To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Clifford, 18 December 1804
From Thomas Clifford
Philada 18th Decemr 1804
Sir
In Consequence of Mr C S Raffinesque’s desire I took the liberty of opening the Letter with which you honourd him & presuming from the purport of it that you may still wish to engage a Botanist to accompany the expedition up the Red River, I am induced to trouble you with the information that Mr Raffinesque sailed a few Days ago for Leghorn, I have no doubt he will much regret the oppy thus lost of exploring so extended a Field of Botanical research & consider himself much obliged for your intention of employing him as one of the Party—
Yours very respectfully
Thomas Clifford
RC (DLC); at head of text: “Thos Jefferson Esqr”; endorsed by TJ as received 20 Dec. and so recorded in SJL.
Thomas Clifford (1748-1814) was a merchant and an owner of the ship Philadelphia as well as the father of Constantine S. Rafinesque’s friend John D. Clifford (Charles Boewe, The Life of C. S. Rafinesque, A Man of Uncommon Zeal [Philadelphia, 2011], supplement, 8, 2172).
Letter with which you honourd him: probably TJ to Rafinesque, 15 Dec.