From Thomas Jefferson to Josef Ignacio de Viar and Josef de Jaudenes, 11 July 1793
To Josef Ignacio de Viar and Josef de Jaudenes
Philadelphia. July 11.1 1793.
Gentlemen
Your letter of the 8th. of June2 has been duly recieved and laid before the President of the US. The matter it contains is of so serious a complexion that he chuses to treat of it with your government directly. To them therefore his sentiments thereon will be communicated, through the channel of our commissioners at Madrid, with a firm reliance on the justice and friendship of his Catholic majesty. In doing this it will be impossible not to manifest the impression which the style as well as matter of your communications make on the government of the US. I have the honor to be with due respect & esteem Gentlemen Your most obedt. servt.
Th: Jefferson
Tr (CtY); in TJ’s hand; at foot of text: “Messrs. Viar & Jaudenes.” PrC of Dft (DLC); entirely in TJ’s hand; with date altered, probably from 23 June 1793. Tr (DLC: William Short Papers); entirely in TJ’s hand and initialed by him. PrC (DLC); with address added in ink by George Taylor, Jr. Tr (DNA: RG 46, Senate Records, 3d Cong., 1st sess.). Tr (Lb in same, TR). FC (Lb in DNA: RG 59, DL). Tr (AGI: Papeles de Cuba, legajo 88). Tr (AHN: Papeles de Estado, legajo 3895); in Spanish; attested by Jaudenes. Entry in SJPL: “Th. J. to Viar & Jaudenes. ye actual lre, of which June 23 is the draught.” Enclosed in first Memorandum to George Washington, [11 July 1793], TJ to William Carmichael and William Short, 16 July 1793, and TJ to Thomas Pinckney, 11 Sep. 1793.
The Letter of the 8th. Of June was actually the letter from Jaudenes and Viar of 18 June 1793. The initial draft of this reply to them, couched “simply & in a few words,” was approved by the Cabinet “with some alterations” on 22 June 1793, but has not been found. The revised draft, which was probably dated 23 June 1793 in view of the entry for it under that date in SJPL, and presumably a draft of one of TJ’s letters of 25 June 1793 to George Hammond, may have been the documents approved by Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox in a missing item recorded in SJPL under 24 June 1793 as “H. & K. approbn of lres to Hammond & V. & J.” (, 186–7; note to TJ to William Carmichael and William Short, 30 June 1793).
1. Month and day reworked in ink from earlier date, probably 23 June, in PrC of Dft.
2. Preceding two words interlined in ink in place of “instant” in PrC of Dft.