mr Gallatin which with yours furnished material considerations on the subject. the defect of specific appropriation presented the greatest difficulty: but that seems already incurred by the advance of the...