51Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 16 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
If it be proposed to place an inscription on the Capitol , the lapidary style requires that essential facts only should be stated, and these with a brevity admitting no superfluous word. the essential facts in the two inscriptions proposed are these the reasons for this brevity are that the letters must be of extraordinary magnitude to be read from below; that little space is allowed them,...
52Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 9 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
A mr Arm i stead , who married a neice of our governor , who is brother to the Col o Arm i stead that defended the fort at Baltimore and of one , or two other officers of great merit lost in the service, and who
53Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 31 August [1816] (Jefferson Papers)
Will you join mr Divers here at dinner tomorrow? and can you tell me the name of the Collector at Norfolk ? RC (facsimile in Gerard A. J. Stodolski, Inc. , spring 1985 catalogue, item 96); partially dated at foot of text. Not recorded in SJL . The collector at norfolk was Charles K. Mallory .
54Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 29 August 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I sent to mr Divers to-day to ask a dinner for mr Correa , D r Wistar , mr Gilmer & myself for tomorrow. I did not venture to add your name and mr Rush ’s not knowing your convenience; but I am sure he will be rejoiced to see you both. Affectionate salutations to yourself & mr Rush
55Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 17 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter is for a daughter of the late D r Bruff , who wrote me a pathetic letter on the death of her father. altho I considered him as an ingenious and virtuous man, and always shewed him that I wished his success, yet there never was any particular acquaintance between us beyond the drawing of a tooth or two. I do not therefore exactly see the scope of the letter. but whatever it...
56Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 9 April 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
It had escaped my recollection till this moment that you had desired me to send you the copy of La Harpe’s journal. you will find bound up with it some Extracts from it which I had made because bearing immediately on the question of right, and a duplicate copy of the letters of Cevallos Salcedo & Herrera . if your office possesses the original, as I am sure it does, I will be glad to have this...
57Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 28 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
The arbitrators, surveyor E t c met on the 21 st . they decided the line in your favor, but divided costs as a tax on you for so careless a designation of the line as to entrap a subsequent purchaser. the disputed lines were found to contain 68. acres. the costs will be 6. or 7.D. a piece to you. I inclose you the original award & the plat you inclosed to me. RC ( MWiCA : Robert Sterling Clark...
58Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 17 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
It is impossible for you to note and preserve every thing as it passes in newspapers. I have therefore cut out of the Virginia Argus of Feb. 14. the inclosed paper . have it filed with the papers on the Louisiana title, and when you have to take up that subject it will suggest to you facts for enquiry. it is from some hand acquainted well with the subject, it & contains some facts not in the...
59Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 4 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter covering that of Gen l Scott is recieved, and his is now returned. I am very thankful for these communications. from 40. years experience of the wretched guesswork of the newspapers of what is not done in open day light, and of their falsehood even as to that, I rarely think them worth reading, & almost never worth notice. a ray therefore now & then from the fountain of light is...
60Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 16 January 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
It being interesting to me that the inclosed letters should get safely to their destination, I pray you to give them a passage under the protection of your cover by your first dispatches to Paris & Leghorn . On my return from Bedford I had proposed a meeting of the arbitrators & surveyor to settle finally the question between you & mr Short . but successive snows which have kept the ground...
61Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 15 July 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 10 th is this moment recieved. the plat it covers shall be duly examined. you were so kind as to say you would patronise the passage of my letters for France and England . I therefore inclose a packet to you. it is important to me that those to Jackson and Cathalan should have the benefit of the first safe conveyance. I was soon ashamed of the hasty information I communicated...
62Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 21 January 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
When I retired from the government, I yielded with too much facility, first to the importunities of my friends to aid them in getting commands in the army and navy, next of mere acquaintances, and lastly of those also of whom I knew nothing. the business became laborious and irksome to myself, and, as I was sufficiently sensible, embarrassing and unpleasant to the government. determined at...
63Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 1 January 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of Nov. 30. & Dec. 21. have been recieved with great pleasure. a truth now and then projecting into the ocean of Newspaper lies, serves like headlands to correct our course. indeed my scepticism as to every thing I see in a newspaper makes me indifferent whether I ever see one. the embarrasments at Washington in August last, I expected would be great in any state of things; but...
64Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 7 December 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
A most important appointment for the landholders of our part of the country is now about to be made, that of the Assessor of the land tax, who is to decide what portion of the aggregate sum assessed on our district shall be paid by each individual. such a man should be enlightened, judicious, firm and independant. on consultation with our best men, I the last year recommended to the President...
65Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 16 October 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 10 th has been duly recieved. the objects of our contest being thus entirely changed by England , we must prepare for interminable war. to this end we should put our house in order, by providing men and money to indefinite extent. the former may be done by classing our militia, and assigning each class to the description of duties for which it is fit. it is nonsense to talk...
66Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 24 September 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The events which have lately taken place at Washington , & which truly disgrace our enemies much more than us, have occupied you too much to admit intrusions by private & useless letters. you seem indeed to have had your hands full with the duties of the field and the double duties of the Cabinet. the success of M c Donough has been happily timed to dispel the gloom of your present meeting,...
67Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 3 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of July 25. was recieved on the 31 st . I learn by it with extreme concern that you have in contemplation the sale of the lands here. I had ever fondly hoped for your return to our society when you should have run out your career of public usefulness. perhaps however my age should relieve me from the pain of such long prospects. the survey of mr Short’s land which you saw in my hand...
68Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 8 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I know that your esteem for our mutual friend Kosciuszko will interest you in relieving the sufferings under which he now is in Paris . all his funds are in our monied institutions, and we are now transferring them into the hands of the government on the new loan. but the cause of his distress is our inability to find the means of remitting his annual interest, the sole source of his...
69Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 27 January 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I now return you the letter of mr Carter which was inclosed in yours of Nov. 3. and which was 6. weeks on it’s passage to me. the reference to myself which you are both so kind as to propose I must beg leave to decline. I could not trust myself with such a decision. for altho’ I should certainly endeavor to see nothing but the facts of the case, yet even as to these, my having been the sole...
70Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 28 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you the letters on finance, for perusal. I had not an opportunity of proposing the reading them to the President , there being much company with him. when will the ladies & yourself do us the favor of a visit? RC ( NN : Monroe Papers); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “The Secretary of State”; with endorsement and notes by Monroe on verso. Not recorded in SJL . Enclosures: TJ to...
71Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 23 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson incloses to Col o Monroe the copy of a letter he proposes to send to mr Champe Carter , if the contents meet his approbation; which he asks the favor of him to signify to him, with the return of the letter. he sets out to mr Madison’s early tomorrow morning, weather permitting, which he does not mention to have any influence on Col o Monroe’s movements. perhaps indeed their...
72Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 24 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Not doubting that you have C in your office Centuplicates at least of the last Census , and of the reports of the patents for new inventions which are made I believe annually from the patent office, you will gratify me much by having a copy inclosed to me. affectionately Adieu. PoC ( MHi ); dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ. The census sought by TJ was Aggregate amount of each...
73Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 19 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 7 th & 16 th are recieved, & I now return you the Memoir inclosed in the former. I am much gratified by it’s communication because, as the plan appeared in the newspapers soon after the new Secretary at War came into office, we had given him the credit of it. every line of it is replete with wisdom; and we might lament that our tardy enlistments prevented it’s execution,...
74Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 30 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the communication of the President’s message which has not yet reached us thro’ the public papers. it is an interesting document, always looked for with anxiety, and the late one is equally able as interesting. I hope Congress will act in conformity with it in all it’s parts. the unwarrantable ideas often expressed in the newspapers, and by persons who ought to know better,...
75Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 3 November 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The strange jumble of names, places, & titles on the inclosed letter seemed to authorise me to open it, as it does also to forward it to you. yet it properly belongs to neither of us but to the Secretary of the Treasury to whom it makes splendid promises. Our election of electors took place yesterday. a general assurance that there would be no opposition ticket prevented half the voters from...
76Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 9 August 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I shall always be happy when your own or mrs Monroe’s convenience will permit us to see you here; but know too well that the short visits you pay to your possessions, & the many things to be attended to there, do not admit your being embarrassed with visits & ceremonies. consider us therefore as fully aware of this, that our intercourse must be subordinate to these circumstances, & that the...
77Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 26 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
With this letter I put into the post office a very large pa cket containing all the papers respecting the Batture which I reciev ed from your office. for these papers I gave a specific receipt , sub scribed to a list of them. I had stitched them together in qui res to prevent their separation or loss in the hands of counsel . I hope mr Graham will take the trouble to examine them by my...
78Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 11 January 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for your letter of the 6 th . it is a proof of your friendship, and of the sincere interest you take in whatever concerns me. of this I have never had a moment’s doubt, and have ever valued it as a precious treasure. the question indeed whether I knew or approved of Gen l Wilkinson’s endeavors to prevent the restoration of the right of deposit at N. Orleans could never require a...
79Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 23 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose a letter from a M r John Dortic , who being bound to France shortly and to return again, wishes to be the bearer of any dispatches the government may have for that country. of this person I know nothing more than that he brought me lately a packet of seeds from M. Thouin Director of the National garden of France , which he very kindly notified me of from N.Y. and afterwards forwarded...
80Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 5 May 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor on your departure from Richmond came to hand in due time. altho’ I may not have been among the first, I am certainly with the sincerest who congratulate you on your reentrance into the public National councils. your value there has never been unduly estimated by those whom personal feelings did not misguide. the late misunderstandings at Washington have been a subject of real...
81Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 25 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I am just on the wing to Bedford to which place my affairs call me suddenly. I have therefore only time to acknolege the reciept of your favor of the 21 st and to congratulate you on your election to the chair of the state by so honorable a vote. I rejoice too that you have accepted it; for altho’ it is not a field on which much genius can be displayed, yet it is a prominent one. but the great...
82Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 16 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last to you , the Directors of the Rivanna company have changed their minds, and instead of going through my canal they have determined to go through the bed of the river; and it being a question between us, whether they or I must build & maintain the lock at my dam, which dam they must have built had I not done it, they have proposed a reference to Arbitrators, to which I gladly...
83Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 8 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your friendly letter of Dec. 24. on my return from Bedford , at which place I was at it’s date. it conveyed me the first notice of the attempt to draw me into the newspapers on the subject of the propositions which had been passing between the agents of the Rivanna company & myself for their accomodation in passing the navigation through my lands. I immediately enquired into it, and...
84Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, [4 September 1809] (Jefferson Papers)
Had I known before that the visit you mention was desired, I would have made it. it cannot now be done, as he sat out on his journey this morning. some opportunities of friendly attention had before occurred, during his illness, and I availed myself of them; & learning last night that ripe figs would be acceptable to him, & that he was to set out on his journey this morning, I sent a servant...
85From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 28 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 18th. was recieved in due time, and the answer has been delayed as well by a pressure of business as by the expectation of your absence from Richmond. the idea of sending a special mission to France or England is not entertained at all here. after so little attention to us from the former, & so insulting an answer from Canning such a mark of respect as an extraordinary...
86From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 13 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Since writing my letter of yesterday it has occurred to me that the stile in which, in my letters to you, I have spoken of the mass of falsehood & calumny afloat in our country, & the impossibility of believing what is beyond the evidence of our own senses, is too strong to be published. such a fellow as Cobbet, abusing us as a nation, will quote this as testimony of it given by ourselves. the...
87From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 12 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Such was the accumulation of business awaiting me here, that it was not till this day that I could take time to look into my letters to you. as my copies are with the Polygraph I can refer to the originals in your hands by the page and line. letter of Feb. 18. 1st. paragraph to be omitted, being merely of private business. pa. 1. l. 22. perhaps the word ‘old’ may be misunderstood, & therefore...
88From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 28 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your letter just as I was going to bed last night and being to set out early this morning I have only had time to read your letters to mr Randolph & that of mr Giles. the former are exactly such as I ever believed you had written. they contain nothing unworthy of the purest virtue, & altho’ the views you entertained of the conduct of the Executive towards you were not such as any...
89From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 13 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I was mistaken in supposing Alexander Baring arrived. it is Charles Baring, not connected in Business with the other. your letter therefore must be to A. Baring as in London, and if you can send it to me by duplicates we can use one in England, & the other in France. Affectionate salutations DLC : Papers of James Monroe.
90From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 11 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
An indisposition of periodical head-ach has for some time disabled me from business, and prevented my sooner acknoleging your letter of Mar. 22. and returning that of Feb. 2. ’06. which it inclosed. the reciept of that of Mar. 22. has given me sincere pleasure. conscious that I never felt a sentiment towards you that was not affectionate it is a great relief to find that the doubts you had...
91From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 10 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I some days ago made a remittance to mr Jefferson with a request that he would pay you the amount of Jones’s bill with the costs and other disbursements. for these last he would have to ask your information as they were not stated on the bill. with this, be so good as to accept my thanks for the attention you have paid to this commission, and the trouble it has given you. from Your letter of...
92From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 18 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
You informed me that the instruments you had been so kind as to bring for me from England would arrive at Richmond with your baggage and you wished to know what was to be done with them there. I will ask the favor of you to deliver them to mr Jefferson who will forward them to Monticello in the way I shall advise him: and I must intreat you to send me either a note of their amount, or the...
93From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 29 May 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have not written to you by mr Purviance because he can give you vivâ voce all the details of our affairs here with a minuteness beyond the bounds of a letter, and because indeed I am not certain this letter will find you in England. the sole object in writing it is to add another little commission to the one I had formerly troubled you with. it is to procure for me a ‘machine for...
94From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 21 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
A copy of the treaty with Gr. Britain came to mr Erskine’s hands on the last day of the session of Congress, which he immediately communicated to us; and since that mr Purviance has arrived with an original. on the subject of it you will recieve a letter from the Secretary of state of about this date, and one more in detail hereafter. I should not have written but that I percieve uncommon...
95From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 26 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I see with great concern that unavoidable delays are likely still to procrastinate your negociations beyond what had been expected: & I sincerely regret the particular circumstance to which this is owing, the illness, probably the death of mr Fox. his sound judgment saw that political interest could never be separated in the long run from moral right, & his frank & great mind would have made a...
96From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 4 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 16th. of March by a common vessel, & then expected to have had, on the rising of Congress, an opportunity of peculiar confidence to you. Mr. Beckley then supposed he should take a flying trip to London on private business. but I believe he does not find it convenient. he could have let you into the arcana rerum, which you have interests in knowing. mr Pinckney’s pursuits...
97From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 18 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The 1st. of mr Nicholson’s resolutions was decided yesterday affirmatively by 87. republ. against 9. republ. and 26. feds. had all been present it would have been 104. do. against 11. do. and 27. do. the latter number comprehending every federalist in the house. mr R. withdrew before the question was put. this is considered as a decision of the main question. when they come to details the...
98From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 16 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I very much wish for an opportunity perfectly confidential, of writing to you, & I expect to have such an one on the rising of Congress. it is extremely interesting to you that you should have a perfect knolege of what is passing here, lest you should be misled by those who do not mean to mislead you, but themselves mistake the line of conduct which would be equally agreeable to your feelings...
99From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 15 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Gamble of Richmond has desired me to introduce to your notice his son Robert who is gone to Europe on commercial concerns. the circumstances are known to you which render this application as unexpected as indelicate to be refused. his two daughters have married two good republicans. whether this is giving the pendulum another vibration, and he has made this an occasion of making an...
100From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 8 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
A confidential opportunity offering by mr Baring, I can venture to write to you with less reserve than common conveyances admit. the 150 livres you paid to mr Chas for me shall be replaced in the hands of mr Lewis your manager here, with thanks to you for honoring what you had no reason to doubt was a just claim on me. I do not know him personally or any otherwise than by his history of our...