Thomas Jefferson to John Wayles Eppes, 1 May 1817
To John Wayles Eppes
Monticello May 1. 17.
Dear Sir
I have recieved a letter from mr Burton, informing me he had purchased for me a barrel of Scuppernon wine. I had before informed him that I would desire mr Gibson of Richmond to pay his draught for it, and I had accordingly so done, but mr Burton prefers settling it with you. I therefore now inclose you a draught on Gibson, the most convenient channel of remittance to myself, and I am in hopes it will answer your purpose. You have seen the report of the two committees of parliament. private letters from England say that matters are much worse there than these state, or the public papers. I believe a revolution there to be absolutely unavoidable. a bankruptcy must take place, and that must produce revolution.
We are endeavoring to establish a college near Charlottesville called the central college, under the direction of 6. visitors. these are mr Madison, Colo Monroe, Genl Cocke, Joseph C. Cabell, mr Watson of Louisa & myself. we are to meet on Monday next to set it agoing. mr Madison & Colo Monroe both promise me to be here, as will the other gentlemen. we have purchased the land, and shall immediately build the pavilion for one professorship, that of languages, to be ready to recieve pupils early in the spring. I think to propose it to Wood, and that he will come. I am in hopes you will approve of Francis’s coming also. present us all respectfully to mrs Eppes and accept the assurance of my affectionate attachment.
Th: Jefferson
RC (ViU: TJP); at foot of text: “J. W. Eppes esq.” PoC (CSmH: JF); endorsed by TJ. Enclosure not found.
The report of the “Committee of Secresy” of the British House of Commons appeared in the Washington Daily National Intelligencer, 20 Apr. 1817, and elsewhere, along with comments summarizing a similar report from the House of Lords. These documents described clubs of revolutionary political insurgents in London and its surrounding areas, leading Prime Minister Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2d Earl of Liverpool, to authorize a temporary suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in all cases of alleged treason ( ).
Index Entries
- Burton, Hutchins Gordon; and wine for TJ search
- Central College, Board of Visitors; members of search
- Eppes, Francis Wayles (TJ’s grandson); education of, TJ on search
- Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); and Central College search
- Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); and wine for TJ search
- Eppes, John Wayles (TJ’s son-in-law); letters to search
- Eppes, Martha Burke Jones (John Wayles Eppes’s second wife); TJ sends greetings to search
- Gibson, Patrick; and wine acquired by TJ search
- Great Britain; House of Commons search
- Great Britain; House of Lords search
- Great Britain; parliament of search
- Great Britain; political unrest in search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; Great Britain search
- Jenkinson, Robert Banks, 2d Earl of Liverpool; as British prime minister search
- National Intelligencer (Washington newspaper); prints British political reports search
- scuppernong (wine) search
- wine; scuppernong search
- Wood, John (ca.1775–1822); and Central College search