Edward Everett to Thomas Jefferson, 9 February 1823
From Edward Everett
Boston Feb. 9. 1823
Dear Sir
I duly received the letter which You did me the honor near a Year ago to address me on the Subject of my brother’s work on the Political State of Europe.—I should have thanked You for it at the time, but that I felt myself unauthorized to intrude on so Slight occasion upon Your leisure. Permit me now to forward You a Pamphlet which my brother has just published in reply to a notice of his work in the North American Review for July 1822 by Mr Francis C. Gray, who I beleive is personally known to You. My brother Alexander was highly gratifyed by the favorable opinion You were pleased to express of his book; and w’d be doubly so should he find You to sanction his Vindication of Statements which have been called in Question.—Of all persons living You are the most competent to decide; as the only surviving member of the American cabinet at the period in question.—1
I also beg leave to offer You on my Own account a copy of a translation w’h I have lately published of an approved German Greek Grammar. Tho’ I call it but a translation, the Syntax has been almost wholly remoulded by Me.—
Permit me to add my congratulations on the recovery of Your health which the public papers make known and the assurance of the high Respect with which I am Your faithful humble Servant
Edward Everett.
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 17 Feb. 1823 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures: (1) [Alexander H. Everett], A Few Notes on certain passages Respecting the Law of Nations, contained in an article in the July No. of the North American Review, upon the work entitled “Europe, By A Citizen of the United States” (Boston, 1823), responding to an anonymous review, supposed above to have been authored by Francis C. Gray, published in the North American Review 15 (new ser., 6) (1822): 177–204, and to an anonymous pamphlet, later attributed to Christopher Gore, Remarks on the Censures of the Government of the United States, contained in the ninth chapter of a book, entitled, “Europe, Or, A General Survey of the Present Situation of the Principal Powers; With Conjectures On Their Future Prospects. By A Citizen of the United States” (Boston, 1822); arguing first, that Everett was not in fact condemning the entire 1795 Jay Treaty and its negotiators when he expressed regret at the United States government’s acceptance of a clause allowing the treatment of provisions as an article of contraband; second, disputing the claim by Everett’s reviewers that he doubted the legality under the law of nations of confiscating enemy property found aboard neutral ships, and contending instead that while such confiscation was indeed deemed valid, this was a de facto result of British naval dominance rather than actual settled law; and third, justifying Everett’s position that the United States had “acquiesced in the rule of 1756” (p. 21), which stated that Great Britain would sever trade relations with neutral nations who also traded with its enemy, but clarifying that this opinion should not be construed as a censure of the American government. (2) Edward Everett, Greek Grammar, translated from the German of Philip Buttmann (Boston, 1822; , 13 [no. 854]).
TJ resigned as secretary of state on 31 Dec. 1793 and was thus no longer a member of the american cabinet at the time of the Jay Treaty.
On this day Everett also sent the first enclosure to James Madison (, Retirement Ser., 2:661–4).
1. Manuscript: “qustion.”
Index Entries
- A Few Notes on certain passages Respecting the Law of Nations, contained in an article in the July No. of the North American Review, upon the work entitled “Europe, By A Citizen of the United States” (A. H. Everett) search
- books; on European affairs search
- Buttman, Philip; Greek Grammar, translated from the German of Philip Buttmann (trans. E. Everett) search
- Europe; works on search
- Europe: or a General Survey of the present situation of the principal powers; with conjectures on their Future Prospects (A. H. Everett) search
- Everett, Alexander Hill; A Few Notes on certain passages Respecting the Law of Nations, contained in an article in the July No. of the North American Review, upon the work entitled “Europe, By A Citizen of the United States” search
- Everett, Alexander Hill; Europe: or a General Survey of the present situation of the principal powers; with conjectures on their Future Prospects search
- Everett, Edward; Greek Grammar, translated from the German of Philip Buttmann (P. Buttman) search
- Everett, Edward; letter from search
- Everett, Edward; sends work to TJ search
- Gore, Christopher; Remarks on the Censures of the Government of the United States, contained in the ninth chapter of a book, entitled, “Europe, Or, A General Survey of the Present Situation of the Principal Powers; With Conjectures On Their Future Prospects. By A Citizen of the United States search
- Gray, Francis Calley; anonymous review by search
- Great Britain; commercial policies of search
- Great Britain; navy of search
- Greek Grammar, translated from the German of Philip Buttmann (Buttman; trans. E. Everett) search
- Greek language; grammars search
- Jay Treaty (1795); analysis of search
- Jay Treaty (1795); mentioned search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Health; good health of search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Public Service; as secretary of state search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); works sent to search
- North American Review and Miscellaneous Journal search
- Remarks on the Censures of the Government of the United States, contained in the ninth chapter of a book, entitled, “Europe, Or, A General Survey of the Present Situation of the Principal Powers; With Conjectures On Their Future Prospects. By A Citizen of the United States (C. Gore) search