71821From Thomas Jefferson to John Brown Cutting, 28 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the honour of writing you on the 24th. inst. the transactions on the Black sea were but vaguely known. I am now able to give them to you on better foundation. The Captain Pacha was proceeding with succours to Oczakoff as is said by some (for this fact does not come on the same authority with the others), the authentic account placing the two fleets in the neighborhood of each other...
71822From Thomas Jefferson to John Thomson Mason, 12 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this day recieved your letter of resignation , with regret altho’ not unexpectedly; and have in consequence written to propose the office to mr Jones. as his acceptance is uncertain, and we have no time to lose in making the appointment, will you be so good in the meantime as to give me your opinion between mr Sprigg recommended by you, and John Bowie Ducket who has been recommended by...
71823Drafts of Messages to Congress, 6 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed letter &c it is sent in a separate & confidential message because it’s publication may discourage frank communicns between our ministers & the govmts with which they reside. for exploring the waters of the country ceded by the Convention with France of Apr. 30. 1803, & the Indian nation’s inhabiting the same for the purpose of establishing commerce with them. DLC : Papers of...
71824From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 7 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The accounts of the last week from Lisbon, announcing an actual declaration of war by France against England and Holland, when applied to the preceding note of the British court ordering the French minister to leave London (which is generally considered as preliminary to a declaration of war) now render it extremely probable that those powers are at actual war, and necessary in my opinion that...
71825From Thomas Jefferson to William Davies, 4 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
There are in the hands of Colo. Taylor for the use of his regiment of guards about 500 stand of arms. The regiment having gone to Maryland with the Conventioners was ordered at first to be discharged at Winchester and afterwards to be brought back to Charlottesville to be discharged there. It is therefore uncertain at which place those arms will be deposited. Besides these there were lodged in...
71826From Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Garrett, 29 March 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
The most calamitous event which could happen to my family would be my death intestate; and prudence even requires that I should guard against the possibility of accident to my will by fire or otherwise were a single copy to be trusted to any where. I ask therefore the friendly office of you to recieve a duplicate in deposit for safe keeping and assure you of my affectionate friendship and...
71827From Thomas Jefferson to J. Louis Brethoux, 21 February 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now to acknolege the receipt of the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 21st. of January together with the book on the culture of the olive tree. This is a precious present to me, and I pray you to accept my thanks for it. I am just gratified by letters from South Carolina which inform me that in consequence of the information I had given them on the subject of the olive tree,...
71828Thomas Jefferson to Fitzwhylsonn & Potter, 12 October 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
During the life of the late mr Pleasants of Richmond I usually applied to him for such books as I had occasion to call for from that place. as these calls still occur at times I will take the liberty, with your approbation, to address them to yourselves. M r Gibson , of the firm of Gibson & Jefferson , will pay your bills at such epochs as you shall chuse to present them, as I trust has been...
71829Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 13 June 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I requested you in a former letter to assure mr James Rawlings that as soon as I could get my tob o to market I would draw on you in his favor for a balance due the mutual assurance co. I have accdly drawn on you this day for a sum of about 89 or 90.D. I had formerly desired mr Ritchie to apply to you annually for my subscription to the Enquirer, and supposing it regularly paid, I had not even...
71830From Thomas Jefferson to A. Van Stipriaan Lúïsçiús, 3 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved the treatise describing the very ingenious Bathometer for sounding the depths of the sea, which you were so kind as to send me, and with it a model of the instrument itself. I pray you, Sir, to accept my thanks for this mark of your attention. our Nation, as a publick body, being at present engaged in no pursuit where the use of this ingenious machine could be employed, I have...
71831From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Leiper, 27 October 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my solicitation of July 22. at your request the ground on which I stand is entirely changed, and it is become impossible for me to ask any thing further from the govmt. I cannot explain this to you, and even request you not to mention the fact. I should not have sent it to you, but that I cannot offer you false excuses. my frdshp for you is the same , but this method of proving it is no...
71832From Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 17 January 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
This serves to advise you that I have this day drawn on you for [150]. Doll. at three days sight in favor of Mr. Charles Johnston & Co. of Richmond, which please to honor. Several little disbursements which you have made for me, of unknown amount, render it desireable to recieve a continuation of your last account. Yesterday came to hand a box of Segars, which I presume is from you. I expected...
71833From Thomas Jefferson to James Buchanan, 22 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
By my letter of Jan. 13. I took the liberty of praying you to send me Hayes’s newspapers to the care of N. Jamieson of New York, by post if free, or otherwise by other opportunities. I have not yet received any: but pre[suming] on past experiences of your goodness I suppose some may [be] on the way. In the mean time experience proves to me that the French postage is exorbitant beyond...
71834[From Thomas Jefferson to George Muter, 15 February 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Richmond, 15 Feb. 1781. An entry in the War Office Journal (Vi) under this date reads as follows: “The Governor, with the advice of the members present of the Council, there not being a Board, directs me to write to Capt. Browne, that he agrees to his being appointed Commissary of Military Stores, but that no sallary can be fixed at present for the Office.” Not located. Muter’s letter to...
71835Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 10 January 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
It would seem mighty idle for me to inform you formally of the merits of Col o Trumbull as a painter or as a man. yet he asks my notice of him to my friends , as if his talents had not already distinguished him in their notice. on the continent of Europe his genius was placed much above West ’s. Baron Grimm , the arbiter of taste at Paris in my day, expressed to me often his decided & high...
71836From Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas Gouin Dufief, 20 January 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I am desirous to obtain two copies of the New testament in Greek or Greek & Latin, both of the same edition exactly; and two others in English, both also of the same edition; and all four of the same format, that they may admit being bound up together. the format to be either 8vo. or 12mo. but the latter of preference. will you be so good as to endeavor to procure these for me? Accept my...
71837From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 13 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter from Mr. Barclay, and one from Mr. Carmichael, of which I send you extracts, are come to hand this morning, which is in time for them to go by the same gentleman who carries my letter of the 11th. I observe what Mr. Carmichael says on the subject of the Portuguese treaty, and am sorry it meets with difficulties. I doubt however whether he ascribes them to their true cause,...
71838III. Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 28 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
According to the intimation the other day, and indeed according to my own wish in a question, if not difficult, yet very important, I have the honor to inclose you a written opinion on the question Whether the US. ought to declare their treaties with France void, or suspended? This contains my answer to the 2d. 3d. 4th. 5th. and 6th. of the written queries . The 1st. had been before answered...
71839Thomas Jefferson’s Specifications for the Rotunda Planetarium, 1824?, 31 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The concave ceiling of the Rotunda is proposed to be painted sky–blue and spangled with gilt stars in their position and magnitude copied exactly from any selected hemisphere of our latitude. A seat for the Operator movable and fixable at any point in the concave, will be necessary, and means of giving to every star it’s exact position. [GRAPHIC IN MANUSCRIPT] Machinery for moving the Operator....
71840To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Jefferson, [24 November 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respectful compliments to the Secretary of the Treasury, and incloses him a note from mr Droz, the coiner, which he forgot to deliver to him to-day when he had the honour of waiting on him. It came to hand yesterday. ALS , letterpress copy, Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress. For Jean Pierre Droz, see H to Jefferson, April 22, 1790 .
71841From Thomas Jefferson to Nathaniel Cutting, 18 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
On the reciept of your letter of Jan. 26. I referred to the Secretary of the Treasury so much of it as related to your models machines Etc by his answer which I inclose, you will percieve that the laws have not given any exemption from duty to objects of that kind; and we can only execute the laws as they are. To my congratulations on your return to the United states, permit me to add my...
71842To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 3 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
As I know the anxieties you must have felt since the late misfortune to the South, and our latter accounts have not been quite so unfavorable as the first, I take the liberty of inclosing you a state of this unlucky affair extracted from letters from General Gates, Genl Stevens, & Govr Nash, and taken as to some circumstances from an officer who was in the action. another army is collecting....
71843From Thomas Jefferson to the Judges of the High Court of Chancery, 5 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Executive (on the publick account) are under a Difficulty which will be sufficiently explained by the within Paper. You will perceive by that that we propose to refer the Matter to Arbitration in another State: nevertheless we suppose the only question which occasions a Doubt (that is whether if Mr Nathan took up the Bills bona Fide as he alledges, he is entitled to a paiment in hard Money...
71844From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 20th. came to hand last night. I sincerely regret that mrs Madison is not likely to be able to come on so soon as had been hoped. the probability of an extensive war on the continent of Europe strengthening every day for some time past, is now almost certain. this gives us our great desideratum, time. in truth it places us quite at our ease. we are certain of one year of...
71845From Thomas Jefferson to John Page, 27 December 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Resuming the subject of the resolutions of the House of Delegates of Dec. 31. 1800. Jan. 16 1802. and Feb. 3. 1804. I have it not in my power to say that any change of circumstances has taken place which enables me yet to propose any specific asylum for the persons who are the subjects of our correspondence . the island of St. Domingo, our nearest and most convenient recourse, is too unsettled...
71846From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Pigott, [3 June 1788] (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Montgomery and his mother seem uneasy that such a sum in cash as 8000£ should be tied up in his hands by the marriage settlement. I apprehend this uneasiness may be removed and your daughter provided for more surely by settling lands of the value of 8000£on her for life (if she survives her husband) and after both their deaths, on the children of their joint bed in such proportions as the...
71847From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Eston Randolph, 22 May 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The distress in which I am to meet debts of the most pressing urgency obliges me to remind you of the arrearages due to me on the mill account. according to the account rendered by yourself to the 1 st of last July there was then a balance acknoleged due of 650.09D my acc t made it more. this difference was left to Jefferson to settle with you, and it was agreed between you to arbitrate it as...
71848From Thomas Jefferson to United States Senate, 17 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I nominate John Stephen of Maryland to be Attorney for the US. in the district of Maryland. Peter A. Schenck of New York to be Surveyor for the port of New York Philip De Peyster of New York to be a Consul for the US. in the island of Curaçoa DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
71849Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Provenchere, 8 January 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respectful salutations to Mons r Provenchere , and with pleasure complies with the request of M. Silvestre , with whom he has the advantage of a correspondence by sending him the inclosed letter , lately recieved under cover from M. Silvestre . PoC ( MHi
71850From Thomas Jefferson to Jones & Howell, 2 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of May 27. is recieved and I now supply the omission of my former letter by stating that it is double rolled sheet iron which I have occasion for. I have this moment recieved a letter from my workman at Monticello stating his want of the iron below described. as this want is immediate, I should be glad you could put the iron on board the first vessel going to Richmond. it will be...