1From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 9 October 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved, my dear friend and General, your letter of the 1 st from Philada, giving us the welcome assurance that you will visit the neighborhood which, during the march of our enemy near it, was covered by your shield from his robberies and ravages. in passing the line of your former march you will experience pleasing recollections of the good you have done. my neighbors too of our...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 8 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving last night your Letter of the 3d instant and of learning your arrival at the Head of Elk three Days sooner than General Washington had given us reason to expect. In the mean Time I hope you will have received my answer to your first Letter which I forwarded by Express to the Head of Elk and which is of greater Importance a Letter from Baron Steuben, who commands...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 3 September 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The mail, my dear Friend, succeeding that which brought us the welcome news of your arrival on our shores, brought that of your being to proceed immediately to the North. I delayed therefore, till you should turn Southwardly, to meet you with my sincere congratulations on your safe passage, and restoration to those who love you more than any people on earth. indeed, I fear, they will kill you...
4V. Jefferson to Lafayette, 7 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of yesterday gave me the first information that Monsieur de Mirabeau had supposed to the honorable the assembly of the nation that I had made an offer to Mr. Necker to obtain from America a quantity of corn or flour, which had been refused. I know not how Monsieur de Mirabeau has been led into this error. I never in my life made any proposition to Mr. Necker on the subject: I never...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 24 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
In the hurry of the approaching close of a session of Congress and of the preparations for my own departure from this place, I must drop you a line by a public vessel going to France, altho’ it can be but a short one. on politics I will say nothing; that being safest for you as well as myself. for those of our own country I will refer you to mr Coles, the bearer of this, my Secretary, who is...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 2 June 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The House of Delegates and so many of the Senate as were here having reason to believe that Genl. Morgan might probably have it in his power to raise a number of volunteers to join in our present defence, have come to a Resolution of which I do myself the honor of inclosing you a Copy. I have transmitted it to him also. Should you find it not inconsistent with any orders under which he may be...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 24 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of receiving in your letter of the 20th. Genl. Washington’s of Dec. 8th. What you left beyond and what come to on this side the Atlantic, the services you have rendered there, and those you render here, your personal worth and Genl. Washington’s esteem for you, leave no room for addition to the measure of respect and gratitude we owe you. I beg leave also through you to...
8XI. Jefferson to Lafayette, 9 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Having been curious to form some estimate of the quantity of corn and flour which have been supplied to France this year, I applied to a person in the farms, to know upon what quantities the premium had been paid. He could not give me information but as to the Atlantic ports into which there has been imported from the united states from March to May inclusive 44,116 quintals of corn 12,221...
9Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 8 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just recieved your letter of Mar. 12. and learning by our yesterday’s post that mr Barlow & mr Warden will sail in the course of the week, I endeavor by this day’s return of the mail to get an answer into their hands before their departure. I feel very sensibly the reproaches of silence pressed in your letter. a few days before my departure from Washington (in Feb. 1809) I wrote you on...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 18 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
A letter from mr Duplantier has come to hand since writing mine of the 15th. & still in time for the departure of our vessel. you will observe that he confirms the inexpediency of a present sale of the lands at Pointe coupée. I always knew that the greater part of the location near N. Orleans was covered with a thin pellicle of water, which a ditch & dyke of about 3 feet & 1000. D. cost would...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 12 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed is a Copy of a Letter which was intended to have awaited you in Virginia. But as there seems to be a probability that you will be detained at the Head of Elk longer than you could have expected, I have thought it best to send a Copy there also. An Idea having unfortunately got abroad that the militia now called on are intended to storm the Enemy’s works at Portsmouth, the numbers...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 17 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems that a writ of surseance is what Mr. Ridout desires. In what cases this is granted, by what power, and thro whom the applications go, I am ignorant, as I have always declined asking them for any body; my idea having been that where they could be obtained according to fixed rules, they would be granted of course on any application; and that where it was not agreeable to rule to grant...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 2 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Behold me, my dear friend, dubbed Secretary of state, instead of returning to the far more agreeable position which placed me in the daily participation of your friendship. I found the appointment in the newspapers the day of my arrival in Virginia. I had indeed been asked while in France whether I would accept of any appointment at home, and I had answered that without meaning to remain long...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 21 November 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Trumbull proposing to have his paintings of the principal actions of the American war engraved, by subscription, and supposing that some sets may be subscribed for in France, knows too well the value of your patronage there not to be ambitious of obtaining it. But he knows so little his own value, and your sense of it, as to believe that my recommendations to you may be of service to him....
15From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 4 November 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
This, my dear friend will be handed you by Tho s Jefferson Randolph who goes with his fellow citizens to welcome you among us. he is my grandson and as such I am sure you will recieve him kindly, and the more so for his moral merit and the high veneration with which from his cradle he has been taught to entertain for you.—I am just recovered from an illness of some weeks, have been able to...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I formerly, my dear friend, mentioned to you my wish that we might be able to get the value of your lands here increased by a permission to locate them in some more favorable position. but I feared to represent this to you as any thing more than a wish, that no false hopes might be excited. you understand yourself how little we can answer for the determinations of numerous bodies of men, of...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 12 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
As I may not be able to get at you at Versailles I write this to deliver it myself at your door. With respect to the utility or inutility of your minority’s joining the Commons I am unable to form an opinion for myself. I know too little of the subject to see what may be it’s consequences. I never knew an instance of the English parliament’s undertaking to relieve the poor by a distribution of...
18[From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 August 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 30 Aug. 1789. Recorded in SJL under this date. Not found.]
19From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 23 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure yesterday to receive your favor of the 17th. inst. and am very happy that the Southern States are to have the Benefit of your Aid. On the 18th. inst. the enemy came from Portsmouth &c. (as in the following Letter to the President of Congress to the words Little River on the 11th.) We still consider his [Greene’s] as the interesting Scene of action to us. As long as we can...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 28 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Senf handed me a list of entrenching tools and other necessaries for the operations against Portsmouth. Notwithstanding present appearances, I shall have them procured. I apprehend we shall be obliged to have many of them made at Fredericksburg. Mr. Walker delivered me your wish to have seamen procured for manning the armed vessels. I know of no method of effecting this but by draughting...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 2 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I was two days ago honoured with your Letter and that of General Washington on the same Subject. I immediately transmitted by Express the one accompanying it to the Commanding Officer of the Naval Force of his Most Christian Majesty in our Bay, and took measures for providing pilots. Baron Steuben will communicate to you the Arrangements he proposes, which I shall have the pleasure of...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclosed to Genl. Phillips a passport for the British flag vessel the Genl. Riedesel and delivered it to Captn. Jones who called on me for that purpose by order of Major General Baron Steuben and was to have accompanied the vessel to and from her port of Destination. The movements of the enemy and uncertainty where Genl. Phillips was then to be found delayed his going till you had arrived. I...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 16 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Behold you then, my dear friend, at the head of a great army, establishing the liberties of your country against a foreign enemy. May heaven favor your cause, and make you the channel thro’ which it may pour it’s favors. While you are exterminating the monster aristocracy, and pulling out the teeth and fangs of it’s associate monarchy, a contrary tendency is discovered in some here. A sect has...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, with Thomas Boylston’s Proposal, [ca. 13 November 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Boylston proposes to bring to France this next year from 100 to 500 tons of Spermaceti whale oil on the following terms. 1. Government to remit all duties on it to permit him to take freight back to the W. Indies and there to take sugar and molasses for the U.S. He will lay out half the price received in the productions and manufactures of France and will sell them at auction in America,...
25Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 20 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege, my dear friend, the reciept of many of your letters , within the last twelvemonth , and altho’ I have not answered them specifically to yourself, yet I have not been inattentive or inactive as to their contents. on leaving the government, two years ago, I knew I could not serve you so effectually as by committing the whole care of your Orleans affairs to the President ....
26From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 28 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 14th. of July; since which I have recieved your several favors of July 8. Aug. 11. Sep. 10. Dec. 5. & Jan. 11. this last has been a sincere affliction to me. my knolege of the extraordinary worth of our deceased friend, her amiable & excellent character, her value to yourself, your family & friends, and the void it would make at the house of La Grange, sufficiently...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 24 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Permit me, my dear friend, to present to you the bearer hereof, Mr. Horrÿ, a young gentleman of South Carolina, who is setting out on a tour of travel, which will include Paris. He is a nephew of General Pinckney’s. Of course you know his connections to be of the most distinguished of that country. I am not personally acquainted with him, but am authorised on good information to assure you he...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 14 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of 1805 which I have to acknolege are of Apr. 20. and June 4. the last delivered by M. De Lessert a week ago. in your preceding ones of 1804. the reason assigned for your not venturing across the ocean was certainly weighty, as a capture by the English would have been a very serious misfortune. your presence at New Orleans would give security to our government there. but in the...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 28 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just now, my dear Sir, in the moment of my departure. Monsr. de Montmorin having given us audience at Paris yesterday, I missed the opportunity of seeing you once more. I am extremely pleased with his modesty, the simplicity of his manners, and his dispositions towards us. I promise myself a great deal of satisfaction in doing business with him. I hope he will not give ear to any...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 28 October 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
I will, not, my dear friend, undertake to quote by their dates the several letters you have written me. they have been proofs of your continued friendship to me, and my silence is no evidence of any abatement of mine to you. that can never be while I have breath and recollections so dear to me. among the few survivors of our revolutionary struggles, you are as distinguished in my affections,...
31From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 11 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your head, my dear friend, is full of Notable things; and being better employed, therefore, I do not expect letters from you. I am constantly roving about, to see what I have never seen before and shall never see again. In the great cities, I go to see what travellers think alone worthy of being seen; but I make a job of it, and generally gulp it all down in a day. On the other hand, I am...
32From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 3 November 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your favor of the second instant . The reason for my importing harness from England is a very obvious one. They are plated, and plated harness is not made at all in France as far as I have learnt. It is not from a love of the English but a love of myself that I sometimes find myself obliged to buy their manufactures. I must make one observation with respect to the use I make of...
33From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 20 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I forgot last night a very material circumstance in my calculation. The Farmers general are, by their bail, obliged to keep a certain provision of tobacco and snuff always on hand. I believe it is three years consumption. However for fear of error I will call it two years; because were the bail silent on this head they would certainly have always on hand one year’s stock ready for manufacture,...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 14 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your letters of Feb. 20. & Apr. 29. and a vessel just sailing from Baltimore enables me hastily to acknolege them, to assure you of the welcome with which I recieve whatever comes from you, & the continuance of my affectionate esteem for yourself & family. I learn with much concern indeed the state of Mde. de la Fayette’s health. I hope I have the pleasure yet to come of...
35From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 August 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Rebello of Brazil, who has rendered us an agreeable visit tells me you will be in Washington on the 10 th and that we may hope to have the pleasure of seeing you here very soon after that. this we shall ever do with heart felt welcome. I am not well. but it is a local complaint which confines me to the house indeed, but intolerable health otherwise, and I shall be much the better for your...
36From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 28 June 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter to miss Wright, and another to yourself which came to me some time ago, but after you were embarked on your Western tour. the uncertainty of their meeting you in any particular part of that tour induced me to think it better to keep them until you should have returned to our Atlantic border. that for miss Wright I commit to the protection of your cover with the...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 4 November 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Two dislocated wrists and crippled fingers have rendered writing so slow and laborious as to oblige me to withdraw from nearly all correspondence. not however from yours, while I can make a stroke with a pen. we have gone thro’ too many trying scenes together to forget the sympathies and affections they nourished. your trials have indeed been long and severe. when they will end is yet unknown,...
38From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 3 June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Revolving further in my mind the idea started yesterday evening of the king’s coming forward in a seance royale and offering a charter containing all the good in which all parties agree, I like it more and more. I have ventured to sketch such a charter merely to convey my idea, which I now inclose to you, as I do also to M. de St. Etienne. I write him a letter of apology for my meddling in a...
39Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 11 May 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Feb. 14. I mentioned to you that a well qualified author was writing, in my neighborhood, that part of the history of Virginia which embraced your campaign of 1781; and that I was so well satisfied with the ability with which he was executing the work, that I had laid open to him all my papers; and regretted that among them was no longer to be found the Memoir you were so kind...
40IV. Jefferson to Lafayette, 7 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter on the subject of what Mr. Mirabeau said which you were so good as to say you would have read in the assembly. I find that there has been imported from the United States into the Atlantic ports of France from March to May inclusive 44,116 quintals of corn 12,221 quintals of flour making 56,337 quintals. Add to this what has been imported since the month of May, suppose...
41Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 30 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
The last letters I have recieved from you were of Apr. 22. May 20. July 4. of the preceding year. they gave me information of your health, always welcome to the feelings of antient and constant friendship. I hope this continues & will continue until you tire of that and life together.— the Sheperd dogs mentioned in yours of May 20. arrived safely, have been carefully multiplied, and are...
42From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, [26 March?] 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am plagued to death with the applications of people who knowing the friendship you are so good as to entertain for me, wish to make use of it for their purposes. In general I get rid of them by a positive refusal to add to the thousands of applications and perplexities which you have already. You will see that the inclosed however cannot be parried altogether. I cannot refuse to send it to...
43From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 19 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letters of the 16th. and 17th. inst. came to Hand at Noon of this Day. I beg leave to inform you that for the Purpose of speedy Communications between the Executive and the Commanding Officers expresses are established from this place through Williamsburg to Hampton every fifteen miles Distance, and that a Quartermaster is now employed in establishing a similar Line from hence to the Army...
44Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 14 February 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Aug. 14. has been recieved and read again & again with extraordinary pleasure. it is the first glimpse which has been furnished me of the interior workings of the late unexpected, but fortunate revolution of your country. the newspapers told us only that the great beast was fallen; but what part in this the patriots acted, and what the egoists, whether the former slept while the...
45From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 24 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honoured with your Letter of the 20th. inst. and am sorry that a want of Ammunition should have abridged your intentions at Portsmouth. I have made enquiry what have been the Issues of ammunition from the State Stores and am informed by returns that there has issued (naming principal Articles only) To Thomas Smith acting for Major Pryor 1,000lb Cannon po[wder] for York. To Captn. Bohannon...
46XII. Jefferson to Lafayette, 10 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
The acknowledgement by Monsieur de Mirabeau to the national assembly that he had been in an error as to the offer he supposed me to have made, and the reading to them my letter, seems to be all that was requisite for any just purpose. As I was unwilling my name should be used to injure the minister, I am also unwilling it should be used to injure Monsieur de Mirabeau. I learn that his enemies...
47Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 10 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Since writing my letter of the day before yesterday I have recieved by post the inclosed copy of the Review of Montesquieu which I hasten to forward thro’ you to M. Tray Tracy . had I another it should have been devoted to you. it is even doubtful whether this may reach Washington in time to find mr Warden still there. I am not without hopes he will have been able to get a copy & carry it with...
48From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 4 August 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged by the trouble you took in forwarding to me the letter of his Excellency the President of Congress. It found me in Bedford 100 miles Southward of this where I was confined till within these few days by an unfortunate fall from my horse. This has occasioned the delay of the answer which I now take the liberty of inclosing to you as the confidential channel of Conveyance...
49From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 9 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The Mr. John Ledyard, who proposes to undertake the journey through the Northern parts of Asia and America, is a citizen of Connecticut, one of the united states of America. He accompanied Capt. Cook in his last voiage to the North-western parts of America, and rendered himself useful to that officer, on some occasions, by a spirit of enterprize which has distinguished his whole life. He has...
50From Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 12 March [1781] (Jefferson Papers)
Since writing the preceeding I have been honoured with your Letter of the 6th. The first notification of this Enterprize came to me in the night of the last Day of February. We were informed there were few or no armed vessels in the three Northern rivers and supposed if there were any they could not be impressed, manned, and brought into place by the Time at which it was then thought they...