1John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 15 July 1813, with Postscript from Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 15 July 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
Never mind it, my dear Sir, if I write four Letters to your one: your one is worth more than my four. It is true that I can Say and have Said nothing new on the Subject of Government. yet I did Say in my Defence and in my Discourses on Davila, though in an uncouth Style, what was new to Lock , to Harrington , to Milton , to Hume to Montesquieu to Reauseau , to Turgot , Condorcet
2Abigail Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 20 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
your kind and Friendly Letter found me in great affliction for the loss of my dear and only daughter, mrs smith She had been with me only three weeks having undertaken a journey from the State of N york , desirious once more to See her parents, and to close her days under the paternal roof She was accompanied by her Son and daughter , who made every exeertion to get her here, and gratify what...
3John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 9 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I believe I told you in my last , that I had given you all in Lindseys Memoirs, than that interested you. But I was mistaken. In Priestleys Letter to Lindsey Dec r 19. 1803 , I find this Paragraph “With the Work I am now composing I go on much faster and better than I expected; so that in two or three months, if my health continue as it now is, I hope to have it ready for the Press; though I...
4John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 25 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
your favour of the 15 th came to me yesterday, and it is a pleasure to discover that We are only 9 days apart. Be not Surprised or alarmed. Lindsays Memoirs will do no harm to you or me. you have right and reason to feel and to resent the breach of Confidence. I have had enough of the same kind of Treachery and Perfidy practiced upon me, to know how to Sympathize with you. I will agree with...
5John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 10 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
In your Letter to D r Priestley of March 21. 1801 , you ask “What an Effort, of Bigotry in politics and religion have We gone through! The barbarians really flattered themselves, they should be able to bring back the times of Vandalism, when ignorance put every thing into the hands of power and priestcraft. All Advances in Science were proscribed as innovations; they pretended to praise and...
6John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 29 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
To leave the Pettifogger of Funivals Inn , or Cliffords Inn , his Archbishop Laud , and his Chevalier of St. Iago of Compostella Sir Christopher Gardiner , for the present; Paulo Multo majora canamus . There has been put into my hands, within a few days a gross Volume in octavo, of 544 Pages with the Title of “Memoirs of the late reverend Theophilus Lindsey. M.A. ” including a brief “Analysis...
7John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 28 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
It is very true, that “the denunciations of the Priesthood are fulminated against every Advocate for a compleat Fre e dom of Religion. ” Comminations, I believe, would be plenteously pronounced, by even the most liberal of them, against Atheism, Deism; against every Man who disbelieved or doubted the Resurrection of Jesus or the Miracles of the New Testament. Priestley himself would denounc e...
8John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 30 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Before I proceed to the order of the day, which is the terrorism of a former day: I beg leave to correct an Idea, that Some readers may infer from an expression in one of your Letters. No Sentiment or expression in any of my Answers to Addresses were obtruded or insinuated by any Person about me. Every one of them was written with my own hand. I alone am responsable for all the Mistakes and...
9John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 3–5] July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Correspondences! The Letters of Bernard and Hutchinson , and Oliver and Paxton &c were detected and exposed before The Revolution. There are I doubt not, thousands of Letters, now in being, but Still concealed, from their Party to their Friends, which will, one day See the light. I have wondered for more than thirty years that So few have appeared: and have constantly expected that a Tory...
10John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 12 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
As I owe you more for your Letters of Oct. 12. and 28 than I Shall be able to pay, I Shall begin with the P.S. to the last. I am very Sorry to Say, that I cannot “assist your memory in the Enquiries of your letter of August 22 d .” I really know not who was the compositor of any one of the Petitions or Addresses you enumerate. Nay farther I am certain I never did know. I was so shallow a...
11John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 22 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
D r Priestley , in a letter to M r Lindsey Northumberland Nov. 4. 1803 Says “ As you were pleased with my comparison of Socrates and Jesus , I have begun to carry the same comparison to all the heathen Moralists , and I have all the books that I want for the purpose, except
12John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 9 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Lord! Lord! What can I do, with So much Greek? When I was of your Age, young Man, i.e. 7 or 8 or 9 years ago I felt, a kind of pang of Affection, for one of the flames of my youth, and again paid my Addresses to Isocrates and Dionissius Hallicarnassensis &c &c &c I collected all my Lexicons and Grammers and Sat down to περι ενθε ς εως ονοματων &c. In this Way I amused myself for sometime: but...
13John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [22] September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Considering all things, I admire D r Priestleys last Effort for which I am entirely indebted to you. But as I think it is extreamly imperfect, I beg of you to pursue the investigation, according to your promise to D r Rush , and according to your Syllabus. It may be presumptuous in me to denominate any Thing of Dr Priestley imperfect: but I must avow, that among all the vast Exertions of his...
14John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 12 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I forgot in my last to remark, a very trifling Inaccuracy in yours of June 27 th . The Letter intercepted in Hichbournes Trunk which was reported to glance at M r Dickenson , was not in 1776. It was in the month of June 1775. Had it been June 1776, the English would not have printed it. The Nation had then too maturely reflected, on the necessity of Independence, and was too ripe and too hot...
15John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I rec d yesterday your favour of may 27 th . I lament with you the loss of Rush . I know of no Character living or dead, who has done more real good in America . Robert Treat Paine Still lives, at 83 or 84, alert drol and witty though deaf . Floyd I believe, yet remains, Paine must be very great; Philosopher and Christian; to live under the Afflictions of his Family. Sons and Daughters with...
16John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 13 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Let me allude, to one circumstance more, in one of your Letters to me, before I touch upon the Subject of Religion in your Letters to Priestley . The first time, that you and I differed in Opinion on any material Question; was after your arrival from Europe ; and that point was the french Revolution. you was well persuaded in your own mind that the Nation would Succeed in establishing a free...
17John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 15 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
My last Sheet , would not admit of an Observation that was material to my design. D r Price was “inclined to think” that infinite Wisdom and Goodness, could not permit infinite Power, to be inactive, from Eternity: but that, an infinite and eternal Universe, must have necessarily flowed from these Attributes. Plato’s System was “ Αγαθος ” was eternal, Self existent &c. His Ideas, his Word, his...
18John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 4 October] 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
σὲ γὰρ πάντεσσι θέμις θνητοῖσι προσαυδᾶn . “It is not only permitted but enjoined upon all Mortals to address you.” Why should not our Divines translate it “It is our duty and our priviledge to address the Throne of thy grace and pray for all needed lawfull Blessings temporal and Spiritual,.” Θεμiς was the Goddess of honesty, Justice, Decency, and right; the Wife of Jove , another name for...
19John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have more to Say, on Religion. For more than Sixty years I have been attentive to this great Subject. Controversies, between Calvinists and Arminians, Trinitarians and Unitarians, Deists and Christians, Atheists and both, have attracted my Attention, whenever the Singular Life, I have lead would admit, to all these questions. The History of this little Village of Quincy , if it were worth...
20John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 14 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I owe you a thousand thanks for your favour of Aug. 22 and its Enclosures , and for D r Priestley’s “Doctrines of heathen Philosophy compared with those of Revelation.” your Letter to D r Rush , and the Sillabus Syllabus , I return inclosed with this, according to your Injunction; though with great reluctance. May I beg a copy of both? They will do you no harm: me and others much good. I hope...
21John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 14 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
In your Letter to D r Priestley of march 21. 1801 , you “tender him, the protection of those laws which were made for the wise and good, like him; and disclaim the legitimacy of that Libel on legislation , which, under the form of a Law, was for Sometime placed among them.” This Law, I presume was, the Alien Law, as it was called. As your name is Subscribed to that law, as Vice President, and...
22John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 16 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
your Letters to Priestley , have encreased my Grief if that were possible, for the loss of Rush . Had he lived, I would have Stimulated him to insist on your promise to him to write him on the Subject of Religion. your Plan, I admire. In your Letter to Priestley of March 21. 1801 , dated at Washington you call “The Christian Philosophy, the most Sublime and benevolent, but the most perverted...
23John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 14] August 1813, with Postscript, 16 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Κριοùς μὲν καὶ ὄνοuς διζήμεθα, Κúρνε, καὶ ἵππους εὐγενέας· καί τις βούλεται ἐξ ἀγαθῶν κτήσασθαι. γῆμαι δὲ κακὴν κακοũ οὐ μελεδαίνει ἐςθλὸς ἀνὴρ, ἤν οἱ χρήματα πολλὰ διδῶ. Behold my translation “My Friend Curnis , When We want to purchace, Horses, Asses or Rams, We inquire for the Wellborn. And every one wishes to procure, from the good Breeds. A good Man, does not care to marry a Shrew, the...
24John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 14 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Accept my thanks for the comprehensive Syllabus, in your favour of Oct. 12. The Psalms of David , in Sublimity beauty, pathos and originality, or in one Word, in poetry, are Superiour to all the Odes Hymns and Songs in any language. But I had rather read them in our prose translation, than in any version I have Seen. His Morality however, often Shocks me, like Tristram Shandy’s execrations....
25John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 2 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Οὐδὲ γυνὴ κακοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀναίνεται εἶναι ἄκοιτις πλουσίου· ἀλλ’ ἀφνεὸν βούλεται ἀντ’ ἀγαθοῦ. Χρήματὰ γὰρ τιμῶσι, καὶ ἐκ κακοῦ ἐσθλὸς ἔγημε, καὶ κακὸς ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ. πλοῦτος ἔμιξε γένος. Grotius renders this into latin, thus. Nec dedignatur ditemque malumque maritum femina: divitiæ præ probitate placent. In pretio pretium est: genus et prænobile, vili, obscurum claro, miscet avaritia. I Should render...
26Albemarle County Court Decision in Jefferson v. Michie, 4 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Thomas Jefferson } Comp t vs Upon a bill in chancery to perpetuate testamoney David Michie Deft This cause came on to be heard this fourth day of November 1813 On the bill answer, plea set down for argument and exhibits, and the arguments of council being heard & mature consideration had thereon, It is adjudged ordered and decreed by the court that the defendants plea be overruled, and that...
27Paul Allen to Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have in consequence of the reception of Your letter & the prospect which it gives Me of rendering the work more compleat by the addition of Gov. Lewis biography prevailed upon the Booksellers to delay the publication of the first volume as it was not originally contemplated to have done. before the second. Their plan was to publish the first volume as soon as it was struck off & to have the...
28Burgess Allison to Thomas Jefferson, [3 November 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
It is now a year since I have had a letter from M r Hawkins ; he was then, and had been some time engaged as an Engineer, and had undertaken two very stupendous works: one of them the constructing a Tunnel under the River Thames about eleven miles below London , which he had nearly compleated. The other was a Tunnel through Shuters hill , about eight miles from London , to level the eastern road.
29Alrichs & Dixon to Thomas Jefferson, 18 March 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
we have to acknowledge thy favour 11 th current— ; in our reply to thine, of 3 rd Ins t ; (which we hope thou hast receivd;) we stated, what we supposd must be the cause of thy Carder not performing to satisfaction; and the way, we hoped, to remedy it.—we regret, exceeding, that thou has found so much dificulty; with thy machine;—we had tried it before we sent it on; and fully believed it...
30“A Man of Years & A Citizen” to Thomas Jefferson, [received 14 September 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
thou wert wise in thy Administration:—thou didst Reward thy Officers generally,—but this unpresuming Young man , thou did cruelly overlook.—Use thy unfluence to do him essential Service.—thou art rich,—he is poor and deserving, and in disgust I am afraid will soon throw up his commission.—Be humane & generous as thy nature I know will prompt. RC ( DLC : TJ Papers , 199:35443); undated;...
31Unidentified Author’s Short Biography of Meriwether Lewis, [before 18 August 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
M Lewis , born August 18, o f 74 in Albemarle . he at first went to common day schools, learning to read, to write & Arithmetic with ordinary facility , he was early remarkable for intrepidity, liberality & hardihood, at eight years of age going alone with his dogs at midnight in the depth of winter, hunting wading creeks where the banks were covered with ice & snow. he might be tracked...
32John Jacob Astor to Thomas Jefferson, 18 October 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
From the corect view which you had of the Importancs of my undertaking Relative to the trade in the Indian country and Particularly our establishment near the mouth of Columbia River I am Lead to belive that it would have afortd you pleasure to have heard of our Sucess which I had hopes to have Comunicated to you & which I Should have had in my Power to have Done had we not fallen a Sacrifics...
33Contract to Purchase Corn from Craven Peyton, 13 October 1813, with Subsequent Receipts (Jefferson Papers)
M. Bacon & C. Peyton have bargained for all the corn C. Peyton may have to sell—except about Seventy barrells—that is C.P. is to let M. Bacon hav e One hundred Barrells if he makes as much to sell aftar deducting the above Seventy; the Corn to be recav d between the 1 st & tenth of Nov r On the rivar bank. at Twenty Shilling ⅌ barrell payable on the
34John Martin Baker to Thomas Jefferson, 1 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the Honor to address you frequently from the Island of Majorca , where in June 1810 I had the Satisfaction to remit you, per the American Schooner Hellen of Salem Cap William Brown , to the particular care of the Collector of that port, One Box containing an Extensive Petrel collection , p natural productions of the
35John Wayles Baker to Thomas Jefferson, 11 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I wish to see you very much I am very well I am at school at Lynchburg to A gentleman by the name of Mr. Halcomb I like him very much well he is very good to cousin and my self he and my self are going hom e very soon some of my Vacations I will come and stay some time with you
36Agreement with William Ballard, 18 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
William Ballard engages himself to serve Thomas Jefferson as an overseer at his place called Tufton during the year ensuing, to commence the 1 st day of December next and faithfully to do his duty in that capacity: and the sd Thomas Jefferson agrees to find him six hundred weight of pork, corn bread sufficient for himself & family, and a barrel of flour, and moreover to allow him sixty five...
37Charles L. Bankhead to Thomas Jefferson, [20 September 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
I must beg you for a hamper of charcoal to dry our malt. Capt Miller apologises for not comeing up befor this—his excuse is the dampness of the weather, which he does not urge on his own account, but in consideration of our malt, thinking that in his absense it might grow too fast in this weather— RC ( ViU : TJP-ER ); undated; addressed: “Mr: Jefferson Monticello ”; endorsed by TJ as a letter...
38James Barbour to Thomas Jefferson, 30 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
A transient visit to Orange prevented me from receiving, and by consequence of answering, the letter , you addressed me (under date the 15 th instant ) till this time. The misfortunes which have overwhelmed M r Strode are to me a Source of deep regret; to contribute to their alleviation would be highly gratifying—more especially when in So doing I could give you a proof of my anxiety to comply...
39John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 10 November 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
since I had the honor of Addressing you the 19 Ult —I had the pleasure of receiving the inclosed from M r Williams —to which I replied the 28 th requesting the fav r (in Case he should suceed in purchasing a Set of Ex—at New York . (if not too much trouble) he would also engage a Sett in my fav r for ƒ5000 franc’s—and that I would also wish to avail my self of the indulgence— in Case himself...
40John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 6 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your fav r 28 th Ult o I recd yesterday— The more I contemplate on the proposed plan of Remitting to Paris —viz Mess r G. W. & R & M —the more my doubts and dificulties encreases—
41John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 3 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your fav r 21 st Ult o as well that of Mess rs Gibson & Jefferson , of the 29 th —Covering $540: are duly recd. and the Amo t placed—as you directed—as more particularly Appears, from the inclosed statem t of your a/c —which, I have Ventured—(being on so near a Scale) to Balance—
42John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 20 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
since I had the pleasure of Answering your fav r of the 4 th Ins t M r Geo Williams of Balt o has fav rd me with answer to my 2 d letter to him—on the expected advices from G K
43John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 10 October 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your very Acceptable favour— tho dated, the 18 th Ult o did not reach, me before late last evening— conveying the ageeable intilligence— Gen l Kosciuskos receiving—your last years Remittance for ƒ5,500 franc’s—with order to remit his Annual Int thro same Convenint Channel— in consequence, I instantly Addressed a few lines to M r Geo Williams —at
44Enclosure: Account with John Barnes, 31 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Thomas Jefferson Esq r In. a/c—with John Barnes . 1809 July & Aug t To Amo t of Acco t rendered 141.07— 1812 since when viz— March 24 th
45John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you, by my friend and neighbour M r John Eliason , whom I had the Honor of introducing to you by letter the 6 th Jan y —respecting your Mills & c as to a partnership—as noticed—I presume would not be agreable to either—party—but should M r Randolph —be inclined to relinquish the business—whatever might be the condition agreed on either, with you, or M
46John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 19 October 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Notwithstand g I wrote M r George Williams the 9 th Ins t requesting a sett of exchange for same Amo t as last year—at present ex—on the same firm vz Mess r Russell & Morton —I am as yet most cruely disappointed—in not receiving any Ans r
47John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 4 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
On mature reflection I have thought, your paying for those four years passed 8 per C t Int—on Gen l K —$4,500 (transferred to your a/c with him ) —without being Allowed—on that Acco t the Amo t of an extra premium and expences the Gen l must have been at, in the purchase of some Other Public stock, that would immediately produce the like Interest, for Instance, the Bank of Col a
48John Barnes to Thomas Jefferson, 29 April 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
With Reference to the want of intelligence from Gen l Kosciusko —I inclose you herewith M r Geo: Williams of Baltimore his letter to me dated 29 Jan y for y r goverment as well, on Acco t of making a further Remittance (if advisable.) in course of the insuing Month—no Latter Acco t
49Benjamin Smith Barton to Thomas Jefferson, 23 March 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I find there is to be a “physician” general of the arm. of the U. States —I have the vanity to think, that I am not entirely unqualified for that important place, by my age, my experience in practise, & my long experience as a teacher of a “practical” branch of medicine. Perhaps, I have some claim upon the government, as a steady supporter, so far as I can go, of the measures of the executive....
50Regnault de Bécourt to Thomas Jefferson, 26 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Conformement à la lettre que Votre Seigneurie prit la peine de m’écrire en date du 6 février, de cette année-ci , je prends la liberté de lui adresser, ci-joint, un exemplaire de mon ouvrage intitulé: La Création du monde, &c, le quel vient de paraître. Si Votre Seigneurie souhaitait Se procurer quelques autres exemplaires du même ouvrage, en m’honorant d’un mot à cet égard, adressé, soit à M...