Thomas Jefferson to William Tudor, 14 February 1823
To William Tudor
Monticello Feb. 14. 23.
Sir
I have duly recieved your favor of Jan. 24 and with that a copy of your life of James Otis, for which be pleased to accept my thanks. the character of mr Otis the subject of this work1 is one which I have always been taught to hold in high estimation,2 and I have no doubt that the volume will on perusal be found worthy of it’s subject. with respect to the part of it respecting3 Dr Franklin, on which you ask my opinion particularly I have perused it with attention, and as far as my personal acquaintance authorises me to say,4 I think it generally just & correct. of one point however I was not aware, to wit, that the Dr came more tardily5 into the idea of resistance by arms than others generally. when he returned from England6 and took his first seat in Congress, which was before our second petition to the king, he was7 as forward as any of us, and he first laid on our table a form of confederation. however it is very possible that while he continued in England surrounded by the appalling means of that powerful nation,8 and compared them with ours, he might have doubts whether the array in arms might not be better postponed awhile. on this subject however I have no particular information.9 with my thanks for the copy of your work be pleased to accept the assurance of my great esteem & respect
Th: Jefferson
RC (MHi: Tudor-Adams Correspondence); addressed: “William Tudor esq. Boston”; redirected in an unidentified hand to “Gardner Maine”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 14 Feb.; endorsed by Tudor. Dft (MHi); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; endorsed by TJ.
Tudor described Benjamin Franklin’s supposed tardiness in supporting resistance by arms in The Life of James Otis, of Massachusetts (Boston, 1823; , 5 [no. 148]), esp. 391–4. The Continental Congress approved the second petition to the king, the so-called “Olive Branch Petition,” on 8 July 1775 (, 1:219–23).
Franklin’s form of confederation was read to the Continental Congress on 21 July 1775, but later tabled in the committee of the whole. Asked by Franklin for his opinion of the plan, TJ later recalled that “I approved it highly” (Leonard W. Labaree and others, eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin [1959– ], 22:120–5; , 1:177–82, 10:372).
1. Word interlined in Dft in place of “volume.”
2. Word interlined in Dft in place of “respect.”
3. Dft: “relating to.”
4. Preceding four words interlined in Dft in place of “went.”
5. Word interlined in Dft in place of “<slo> lately.”
6. Preceding two words interlined in Dft.
7. Preceding two words interlined in Dft in place of “I found him.”
8. Word interlined in Dft in place of “country.”
9. Omitted period supplied from Dft.
Index Entries
- Continental Congress, Second; addresses to British people and Crown search
- Continental Congress, Second; and B. Franklin’s confederation proposal search
- Franklin, Benjamin; as member of Continental Congress search
- Franklin, Benjamin; confederation proposal of search
- Franklin, Benjamin; mission to Great Britain search
- Franklin, Benjamin; TJ’s relationship with search
- George III, king of Great Britain; addresses to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; receives works search
- Otis, James; The Life of James Otis, of Massachusetts (W. Tudor) search
- The Life of James Otis, of Massachusetts (W. Tudor) search
- Tudor, William (1779–1830); letter to search
- Tudor, William (1779–1830); seeks TJ’s opinion search
- Tudor, William (1779–1830); The Life of James Otis, of Massachusetts search