To Thomas Jefferson from [Nicolas?] van Staphorst, [ca. 14 March 1788]
From [Nicolas?] van Staphorst
[Amsterdam, ca. 14 Mch. 1788]
Mr. Van Staphorst’s compliment to Mr. Jefferson, and is sorry he cannot for the present assure, that what he will inform Mr. Jefferson about the quantity of pure Silver in a Gulden is exactly right, because he has taken it from a Book, of which authority he is not certain, in this case, but he will endeavour to ascertain it to morrow. 2367/331 florins or Guldens must weight one Mark troys of 5120 Azen, and the pure Silver 10 penny 22½ grain. The proportion between this weight and the french is 760 Dutch oncen = 762.8 french ones.
RC (MHi); addressed; without date, which has been assigned from the following note, in an unidentified hand, on the verso of the address leaf: “The Balance actually in favor of the United States this 14 March 1788 is ƒ79268.2.8 Guilders and there are 590 Bonds remaining on hand.” There are various calculations in TJ’s hand on the recto of the address leaf.