Thomas Jefferson Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-02-02-0310

Jean B. Porée to Thomas Jefferson, 2 May 1810

From Jean B. Porée

Philadelphie Ce 2d May 1810

Monsieur

J’ai l’honneur de Vous Envoyer un livre dont J’ai êté chargé pour Vous, à Paris, au mois de Novembre dernier, par Mr Julien (M. Ant.) Inspecteur aux Revües, chef de l’habillement des troupes, près S.E. Le Ministre Directeur de l’administration de la Guerre à Paris Rüe Varennes—

Mr M. Ant. Julien, auteur de cet Ouvrage et qui a l’honneur de Vous en faire Lhommage, Monsieur, m’a bien recommandé de Vous le faire parvenir aussitôt que possible après mon arrivée aux Etats-Vnis. Je n’ai pû suivre ses desirs ni les miens à Cet egard, parceque depuis le mois de Mars dernier que Je suis débarqué en Cette Ville, du Navire Lovely Mathilda parti de la Rochelle le 3 Janvier précédent; Ce n’est que depuis peu de Jours que Je suis débarrassé d’une attaque de Goute qui m’a Constamment retenû, et me retient encore, Prisonnier dans ma Chambre, sans pouvoir vaquer à aucune affaire.

Je saisis, Monsieur, avec Empressement, un des premiers instante que me donne le retour de ma santé pour m’acquitter envers Vous de la Commission de Mr Julien, qui m’est d’autant plus agréable, qu’elle me procure l’honneur de Vous donner l’assurance du profond respect avec lequel

Je suis Monsieur Votre très humble Et très obeissant serviteur
Jn B. Porée
ancien Chancelier du Consulat Général
de France près les Etats-Vnis et V. Consul
Interimaire à Norfolk; chèz Mr
De Beaujour Consul Général à Philade

P.S. dans l’incertitude ou Je suis, de savoir, si Mr Julien a joint un Prospectus de son ouvrage, J’ai l’honneur de Vous en envoyer un cy inclus—

Editors’ Translation

Philadelphia 2d May 1810

Sir

I have the honor to send you a book that was entrusted to me for you, in Paris, last November, by Mr. Jullien (M. Ant.) inspector of the magazines, superintendent of the troops’ clothing, in the office of His Excellency the minister director of the War Department in Paris on the Rue de Varennes—

Mr. M. Ant. Jullien, the author of this work and the one who has the honor of offering it to you, Sir, impressed on me the need to send it to you as soon as possible after my arrival in the United States. I was unable to fulfill either his wishes or mine in this regard, because since last March when I disembarked in this city, from the ship Lovely Mathilda which departed from La Rochelle last January 3, it has only been a few days since I have gotten rid of an attack of the gout that has kept me, and is still keeping me, a prisoner in my room, unable to attend to any business.

Sir, I seize with eagerness, one of the first moments after the return of my health to fulfill Mr. Jullien’s commission, which is even more agreeable as it allows me the honor of expressing to you the profound respect with which

I am, Sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
Jn B. Porée
former Chancellor of the Consul General
of France in the United States and
Provisional Vice Consul at Norfolk; at the home of Mr.
De Beaujour, Consul General in Philadelphia

P.S. in the uncertainty in which I find myself regarding whether or not Mr. Jullien has included a prospectus of his work, I have the honor to enclose one in this letter—

RC (MHi); at foot of first page: “Thomas Jefferson Esquire—at Monticello, Virginia”; endorsed by TJ as received 6 May 1810 and so recorded in SJL. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene. Enclosure: Marc Antoine Jullien to TJ, 15 Nov. 1809, and enclosures. Other enclosure not found.

Jean Baptiste Porée (ca. 1749–1819) was a native of Paris who worked as a notary at Saint Domingue until the insurrection there caused him to flee to the United States in 1793. By 1801 he was vice-chancellor of the French consulate in Philadelphia. Porée was back in France, 1808–10, but returned to America as provisional vice-consul at Norfolk before becoming consul at New Orleans in 1810 (Ellwood Roberts, Old Richland Families [1898]: 113, 115; Porée’s exequatur as consul at New Orleans, 6 June 1810 [DNA: RG 59, Exequaturs]; Claiborne, Letter Books description begins Dunbar Rowland, ed., Official Letter Books of W. C. C. Claiborne, 1801–1816, 1917, repr. 1972, 6 vols. description ends , 5:181).

Index Entries

  • Beaujour, Louis Auguste Félix, baron de; French consul general to U.S. search
  • education; Essai Général d’Education (Jullien) search
  • Essai Général d’Education physique, morale, et intellectuelle (Jullien) search
  • Feltre, Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke, duc de search
  • French language; letters in, from; J. B. Porée search
  • gout search
  • health; gout search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
  • Jullien, Marc Antoine; Essai Général d’Education physique, morale, et intellectuelle search
  • Lovely Mathilda (ship) search
  • Porée, Jean Baptiste; conveys book to TJ search
  • Porée, Jean Baptiste; identified search
  • Porée, Jean Baptiste; letters from search