79051Thomas Jefferson to Burwell Bassett, 17 June 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have lately recieved a letter from Mons r Beauvois of Paris , a literary friend & acquaintance of mine, who passed several years in the US. of which letter I give an extract on the next leaf. I am anxious to serve him in the case there stated, but find it necessary first to obtain correct information of the facts and transactions which have taken place in the case in this country, and the...
79052Thomas Jefferson to Randolph Jefferson, 20 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
The unexpected difficulties of bringing water to my saw mill & threshing machine, & the necessity of doing it before harvest, have obliged me to put off my visit to Bedford till after harvest. the spinning Jenny for Bedford is now ready but will not be sent until I go. while it is here it offers a good opportunity for your spinner to learn upon it. after it is gone there will be no idle...
79053[From Thomas Jefferson to R. & A. Garvey, 17 August 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Paris, 17 Aug. 1786 . An entry in SJL , under this date and immediately below the entry for the (missing) letter to André Limozin of this date, reads: “Garvey. do.” Not found.]
79054Thomas Jefferson to Virginia Delegates, 9 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Written by a clerk. Since my letter of the 6th. I receive Information that two Parcels of Medicines marked CV (which we construed Commonwealth of Virginia) were consigned on private Account to Monsieur Coulaux la Vigne, and with other Parts of the Cargo of Le Comité were considered as ours; Be so good as to cause Delivery of them to be made to Monsr Coulaux la...
79055From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 April 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Some of the objects of the joint commission with which we were honoured by Congress called me to this place about six weeks ago. Tomorrow I set out on my return to Paris. With this nation nothing is done; and it is now decided that they intend to do nothing with us. The king is against a change of measures; his ministers are against it, some from principle, others from attachment to their...
79056From Thomas Jefferson to Mathew Boulton, 8 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jefferson’s compliments to Mr. Boulton and will beg the favor of him, when he shall be arrived in England, to have an estimate made of the cost of the underwritten articles, plated in the best manner, with a plain bead, and to send him the estimate to Paris. If Mr. Jefferson should on the estimate decide to buy them, he will take the liberty of addressing a letter to Mr. Boulton for them....
79057From Thomas Jefferson to John Page, 20 January 1763 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been thinking this half hour how to begin my letter and cannot for my soul make it out. I wish to the Lord one could write a letter without any beginning for I am sure it allways puzzles me more than all the rest of it. And to tell you the plain truth I have not a syllable to write to you about. For I do not conceive that any thing can happen in my world which you would give a curse to...
79058Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Smith Barton, 21 September 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of the 14 th and would with all possible pleasure have communicated to you any part or the whole of the Indian vocabularies which I had collected, but an irreparable misfortune has deprived me of them. I have now been thirty years availing myself of every possible opportunity of procuring Indian vocabularies to the same set of words: my opportunities were...
79059Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Milligan, 22 December 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return here from Bedford a few days ago, I found the Hutton and Requisite tables, bound to my mind. by this mail I send you an Ovid’s metamorphoses almost entirely worne out & defaced, yet of so valuable and rare an addition edition that I wish you to put it into as good a state of repair as it is susceptible of. by the next mail I will forward a Cornelius Nepos to be bound. be so good...
79060From Thomas Jefferson to André Limozin, 18 June 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 17. Ult. since which I have been honored with yours of May 22. and June 5. By a letter I have received from Messieurs Van Staphorsts at Amsterdam, I find they have shipt my two stoves on board the same vessel with the boxes of ‘Meubles &c.’ of which I am glad as it will give you trouble once only instead of twice. I find that you have been so kind as to call on Mrs....
79061[From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Harrison, 30? October 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Williamsburg, 30? Oct. 1779 . JHD Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia (cited by session and date of publication) , Oct. 1779, 1827 edn., p. 30 (30 Oct. 1779): “The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Governor, respecting the purchase of a frigate for the use of the State, which was read, and ordered to be referred to the committee of the whole House...
79062From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Newton, 7 May 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 14th. Apr. came to hand on the 1st. inst. and that of the 8th. not till the 3d. the pipe of wine had arrived a few days before, and I have now the pleasure to inclose you the first halves of 4. bills of the bank of the US. to wit 3. of 100. D. each & 1. of 50. D. the other halves shall follow by a subsequent post. I have already tried the wine and am highly pleased with it’s...
79063Thomas Jefferson to George Alexander Otis, 25 December 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to thank you for the 2 d vol. of your translation of Botta which I recieved with your favor of the 5 th on my return home after a long absence. I join mr Adams heartily in good wishes for the success of your labors, and hope they will bring you both profit & fame. you have certainly rendered a good service to your country; & when the superiority of the work over every other on the same...
79064Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 8 June 1821, with Jefferson’s Note (Jefferson Papers)
I have two calls in Bedford so pressing that they do not permit my getting more flour down before I make deliver the orders, the one to Jonathan Bishop for 136.48 D the other to Joel Yancey for 135.D. but as they will go circuitously by Bedford , before th ey get to you, you will recieve a boat load which will start the day after tomorrow. another load will go on the return of the boat. that...
79065From Thomas Jefferson to St. John de Crèvecoeur, [ca. February 1787] (Jefferson Papers)
I return you your papers with many thinks. Monsr. de Chalut who has shewn me many civilities, being desirous of sending some packages of pictures to Charles town I advised him to send them by the packet from Havre to New York, and to have them reimbarked thence to Charles town. He asks me for a correspondent at New York to whom he may address them. Knowing that men of the same language and...
79066From Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 11 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour of February 25th came to hand on the 26th of April. I am not a little at a loss to devise how it has happened that mine of November 11th, which I sent by colonel Le Mair, and who I know arrived at New-York the 15th of January, should have been so long kept from your hands as till the 25th February. I am much afraid that many letters sent by the same hand have experienced the same...
79067From Thomas Jefferson to Arthur S. Brockenbrough, 20 June 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I ask your attention to the bearer of this mr Miralla a gentleman of S. Americ. I send by him two papers for your consideration & salute you with friendship & respect ViU : Thomas Jefferson Papers (Proctor’s Papers).
79068From Thomas Jefferson to George Elliott, 23 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Board wish to have all the Horses impressed for the Portsmouth Service valued by the same set of Gentlemen, that all may be rated on the same scale. They therefore desire that Colo. Griffin and the other Gentlemen before appointed be applied to, to go to Hog-island when the 20 odd Horses get there and value them. You will therefore have them detained there till valued by those Gentlemen....
79069From Thomas Jefferson to James B. M. Adair, 1 September 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been favored with your letter from New York, [and I] am very thankful for your care of the letters from Mr. Pinckney and particularly so also for your attention to the threshing machine, which, if it answers what I have heard of it will be a vast acquisition to the states of Virginia and North Carolina. If you should not be coming on yourself to Philadelphia in the course of the present...
79070From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Yznardi, Sr., 24 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
In your favor of the 18th. you mention having for disposal two casks of white & red Sherry, and one of Malaga. if the Sherry be dry, I will gladly take them , as also the Malaga. if you could order for me a pipe of dry Pacharetti , and one of dry Sherry of the first qualities, to be forwarded from Spain by the first safe occasion I should be obliged to you. I presume you have persons there on...
79071Thomas Jefferson to John Bradbury, 29 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter has laid by me a month unacknoleged and unacted on; which should not have happened, had not an engagement in a business of peculiar pressure obliged me to suspend all correspondence till I got thro’ it. I have now written to the Secretary at war , expressing to him your wish and your fitness for the appointment of a Commissioner on the Arkansa road. I should be very glad indeed if...
79072From Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 2 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I congratulate you on two interesting circumstances, your safe arrival in your own country, and your having got rid of me; for I think you will not find there so troublesome a neighbor as I was here. I hope Mrs. Smith has well weathered the voyage, the little one also, and the half a one, for I presume he was begun. You arrive just in time to see the commencement of a new order of things. Our...
79073To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1796 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 4th. came to hand the day before yesterday. I have turned to the Conventional history, and inclose you an exact copy of what is there on the subject you mentioned. I have also turned to my own papers, & send you some things extracted from them which shew that the recollection of the P. has not been accurate when he supposed his own opinion to have been uniformly that declared in...
79074From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Chittenden, 12 July 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of inclosing to you on the 9th. instant copies of some papers I had received from the British minister here, and I have now that of forwarding some received from him this day. I must renew my entreaties to your Excellency that no innovation in the state of things may be attempted for the present. It is but lately that an opportunity has been afforded of pressing on the court of...
79075From Thomas Jefferson to William Wirt, 4 August 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 24. has been duly recieved: and I feel every disposition to comply with your request respecting mr Henry: but I fear to promise from a doubt whether my occupations would permit me the time requisite to recollect and commit to paper the facts respecting him which were within my own knolege, as we had a very familiar intercourse for upwards of 20. years, & ran our course...
79076From Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Hamilton, 12 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The President has thought proper to appoint Colo. David Humphreys, minister Resident for the U.S. at the court of Lisbon, with a salary of 4500. dollars a year, and an outfit equal to a year’s salary. Besides this, by a standing regulation, he will be allowed his disbursements for gazettes transmitted here, translating and printing papers where that shall be necessary, postage, couriers, and...
79077From Thomas Jefferson to William Jones, 7 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
A delay in receiving my leave of absence has detained me from beginning my voyage to America longer than I expected. I received it the last month and by advice of those skilled in sea voiages I deferred setting out till after the equinox. I am now here, on my way, and expect to embark immediately for Virginia where I hope to find your agent with full powers and dispositions to settle our...
79078Thomas Jefferson’s Census of Inhabitants and Supplies at Monticello, 8 November 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
1810. Aug. 1. Census. Monticello Bacon’s M c Gehee’s Goodman’s Cardin’s Starke’s Total free white males { to 10. years of age 4 3 3 1
79079From Thomas Jefferson to William Tatham, 6 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 1st. inst. has been recieved & I thank you for the communication. considering the mass of false reports in circulation & the importance of being truly informed of the proceedings of the British armed vessels in the Chesapeake & it’s vicinities, I should be very glad, as you are on the spot provided with a proper vessel & men, if you could continue watching their motions...
79080From Thomas Jefferson to Abraham Baldwin, 10 February 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved a message from you the other day on the subject of Cathcart . he is the person who was appointed by mr Adams & confirmed by the Senate as Consul at Tripoli. he is personally known to me, & pretty well known. he is the honestest & ablest consul we have with the Barbary powers: a man of very sound judgment & fearless . he married the daughter of some respectable family in...
79081From Thomas Jefferson to David Howell, 23 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been much gratified by the receipt of your favors of the 3d. and 12th. inst. The former, with the papers inclosed in it, was communicated to the president. I feel a sincere sympathy in the pleasure you must have in contemplating the promising genius of your son. His oration contains reflections and views far beyond the ordinary ones of his age. Congress have been much divided on the...
79082From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 11 December 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
Your determination to avail yourself of the fine weather proved I fear a very unfortunate one. I pitied your probable situation in the tempestuous season which immediately succeeded your departure. It is now above a fortnight since we should have met, and six states only appear. We have some hopes of Rhodeisland coming in to-day, but when two more will be added seems as insusceptible of...
79083From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 11 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Since sealing the within to your Excellency I received a letter from Govr. Rutlege of which the inclosed is an extract. As it will correct and supply some parts of my letter I do myself the honor of transmitting it, and of again subscribing myself, Your Excellency’s most obedt. servt., RC ( DLC : Washington Papers); endorsed: “Extract of a letter from Govr. Rutledge.” Tr ( DLC : TJ Papers)....
79084From Thomas Jefferson to Catherine Church Cruger, 15 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The favor of your letter by mr Cruger was recieved with great pleasure, & I have further to acknolege that of making him known to me. it would have been a great gratification, had the occasion permitted me to be useful to you in giving the license sollicited by mr Cruger. but the time for doing that expired some months ago, after having been duly announced in the public papers. since that no...
79085Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 15 January 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
On the failure of the house of Smith & Buchanan & their connections in Baltimore , Col o Robert Nicholas , who was doing business for them in Leghorn , was of course deprived of that employment. he was at the same time Navy-agent for the US. there. but that not affording a subsistence, he determined to return to his own country. in a letter of Aug. 17. from Poplar Forest , I took the liberty...
79086To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 31 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
M r. Parker furnishes me an opportunity of acknoleging the receipt of your favors of Nov. 10. Dec. 6. 10. 18. & 25. which I avoid doing thro post. the orders on the subject of our captives at Algiers have come to me by the last packet. they are to be kept secret even from the captives themselves, lest a knolege of the interference of government should excite too extravagant demands. the...
79087From Thomas Jefferson to Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 28 February 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I have written to you in date May 27. Sep. 8. and Jan. 31. last past inclosing several remittances for Mr. Mazzei and one for myself by triplicates, to which I refer you. If there be any indiscretion in the application I am now about to make to you, ascribe it to the sentiments of friendship and confidence with which your conduct has inspired me, and which I had wished to make reciprocal, and...
79088From Thomas Jefferson to Richard O’Bryen, 29 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your letter and shall exert myself for you. Be assured of hearing from me soon: but say nothing to any body except what may be necessary to comfort your companions. I add no more, because the fate of this letter is incertain. I am Sir Your very humble servant, PrC ( DLC ). Entry in SJPL reads: “O’Brien Richd. Captives.” Enclosed in the following letter.
79089From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Leiper, 10 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Capt. Stratton arrived last night with the 4. hhds. of tobo. for which I gave you the bill of lading some time ago. He will call on you to-day. I should like that it were examined, because I believe, from the marks, that it is of the Bedford tobo.—I mentioned to you sometime ago that I believed I should have occasion for about 400. Dollars of this money, to be obtained by discount at the bank....
79090Thomas Jefferson to Patrick Gibson, 20 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return from Bedford I found here your two letters of Apr. 28. & May 4. I now inclose the note for 4300.D. signed. the deed to mr Taylor I immediately executed and forwarded to mr Randolph : but as the mail is slow between this & his residence, and it is to be acknoleged by him in his court and by me in mine, this will occupy time. but it will be all done & delivered before the 1 st...
79091From Thomas Jefferson to William Matthews, 30 December 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved some time ago a letter from mrs Dougherty, wife of Joseph Dougherty, both formerly in my service while I lived in Washington. she states that she is in great want and asks some aid from me, and wishes it to be so conveyed as to be unknown to her husband, who she fears would be offended at the idea of being supposed in a state of mendicity. they were both good and faithful servants,...
79092Thomas Jefferson to Gideon Gooch, 3 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Bacon , my overseer now comes for the Merino sheep, & will concur in any division of them agreeable to the President . he mentioned in a letter to me some time ago that there would be a portion of wool to come with them. if you will accept of one half of my part of the wool, it is at your service. the other half is retained as a matter of curiosity. I had a pair of Shepherd’s dogs here for...
79093From Thomas Jefferson to Lewis Harvie, 25 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor on the subject of Colo. Monroe’s mission came to hand the day before yesterday. I had, that day answered P. Carr on the same subject, which doubtless he has communicated to you, and you will also in the mean time have seen Colo. Monroe. as he was joined to the missions of Paris & Madrid, to each of which a secretary was already attached, the giving none to him specially was...
79094From Thomas Jefferson to Horatio Gates, 30 May 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for the pamphlet of Erskine inclosed in your favor of the 9th. inst. and still more for the evidence which your letter afforded me of the health of your mind and I hope of body also. Erskine has been reprinted here and has done good. It has refreshed the memory of those who had been willing to forget how the war between France and England has been produced; and who ape-ing St....
79095To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 18 October 1823 (Madison Papers)
I return you mr. Coxe’s letter which has cost me much time at two or three different attempts to decypher it. Had I such a correspondent I should certainly admonish him that if he would not so far respect my time as to write to me legibly, I should so far respect it myself as not to waste it in decomposing and recomposing his hieroglyphics. The jarrings between the friends of Hamilton and...
79096Thomas Jefferson to John Neilson, 8 November 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you 4. letters lately recieved, which I suppose to be from your friends in Ireland , and which I hope may give you agreeable news from them. I return you also the papers which mr Dinsmore gave me from you, and I see, not without sensible regret, that our ideas of the mode of charging interest are very different. I never in my life paid a cent of compound interest; being principled...
79097Thomas Jefferson to Robert Patterson, 7 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I had thought that the copies of the Nautical Almanac which you had been so kind as to furnish me with some time ago, had included the present year, till I had occasion to use one, and found myself mistaken. having no other medium of obtaining it at present this moment, I have indulged myself with the hope that your friendship would permit me to ask the favor of you to send me that of the...
79098From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 21 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 15th. & 17th. are recieved. you will find an approbation signed at the foot of mr Millar’s letter. all the papers inclosed to me, are re-inclosed except the list of warrants.—I do not with very great certainty recollect the particulars as to Genl. Herd . but I think we at first intended him the place afterwards given to Lynn: that it was after that suggested he would accept...
79099From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Walker Gilmer, 11 October 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I have great pleasure in informing you that the Board of Visitors at their late meeting unanimously appointed you Professor of the school of Law in the University of Virginia, and that on signifying your acceptance the letter of appointment shall be immediately made out. with my sincere hopes that this mark of the esteem in which they hold you may be recieved with as much pleasure as it has...
79100From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 5 January 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I now inclose you a power of attorney respecting mr Short’s canal shares to supply the place of the former one supposed to be mislaid. this will authorise you to recieve the money now paiable, and to act for him in every thing respecting his canal interest. the money is immediately to be transferred to this place to mr Barnes who is instructed to make a peculiar investment of it. I happen at...