Thomas Jefferson Papers

Clement Caines to Thomas Jefferson, 2 April 1811

From Clement Caines

St Kitts April 2d 1811

Sir

The name of Thomas Jefferson has reached the West Indies and is celebrated throughout the World. It has excited sentiments of respect and high esteem in the breast of the person, who takes the liberty of addressing to you this letter. He wishes to express what he feels; but his means inadequately keep pace with his emotions. Such a tribute as is in his power he however tenders you. It consists of his literary compositions. Were they more worthy of your acceptance than he can suppose them to be, they would but feebly testify the consideration and respect with which he subscribes himself

Your obedient and humble Servt

Clemt Caines

RC (MHi); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Caines; endorsed by TJ as received 23 June 1811 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: Caines, The History of the General Council and General Assembly of the Leeward Islands, which were convened for the purpose of investigating and meliorating the Condition of the Slaves throughout those Settlements, and of effecting a gradual abolition of the Slave Trade (Saint Kitts, 1804; Sowerby, description begins E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, 1952–59, 5 vols. description ends no. 1401).

Clement Caines came to the West Indies as a sugar planter about 1778. He wrote extensively on the desirability of humane treatment for plantation slaves and the abolition of the slave trade, as well as political topics, including his support for the Embargo (Caines, Letters on the Cultivation of the Otaheite Cane; the Manufacture of Sugar and Rum; the Saving of Melasses; the Care and Preservation of Stock; with the Attention and Anxiety Which is Due to Negroes [London, 1801], esp. 1, 70, 251; Lowell J. Ragatz, comp., A Guide for the Study of British Caribbean History, 1763–1834 [1932; repr. 1970], 283).

Caines wrote James Madison a similar letter on the same day (Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– , 29 vols.: Congress. Ser., 17 vols.; Pres. Ser., 5 vols.; Sec. of State Ser., 7 vols description ends , Pres. Ser., 3:243). Although TJ only mentioned one volume in his 16 Sept. 1811 acknowledgment of this letter, the enclosed literary compositions may also have included three other works by Caines that found their way into TJ’s library: Brief Remarks on the Present and Former War with France, and on the Conduct and Opinions of the Deceased William Pitt (Saint Kitts, 1808; Sowerby, description begins E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, 1952–59, 5 vols. description ends no. 3381); Reflections on the Embargo, which has been Substituted by the United States of America, for Proclamations of War, and All the Evils and Horrors of Hostility (Saint Kitts, 1808; Sowerby, description begins E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, 1952–59, 5 vols. description ends no. 3382); and A Sketch of the Saxon Heptarchy (Saint Kitts, 1810; Sowerby, description begins E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, 1952–59, 5 vols. description ends no. 3380).

Index Entries

  • A Sketch of the Saxon Heptarchy (Caines) search
  • Brief Remarks on the Present and Former War with France (Caines) search
  • Caines, Clement; A Sketch of the Saxon Heptarchy search
  • Caines, Clement; Brief Remarks on the Present and Former War with France search
  • Caines, Clement; identified search
  • Caines, Clement; letters from search
  • Caines, Clement; Reflections on the Embargo search
  • Caines, Clement; The History of the General Council search
  • Embargo Act (1807); works on search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
  • Madison, James; and C. Caines search
  • Reflections on the Embargo (Caines) search
  • slavery; books on search
  • slave trade; works on search
  • sugar; manufacture of search
  • The History of the General Council (Caines) search
  • West Indies; TJ’s reputation in search