51To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [25? December 1787] (Jefferson Papers)
Inclosed, My dear friend, I send You the Proposed Constitution which I Have Received on My Way. What do You think of the powers of the president? I am affraid that our friends are gone a little too far on the other side. But suppose it is the Case, and General Washington is the president, I know him too well not to think He will find the danger, and lessen the authority Before He Goes over....
52To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 31 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have receiv’d your Excellencys letter enclosing some Resolves respecting the imports of Horses, and thought it was my best way to intrust General Nelson with the care of carrying them into execution. Inclosed your Excellency will find the Returns of General Mullenbergs Brigade. I have the pleasure to inform you that Camden is evacuated, that the posts of fort Motte, Orangeburg, Fort Watson,...
53Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 16 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
This Letter Will Be delivered By Mr Geo. Flower Who is Going over With an intention to Settle in America . I know Him to Be one of the Most desirable Acquisitions the U.S. Can Make. His departure from England is Suspended Untill a Line of introduction from me to You Can Reach Him. While it Shows the proper Sense He Has of Your Acquaintance, I find in it a Very pleasing Gratification, as Mr...
54To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 6 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
It would Be almost as easy to shoot one of the flying Geniuses of the Arabian Nights as to direct a letter to the place where it Has the Best chance to Hit You. I Have Been dilatory in My Answer, which must be imputed to the public Hurry of National Affairs. But as I Now Hope for Your Speedy Return, I shall Make this letter the Shorter Because I Have thousand things to tell you. Our Assembly...
55To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [ca. 6 March 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
Inclosed, my dear Sir, I send you a letter to Gnl. Knox wherein I mention Count d’estaing’s Anecdote as He gave it to me. Your idea Respecting Paul Jones is Very Good, and if He is prevailed upon to go, altho’ you deni you think yourself Warranted in Advancing public Monney to Him, He will easily find it Among His friends. And I think the sooner He goes, the better. Wishing you a good journey...
56To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 2 August [1786] (Jefferson Papers)
I Have spoken with Baron de Grimm who, it Seems, Has No Notion to Continue the Monthly 25 guineas, and says He Has taken no other Engagement But to advance that sum once—for you must know, Between You and me that the 25 guineas exceeding this Sum Have Been delivered under his Name on my Account, which of course the Empress will Reimburse if She Accepts of the proposal. In the mean while Baron...
57To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 December 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have on the 8th October Adressed You with a long Confidential Letter and Entrusted it to Mr. Livingston—Since Which General Armstrong Has delivered Your kind favor of June the 27h With the Subsequent Information You Have Been pleased to Send for me in Every part of those transactions I find Myself Under Such obligations to Your friendship that While I have words to Express them, I feel I...
58To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 27 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Captain North from Baron de Stüben’s Camp Has Been with Me last Evening and was directed By the Baron to Give me Every intelligence Relative to the Situation. From what He says I think the Baron is By this time [at] Chesterfield Court House, And Consider Richmond as the Present object for Both Parties. Every Boat that is in the River should Be Collected Above the falls By which Means A...
59Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 17 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have not, Since a very Long while, Received An Answer from You. a Letter of Mine will probably Go By the opportunity which Carries these Lines. I shall Therefore only inclose a Copy of the Letter writen to our friend dupont de Nemours By Another friend of ours . it Relates more to you than to Him and if you Can Give Him the informations and Send the Books Herein Requested You will greatly...
60Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 12 September 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ my Letters to you Have for a very Long time Remained unanswered, I Cannot let madame de puzy Go to America without these lines from me—Not that she is in Need of a Recommendation to the friend upon whose Sentiments for Herself and Her parents she and Her children are chiefly to depend. she abandons the prospects to which the Distinguished Services of Her Husband , not only in our times,...
61To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 28 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy’s intention has been to distroy this army and I conjecture would have been afterwards to distroy the Stores which it covers. They have now undertaken another movement and it appears they are going through the country to Fredericksburg. Their Dragoons were this morning near Hannover Court House and (unless this is a feint) I expect the Army will be there this evening. Our small corps...
62To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [23 October 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
Inclosed, my dear sir, I Send You the arrêts du Conseil about Wines. While you are printing Mr. de Calonne’s letter, Could you not Have it on two Columns, the one in English. It will be better translated By Mr. Short than By our News paper printers, and prove Convenient to such of our friends who Cannot well Read french. Let me have twenty Copies. Our last Evening’s Conversation, together with...
63To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 17 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have the Honor to inform Your Excellency that the detachement Under My orders is on its Way to Richmond Where I Expect to Receive directions from General Greene. From the intelligences I get of the Number General Philips’s Army Consist of, I Aprehend that the State of Virginia Must Need An immediate support. This Consideration alone Could induce Me to Advance By Rapid and forced Marches with...
64To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 6 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
On my arrival at this place I did myself the honor of writing to your Excellency and I hope my letter has been safely transmitted. A number of vessels have come up the river and as our preparations are going on with the greatest alacrity, I think the troops may be embarked to-morrow, so that if we hear from the French squadron we shall immediatley sail for Portsmouth. Had vessels been in...
65To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 1 Feb. 1790. He asks TJ to be of service to M. Minguée, who is leaving for America to “faire un établissement” on the Scioto river, having served with patriotism and zeal in the national Parisian army from the beginning of the Revolution, and from whose great friend, the “Gouverneur de mon fils,” he has just received new testimony in his favor. [P.S.] “I don’t know, My dear friend, When...
66To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 23 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
In the Midst of preparations and Sanguine Hopes, intelligence was Brought to our Camp Near Sleepy Hole that the Squadron Some time Mistaken for a French fleet, was Behond any doubt Composed of British Men of War. Their Force and Number was still Uncertain, Nor was it possible to know where they Came from. It was then A general opinion that they Had troops on Board. The Same Night the troops...
67To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, June 1785–May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
This letter, My dear Sir, Will Be delivered By M. de la Tagnerette a Gentleman Well Acquainted with financeering Matters who is one of the farmers of the Postoffice. He has some ideas Regarding our tobaccoes which I Advised Him to Communicate You. Bonjour My dear friend. LAF. RC ( MHi ); without indication of addressee or date. This letter could have been written at any time between 1785 and...
68Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 25 February 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
This Letter will Be delivered By M r Jullien a Citizen distinguished By His Litterary and political knowledge as well as By His patriotic Sentiments. He Has Been for a Long time employ’d in the Commissariat and offices of the military department and Has particularly Applied His Studies to the Line of education. Being desirous to visit the U. S. , altho’ He is not on the lists of proscription,...
69To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 17 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
From a Conversation with the Quarter Master of this State, I find that there will Be A Great deficiency of Horses, and that None of those which Have Been Procured Can Serve for the purposes of our Artillery. Under these Circumstances, and in the full Conviction that a transportation of Heavy Artillery and Stores Was Necessary to the Expedition, I thought that Oxen Might in Some Cases Render...
70To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 8 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The detachment under My orders is to embark this Morning, and if the Bay is Clear of Privateers will proceed as far as Annapolis where I expect to Hear from our Allies. My former letters Having exposed our Wants to Your Excellency, I Shall Content Myself with adding that a Number of large vessels, and a quantity of provisions will be very necessary for transporting and Subsisting the troops in...
71To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [before 3 June 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
I Most Heartily thank You, My dear friend, for Your Excellent ideas. What will Become of the States Generals God knows. Our House Has this Morning protested Against the Appellation of Commons , and the Commons Have said there Must Be No intermediaire Between them and the King. It is true they Meant the Ministers But we took it for us. In the Mean While the King and Queen are on the...
72Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 12 June 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
While I was indulging the Hope to See M r Coles at La Grange , to possess Him Some days in our family, to go with Him to Aulnay where M r et M de de tessé , expected the pleasure to Receive Him, I Have Been Yesterday informed of His Sudden departure—I immediately Came to town, But am much Vexed at My disappointment—The impression M r Coles Has made Upon me Makes me Heartily Regret Not to Have...
73To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 22 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho’ the Affair for Which I presume to Adress You Has Been Recommended and Elucidated by the Governement of this Country, and altho’ My friends the Heirs Beaumarchais Are Giving an Account of the Business, Which to Mr Munroe Has Appeared Satisfactory, and Will, I think, Equally Satisfy Mr Livingston, I feel Myself, on two Accounts, Impelled to Unite My private Voice to those public...
74To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 4 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Before this Comes to Hand Your Excellency Will Have Got an Accurate Account of the Action Between the two fleets, where it Appears that Notwistanding their Inferiority Our Allies obtained the Honor of the day. But the Object of the Expedition was Lost, and the Attak of Portsmouth Unfortunately Post poned. On the Point of Setting out for the Grand Army, I will at least do My Best for the Relief...
75To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [25 August 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
I Beg for liberty’s sake You will Breack Every Engagement to Give us a dinner to Morrow Wenesday. We shall Be some Members of the National Assembly—eight of us whom I want to Coalize as Being the only Means to prevent a total dissolution and a civil war. The dificulty Between them is the King’s veto. Some want it Absolute, others will Have no Veto, and the only way to Unite them is to find...
76Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 12 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I Hope You Have Received my Letter of the 16 h Novem ber Complaining of Your silence—far I am from withdrawing the Complaint—Not one Line of Answer from You, Since You are at Monticelo , Has Reached me—I was Anxious to Hear Every particulars Relative to Your Retirement—the minute detaïls I Had presumed to pour upon You, with Respect to my private Concerns, needed to Be Countenanced By Your...
77To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 11 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
When I Heard of Your Going to France, I heartly lamented I Could not Have the Honour to Receive You there. But in the Same time Anticipated the pleasure to wait upon You this Winter in our French Capital. Your Voyage to Europe I Ever Considered as a favourite Wish of mine and on Every public and private Account am Happy to think You at last Have Consented to go. Permit me, my dear Sir farther...
78Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 22 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I find the dispatches By the Hornet are Just Going and altho’ I mean to write more fully By the Return of the wasp I Hastily Seize the Opportunity to let you know that my family and myself, mde de tessé , who Has Been ill, mr de tessé , m. de mun and m r de tracy are now all well—your Correspondance with washington will inform you of the European news.—Great Continental preparations are moving...
79Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 10 October 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
A Long while Has Elapsed Since I Had the pleasure to Hear from you—I might Say a Century Was I to Reckon upon the Succession of Revolutions and dynasties—But as Royal and imperial Cycles are to you and me very Secondary objects, I only mean the true time during which I Have Been deprived of your Correspondance In your Letters of Last year, anterior to the first Abdication of Bonaparte , you...
80To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 19 April 1799 (Jefferson Papers)
Amidst the dificulties Which Now Attend An American Correspondance, it is Necessary for friends Not to find fault With Each other, and in Spite of Naval Piracies and Various Accidents, (One of Your letters Was Near Six Years old,) Mutually to depend on Sentiments as UnAlterable as they are Ancient—I am Nevertheless in Hopes that Notwithstanding mr Pitt’s Contrivance to declare a Whole...
81To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 7 June 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho Every Motive of Regard and Affection Conspire to Make me Lament our separation, I Lament it still more on Account of our Revolution wherein Your Advices would Have Greatly Helped us, and Could Not fail to Have Had a Great Weight Among our Constitution Makers. You left us on the Point of that dissolution of the Patriotic Party which I then did, and I Have ever in Vain Endeavoured to Unite...
82Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 16 September 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I Cannot Let g al Bernard Embark with His Amiable Lady and family for America without a line to You. that Eminent officer Has Been Honour’d with the only Exception to the determination of Government Not to Employ foreigners in the Army of the U.S. I think He deserves the Confered distinction, Not only on Account of His Great talents, and deep knowledge in His Line, But also Because I Never Saw...
83To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, with Enclosure, 18 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Thus far I Have Come down from My Mountains, and Hope I will not Be sent Back without some decision or other Respecting American affairs. Inclosed is the Copy of a letter to M. Lambert which I Have writen as soon as I Knew His Appointement. I also inform M. de la Boulaïe that I will Be Ready to Meet Him Every day in the Next week, But that I am obliged to set out Again on the fifth of October...
84To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 3 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
sdkfj The Arrival of a french Squadron in the Bay will Have for some days Raised Your Excellencys Expectations, and You Have, I Hope, Received a Letter from me wherein I informed Your Excellency that I was Coming to Virginia with A Continental detachment, and that the Commander in Chief Had been pleased to Give me the Command of an Expedition Against Portsmouth. Since that time our troops Have...
85To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 25 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of Yesterday Has found me At this place where we Arrived this After Noon After A March of twenty five Miles which the Extreme Heat of the day And Absolute want of Waggons for the transportation of the Men Have Rendered Very fatiguing. Want of Waggons Has Also detained our Ammunition which Cannot Be Here Untill to Morrow. As soon As we get this Necessary Article the...
86Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 16 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter of May 17 h Has Afforded me Every kind of Gratification. I Had not for a Long time Heard from you and was very Anxious for intelligences of your welfare. Certain Leanings of the Liberal opinion on the other Side of the Channel and Atlantic waters Appearing to me Not Quite Correct I Have Been much pleased to find you were Sensible of the dangers we Had to Encounter from Both...
87To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 26 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The returns of the Men serving from the different Counties I have not yett been able to obtain, as soon as they are made out, I shall have the honor of inclosing them. By Genl. Lawson’s letter herewith sent your Excellency will learn the small progress He has made; request to have the letter returned. Baron de Steuben informs me that only two men had been imployed in repairing the damaged...
88Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 26 December 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
The Arrival of the Constitution frigate Has Blessed me with a very welcome Compensation for your Long Silence— I Have first Enjoy’d the kind Letters directed to me, then took a share in those to mde de tessé and to my friends Humboldt and tracy —they Have Given me So much to think and to Say that I feel the insufficiency of Epistolary Correspondance , and more than Ever the Need of personal...
89To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 30 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have been Honoured with your welcome favour of the 24th just as I Had set down at Luneville with an Intention to write to you, and give you an account of my Round about journey, which shall be at an End By the 20th of the Next Month. In an official, and a private letter June the 16th, General Knox acknoledged the Receipt of our letters inclosing a Note from Count d’Estaing and Says He Has...
90Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 16 November 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have not, Since You are Returned to private life, Received one Line from You— no Answer to My Voluminous dispatches By a S t Sebastien Ship, Count palhen , and the John Adams Has Ever Reached me—Several Government Letters Have Since arrived—I Have Several times writen to You—This Silence of Yours, my Excellent friend, is to me a Great disappointment. M r Russel will Relate the State of...
91To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 November 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
On My Coming for a few Days to Paris I find two Opportunities to write to You and Am Happy to Repeat the Expression of My old Constant Affectionate Regard—Mr Levingston’s Official Correspondance and that of Mr King, Now in this place Will Let You know All the politics of Europe—The Interior politics of France I Have No pleasure to Expatiate Upon, Nor Can You fail Anticipating My Sentiments on...
92Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 25 April 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I Was a few days Ago in paris when M r G. Ticknor Left a Card and a Letter from You which I Hastened, with Affectionate Eagerness, to peruse . not a little perplexed Was I to Understand Some parts of it, when I perceived that Since it Had been writen two Revolutions and two dynasties Had Successively Reigned in france . m r Ticknor whom I Had the pleasure to See the Next day Confirmed by His...
93Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 20 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I Cannot Lament the Sudden departure of the wasp Since I am informed it is owing to Some Better progress from this Quarter—the particulars I do Not know, Having Had no Late Opportunity of a Confidential Communication with Our friend mr Barlow . the Negociation with mr perceval Has taken a shorter turn than was Expected—I Hope His power May Be inherited By one Better disposed in favor of the...
94Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 8 September 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know whether the Bearer of these Lines Has Had the Honour of Your Acquaintance while you were Visiting His family or friends—But I am Sure He Will Meet a kind Welcome at Monticelo and Shall only add the Expression of my Constant and Respectful affection RC ( DLC ); endorsed by TJ as received 27 Oct. 1817 and so recorded in SJL ; with notation by TJ adjacent to endorsement: “(by...
95Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your kind Letter may 14 h By m r Lyman is the Last I Have Received. I know You Had Rather Ride than Write. But Altho’ I Have Successfully forced myself to Recover the Use of Horse Riding, We Unfortunately are not Within Visiting distance. Let us therefore, now and then, indulge mutual friendship in the only Means of Communication that are Left to us. Politics, as You Justly observe, Have Ever...
96To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 30 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I Have not this Long While Had the pleasure of a Letter from You —Yet I Hope You Have Received the Heartfelt Expressions of my old, Constant friendship, and the Affectionate, patriotic Wishes Which Accompagny You in a Station Where the Welfare of the United States, and the Cause of liberty are So Highly Interested—So Confused Have Been the Ideas of Europe that Never She Could be So Much...
97Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 14 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letters to me Nov. 30 and to our Beloved Mde de tessé decemb. 8 h are the Last I Have Received—She Has Not lived to enjoy this token of your Rememberance— m. de tessé who Had Been declining Rapidly was the first of the two for whom we Had to mourn—she assisted Him to the Last Hour—She Regretted Him with the feelings of lively affection and old Habits—Her delicate frame Could not Bear Such...
98To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [10 January 1801?] (Jefferson Papers)
I Have Not, this Long While, Had the Satisfaction of a Line from You—it Was on My Emerging from Captivity that I Received Your Last Letter , dated Six Years Before, when You Heard of My Leaving the Mountains of Auvergne for the Command of an Army—You were foretelling the Successes which the European Revolution, the Institution of The National Guards, and My personal Situation Seemed to Have...
99To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
This Letter Will Be Delivered By M. de foncin Whose Abilities as an Engeneer, and Whose personal Character Entitle Him to Your particular Notice—our Acquaintance with Him dates from a time Not Unknown to You When an Enterprise Had Been Made at Cayenne for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery—M. de foncin’s zeal on the Occasion, and His Actual perseverance in the principles of Humanity and Justice...
100Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 20 September 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
This Letter will Be Carried by G al Armstrong which makes it Superfluous for me to Give political intelligences— You will Have Heard of the Repeal of the milan and Berlin decrees to take place the 1 st November —there Have Since Been Some Communications more Secret, Some of them verbal, from which we may Hope for a Restoration of the Confiscated property, short of the Enormous duties, which...