Thomas Jefferson Papers

William Bosson to Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1804

From William Bosson

Massachusetts County of Norfolk
Roxbury Decmr. 10th 1804

Permit me, dear Sir, to congratulate you on your re-election, to the presidency of the United States—On this occation disfusive joy over spread our Country—Notwithstanding, Sir a party in this Common-wealth, has endeavoured by means, the most dishonorable to lessen your resplendence—you have the confidence of four fifths of its Citizens, and but Sir for the folly of some men of influence, the remaining few would gladly call you their Freind,—

Burdensome indeed has been your imployment, but the rectitude of your Administration, has secured the adherence of Millions of your Fellow Citizens, who fore-tast the pleasure of four years, longer to witness, a Patriotic and practically wise, Administration—an Administration that will convince, its Enemies, that to abandon thier wicked persuits is a duty they owe to thier Country—Sir you have my best wishes for a continuance of your health—and that the burden of your Administration may be made easy by a coincidence of the people, in Congress assembled

Pardon me Sir, for the liberty I have taken it originated from that pleasing state of mind I enjoy in your re-Election—

I am Sir yours with sentiments of Profound Respect—

William Bosson

RC (DLC); at foot of text: “Excely: Ths Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ as received 29 Dec. and so recorded in SJL.

William Bosson (1753-1823) served during the Revolutionary War as an enlisted soldier at the battles of Lexington and Concord. He later obtained commissions as a lieutenant in an artillery battery and as a major in the Massachusetts militia. Bosson was a prominent member of his local community. He ran a dry goods store, which he sold in 1816, when he relocated to Cincinnati with his daughter (The Massachusetts Register and United States Calendar, for the Year of Our Lord 1814 [Boston, 1814], 155; Ellen Dudley Clarke, Lineage Book: National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 49 [1904], 90; Walter Eliot Thwing, History of the First Church in Roxbury Massachusetts, 1630-1904 [Boston, 1908], 210, 211, 292; Boston Independent Chronicle, 7 Oct. 1805; Boston Columbian Centinel, 11 May 1816, 23 Dec. 1818; National Intelligencer, 27 Aug. 1823).

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