Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-11-02-0182

DeWitt Clinton to Thomas Jefferson, 27 March 1817

From DeWitt Clinton

Albany 27 March 1817.

Dear Sir

Some days ago I sent to you a treatise on Canals compiled at the request of the Canal Commissioners of this State. I now forward all the reports &c. which relate to the contemplated Erie & Champlain Canals & which will give you a full & commanding1 view of the whole field of enquiry,2 with the addition of a map of this State in order to supply the want of a topographical map in the case of the Champlain Canal.

The high respect which I entertain for your opinion and the enlarged & public-spirited views which are cherished3 by you, must render a communication from you on this subject peculiarly gratifying & interesting but I dare not solicit it, lest it might interfere too much with more important avocations

I am with sincere respect & regard Your most obedt servant

DeWitt Clinton

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 8 Apr. 1817 and so recorded in SJL. RC (ViW: TC-JP); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Louis Pio, 13 June 1817, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr Monticello Virginia”; stamp canceled; franked; postmarked (faint) Albany, 2[8?] Mar., and Monticello, N.Y., 5 Apr., with note in unidentified hand to “fowd.” Dft (Lb in NNC: Clinton Papers); lacking closing and signature.

The treatise on canals was “Atticus” [Clinton], Remarks on the Proposed Canal, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River (New York, 1816). The enclosed reports &c. probably included Memorial of the Citizens of New-York, in favour of a Canal Navigation between the Great Western Lakes and the Tide-Waters of the Hudson (New York, 1816; Poor, Jefferson’s Library description begins Nathaniel P. Poor, Catalogue. President Jefferson’s Library, 1829 description ends , 5 [no. 217]; TJ’s copy in PPAmP); Report of the Joint Committee of the Legislature of New-York, on the Subject of the Canals, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. In Assembly, March 19, 1817. Read, and ordered to be printed (Albany, 1817; Poor, Jefferson’s Library description begins Nathaniel P. Poor, Catalogue. President Jefferson’s Library, 1829 description ends , 5 [no. 217]; TJ’s copy in PPAmP); Report of the Commissioners of the State of New-York, on the Canals from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. Presented to the Legislature, 17th February, 1817 (Albany, 1817; Poor, Jefferson’s Library description begins Nathaniel P. Poor, Catalogue. President Jefferson’s Library, 1829 description ends , 5 [no. 217]; TJ’s copy in PPAmP); and Gideon Granger, Speech of Gideon Granger, Esq. delivered before a Convention of the People of Ontario County, N.Y. Jan. 8, 1817, on the subject of a Canal from Lake Erie to Hudson’s River ([New York, 1817]; Poor, Jefferson’s Library description begins Nathaniel P. Poor, Catalogue. President Jefferson’s Library, 1829 description ends , 5 [no. 217]; TJ’s copy in PPAmP). On p. 13 of Granger’s speech, he summarized Spain’s efforts to claim the Mississippi River following the American Revolution and the resulting contention between the northern and southern states of the Union and concluded that “The western waters were then saved by the northern states refusing to accede to the demands of Spain.” On his copy TJ penciled a notation that “this is exactly the reverse of the truth.” The map of this state (New York) has not been identified.

1Preceding two words interlined in Dft.

2Preceding four words interlined in Dft in place of “interesting subject.”

3Manuscript: “cheished.”

Index Entries

  • canals; Champlain search
  • canals; Erie search
  • canals; proposed search
  • Champlain Canal search
  • Clinton, DeWitt; and Champlain Canal search
  • Clinton, DeWitt; and Erie Canal search
  • Clinton, DeWitt; letters from search
  • Clinton, DeWitt; Remarks on the Proposed Canal, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River search
  • Erie Canal search
  • Granger, Gideon; Speech of Gideon Granger, Esq. delivered before a Convention of the People of Ontario County, N.Y. Jan. 8, 1817, on the subject of a Canal from Lake Erie to Hudson’s River search
  • Hudson River search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
  • Lake Champlain; proposed canal to search
  • Lake Erie; proposed canal to search
  • Memorial of the Citizens of New-York, in favour of a Canal Navigation between the Great Western Lakes and the Tide-Waters of the Hudson search
  • Mississippi River; Spanish claims to search
  • New York (state); and canals search
  • New York (state); Memorial of the Citizens of New-York, in favour of a Canal Navigation between the Great Western Lakes and the Tide-Waters of the Hudson search
  • New York (state); Remarks on the Proposed Canal, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River (D. Clinton) search
  • New York (state); Report of the Commissioners of the State of New-York, on the Canals from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. Presented to the Legislature, 17th February, 1817 search
  • New York (state); Report of the Joint Committee of the Legislature of New-York, on the Subject of the Canals, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. In Assembly, March 19, 1817 search
  • New York (state); Speech of Gideon Granger, Esq. delivered before a Convention of the People of Ontario County, N.Y. Jan. 8, 1817, on the subject of a Canal from Lake Erie to Hudson’s River (G. Granger) search
  • Remarks on the Proposed Canal, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River (D. Clinton) search
  • Report of the Commissioners of the State of New-York, on the Canals from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. Presented to the Legislature, 17th February, 1817 search
  • Report of the Joint Committee of the Legislature of New-York, on the Subject of the Canals, from Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and from Lake Champlain to the Same. In Assembly, March 19, 1817 search
  • Spain; and U.S. search
  • Speech of Gideon Granger, Esq. delivered before a Convention of the People of Ontario County, N.Y. Jan. 8, 1817, on the subject of a Canal from Lake Erie to Hudson’s River (G. Granger) search