Thomas Jefferson to William H. Crawford, 27 July 1816
To William H. Crawford
Monticello July 27. 16.
Dear Sir
You will percieve that the inclosed papers of Jacob Koontz, are from a very ignorant man, who supposes I am still at Washington, and the proper person to be addressed. under this supposition he has even forwarded his original papers on which his all depends. in rigor I ought to return them to him, but on so distant a transmission by mail they would run risks, and I would rather at once place him under the protection of your goodness by inclosing them to you, and praying you to put them into the proper channel for his relief. I know all the irregularity of this, but we must not be too regular to do a good act, and there is no danger of the precedent; for we shall never find another in the US. who shall be ignorant of the name of his President 7. years after the change. I shall drop him a line of what I have done, & placing him under your patronage I pray you to accept assurances of my great esteem & consideration.
Th: Jefferson
RC (DNA: RG 94, PRWP); at foot of text: “Mr Crawford”; addressed (trimmed): “William H[. . .]”; postmarked Milton, 31 July. PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of Nicolas G. Dufief to TJ, 27 May 1816; endorsed by TJ. Recorded in SJL, with notation: “(Koontz’ papers).” Enclosure: Jacob Koontz to TJ, 14 July 1816, was located after print publication of this volume, has been added digitally, and will appear in the concluding supplement to the print edition. Other enclosures not found.