To Thomas Jefferson from John Paul Jones, 20 March 1788
From John Paul Jones
Copenhagen March 20. 1788.
Sir
I embrace the occasion of a young Gentleman, just arrived here Express from St. Petersburg, and who sets out immediately Express for Paris, to transmit you the foregoing Copy of my last of the 18th. I have written to Norway1 and expect a satisfactory Answer. The minister of France is surprised to have had no object from Versailles respecting me. I pray you and so does he to push that point immediately. The minister of foreign affairs will receive me on Saturday. Please to present my kind compliments to Littlepage. If there is any thing new from that quarter, you will no doubt communicate it.
I am sincerely, Yours in haste,
Paul Jones
NB. The Cyphers in the Original Letters are all corrected in the Copys, and the Numbers that were at first erronious, are now underlined.
RC (DLC: John Paul Jones Papers); partly in code. Although this letter has the word “Copy,” in Jones’ hand, at the head of the text, as do the duplicates of his letters to TJ of 11 and 18 Mch. 1788 which are written on the same sheet as the above, it is probable that this is the only copy of the letter of this date sent to TJ.
The occasion … for paris: Jones’ letter of 25 Mch. 1788, q.v., is written on the same sheet of paper as the above. It is probable therefore that before Jones sent this letter and the copies of his letters of 11 and 18 Mch. he received information from Paris that TJ had gone to Amsterdam and therefore transmitted this letter with his letter of 25 Mch.
1. This and the following words in italics, with the exception of “underlined” in the postscript, which is underscored, are written in code and were decoded interlineally by TJ, employing Code No. 12.