1William Jay to Richard Peters, 20 June 1828 (Jay Papers)
My Father desires me to thank you for your letter of the 10 Ins t : & for the friendly sentiments it expresses. He regrets that it is not in his power to assure you in his own hand writing that those sentiments are sincerely reciprocated. In the Spring of last year a slight injury rec d . in his ^right^ hand was succeeded by violent inflammation & gangrene— The Ulcer was healed after the lapse...
2From James Madison to Richard Peters, 8 September 1826 (Madison Papers)
I have received, my dear friend, with great pleasure your letter of the 1st. instant, so full of kind feelings; and with it, a copy of the Agricultural Memoirs for which I return my thanks. I have not lost my relish for the subject of them, but do not retain the activity that could spare from other claims on my time, the portion required for that. Tho’ not counting quite as many years as you...
3From John Jay to Richard Peters, 3 March 1826 (Jay Papers)
I had the pleasure of recieving, on Saturday last, your Letter of the 21 st . of Feby— It gratified me to learn from it, that you was in excellent Health—and I hope that a kind Providence will continue to promote your Prosperity.— The Communications which had occurred between you and the Committee of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, were interesting. In a Letter from them of the 10 th ....
4From James Madison to Richard Peters, 28 November 1824 (Madison Papers)
I return my thanks for the copy of the Agricultural Almanack, obligingly sent me. You do not fail, I see, to dispense thro’ that medium, rays of instruction on a favorite subject. I hope your good constitution, good health, & good habits, may have their full effect, in keeping you above the Horizon, for that and other enlightening services. I should have acknowledged your favor some what...
5From James Madison to Richard Peters, 17 December 1823 (Madison Papers)
I return my thanks for the agricultural Almanack for the coming year, the value of which is not a little enhanced by your instructive contributions. You take a refuting notice of the opinion that the grains of wheat are the ridus [ sic ] of the Hessian fly. This error commenced the appearance of the insect among us, and threatened to injure the foreign market for that great staple. The danger...
6From James Madison to Richard Peters, 22 February 1823 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. the copy of your Agricultural Address in Jany. last, which I have read with much pleasure, and as always, not without finding instructive ideas. You have done very right in taking occasion to record the fact which shews that your Society is the Mother of the American family, and to present a fair view of its public services; with respect to which you might say, tho’ you will not...
7From John Adams to Richard Peters, 2 April 1822 (Adams Papers)
If you have brought upon yourself the garrulity of old age you must blame yourself for it. Theophrastus at 90, as some say, and at a 115, as others, in his last moments is recorded to have said; it was hard to go out of the World when he had just learned to live in it. I am so far from his temper and his philosophy that I think myself so well drilled and disciplined a Soldier as to be willing...
8From James Madison to Richard Peters, 23 February 1822 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. the copy of Mr. Biddle’s address so obligingly forwarded by you. I knew before that Mr. B. was a fine writer; but I did not know that he was so accomplished a farmer. His address shews that he is both. I have read it not only with pleasure but with instruction: and I return you my thanks for the opportunity of doing so. Accept in addition to them my cordial regards and my best...
9Thomas Jefferson to Richard Peters, 20 February 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to his friend Judge Peters for mr Biddle ’s instructive and well written Agricultural Address. it came to hand exactly as he was amusing himself with reading the agriculture of the Greeks in their Geoponics . mr Biddle has justly noticed their mass of excellent sense and admirable practice, disfigured by a fantastical mixture of superstician and empiricism,...
10From John Jay to Richard Peters, 12 March 1821 (Jay Papers)
My Letter to you of the 26 th . of Dec r . last, contained some Remarks relative to the Perversions and Obliquities which you had noticed, and which I observed were neither recent nor unexpected. In that Letter there was not Room for explanatory Details. Those Remarks were therefore concise and general. To supply that Deficiency is the Design of this Letter. Those Perversions and Obliquities...
11From John Jay to Richard Peters, 26 December 1820 (Jay Papers)
I thank you cordially, my good and constant Friend! for your Letter of the 25 th . Ult.— it affords me no little Gratification. We grow old but our Hearts retain their Warmth.— The Perversion and Obliquity you notice, has not been recent nor unexpected— Men who are ardent in the pursuit of Influence and its Fruits; and more attentive to the Prosecution than to the Propriety of their Schemes,...
12From James Madison to Richard Peters, 4 November 1819 (Madison Papers)
I have another occasion for making my acknowlegements in the receipt of the Agricultural Almanac for 1820, which you have been so good as to send me. It is well recommended to circulation, by its substitution of instructive paragraphs on rural subjects for trite & trifling jests; and by the blank leaves inviting practical and experimental notices. The backwardness in furnishing these is much...
13From James Madison to Richard Peters, 22 February 1819 (Madison Papers)
I perceive that I am indebted to you for the copy of an Agricultural Almanack & Memorial, brought me by a late mail, for which I offer my thanks. Accept them also for the Copy of Mr Rawle’s Address which you have been so kind as to send me. I am particularly pleased with your scheme of a “Pattern Farm.” There is no form in which Agricultural instruction can be so successfully conveyed: nor is...
14From John Jay to Richard Peters, 25 January 1819 (Jay Papers)
My Eyes were lately rendered so weak by an Influenza, that I was obliged to postpone answering your friendly Letter ^of the 12 Ult:^— Of this I lately informed you by a few Lines— At present I am so nearly free from that Complaint, as to be able to resume my Pen. I have read your Letter more than once. Mutuality of friendly Feelings always affords Gratification; and the kindness which pervades...
15From James Madison to Richard Peters, 15 August 1818 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 30 ult: and trouble you with an acknowlegement of it, for the sake of thanking you, which I do very sincerely for the “Notices for a young farmer.” I do not know that there exists any where so many good lessons compressed into so small a space, and placed in so fair a light. I have read the little manual with profit, and with the gratification derived from its...
16Thomas Jefferson to Richard Peters, 6 March 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to thank you for the copy of your Discourse on agriculture which you have been so kind as to send me. I participate in all your love for the art, and wish I did also in your skill. but I was never but an amateur, and have been kept from it’s practice until I am too old to learn it. we are indebted to you for much of our knolege as to the use of the plaister, which is become a principal...
17Philip Russell to Richard Peters, 27 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
The petition of the subscriber respectfully represents that he has been imprisoned for above six weeks, and is now confined, charged with having sold spirituous liquors without licence: that he has a wife and children who are dependent upon his earnings for support; and, that, in consequence of his imprisonment, they are now reduced to a state of great distress. Even if your petitioner had...
18From John Jay to Richard Peters, 14 March 1815 (Jay Papers)
On reading your interesting Letter of the 19 th . of Jan y . I observed with particular pleasure, from the matter and manner of it, that notwithstanding the winter of Life and Snow falling on your Head, you endure like an Evergreen. Your Impression that “we should e’re long have Peace,” has been verified. If I remember right, you had heretofore an Impression that Spain, altho’ her case was...
19From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1815 (Jay Papers)
It is a great while since any Letters have passed between us— perhaps some of them have miscarried. The Season reminds me that I have survived the last year, and that I have left with it a great number who enjoyed more Health and Strength. Many friendly wishes have as usual been reciprocated on this occasion, but it seems to be questionable, whether an average proportion of them will be...
20From John Jay to Richard Peters, 16 October 1811 (Jay Papers)
It was not until this Day, that I rec d . your Letter of the 5 Inst — owing to some Derangement in the post office, the two last mails did not come before Yesterday. It gives me pleasure to learn that your Health continues good—may it long continue so— mine is at present somewhat better— The Day before yesterday, my Son William returned from Rye. He found there the two Sheep you mention, safe...
21From John Jay to Richard Peters, 23 April 1811 (Jay Papers)
I rec d . by the last mail your Letter of the 14 Inst:— Between the Date of mine to You of the 29 ult, and the arrival of yours of the 11 Inst, I was taken with a sore throat— it prevailed in the Neighbourhood, as was thought to be epidemic— As the Inflamation abated, a severe cough came on. I am getting better slowly, but am very feeble; tho’ less so than I was in April last. As to the...
22From John Jay to Richard Peters, 29 March 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 14 th . ult., and also the Book on Plaister of Paris, which you was so obliging as to send me, and for which accept my thanks— Your Letter conveyed to me the first and only information I have received, that a copy of President Washington’s valedictory address, had been found among the papers of General Hamilton, and in his handwriting; and that a certain...
23From James Madison to Richard Peters, 15 March 1811 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 12th. and will not fail to put the one for Mr. Parker into the hands of Mr. Barlow who I am sure will take an interest in the object of it. I shall follow your good advice also, to engage his attention to the procuring a little outfit of the Rye for myself & my neighbors. As you may not possess the variety of Maize from India, called Sackatosh, or sweet corn, I...
24From John Jay to Richard Peters, 9 January 1811 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . your Letter of the 25 Nov r — Altho the Privations you voluntarily submit to, exceed the “ne quid nimis” of the wise men, yet they evince a sound mind, and will I hope tend to preserve it long in a sound Body. My Inquiries respecting Speltz were in Terms too general. To sow wheat here, is like taking a Ticket in a Lottery—more blanks than prizes—the Fly destroys more than we...
25From John Jay to Richard Peters, 21 November 1810 (Jay Papers)
Among the news papers &c. brought to me last week from the post office, I found a Packet directed to me in your handwriting— it enclosed no Letter, but it enclosed no bad Substitute for one. On reading it I was pleased with the Information and Pleasantry which run thro’ it. I was a little surprised to find that you had given up old wine and apician Dishes; from whence I learn, that wit will...
26From John Jay to Richard Peters, 26 February 1810 (Jay Papers)
After lingering thro’ the Summer, I found my Disorder gradually returning in the Autumn. Since the middle of Nov r . I have been confined to the House; but have as yet suffered less this winter, than I did the last. At Times however, I seemed to be approaching that State in which “a Grasshopper is a Burden”. When I took up my Pen, it was not because it was pleasant, but because it was...
27From John Jay to Richard Peters, 24 July 1809 (Jay Papers)
Soon after recieving your letter of the 18 Sept r . last, I was called to Albany by the Death of the only remaining Child of my Daughter; whose Grief for the Loss of her Son and of her Husband, was still fresh and severe.— I returned on the 3 d . of Nov r . with a Pain on my Side, which the Doct r . ascribed to an obstruction in the Liver. The Complaint increased, and kept me in close...
28From John Jay to Richard Peters, 30 August 1808 (Jay Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your obliging Letter of the 9 th . ult: which was lately sent to me, and for the Memoirs of your agricultural Society which accompanied it. Marks of friendly Attention from those we esteem, are particularly grateful; and I have delayed making my acknowledgm ts . to you only because I wished first to read the memoirs— this I have done with pleasure— some of them are...
29From James Madison to Richard Peters, 5 September 1807 (Madison Papers)
I feel myself much indebted for the friendly sentiments expressed in your favor of the 9th. Ulto. and particularly for the volumes of admiralty decisions accompanying it. A good deal of public business having followed me into my retreat from the Seat of it, and rather more than usual of private being added, I have not been able to gratify myself with more than a glance into this Record of...
30From James Madison to Richard Peters, 24 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 18th. did not give me the first intimation that the adverse fortunes of our very estimable friend Fayette had reconciled him to a mode of assistance from this country, which notwithstanding his acknowledged services to it, his generous feelings would under other circumstances, not have accepted. In a letter recd. from him not long ago by myself, I was authorized to draw the...