Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 15 May 1819

To John Adams

Monticello May 15. 19.

Dear Sir

Your letter of Apr. 2. was recieved in due time, and I have used the permission it gave me of sending a copy of that of Mar. 2. to the editor of Tracy’s Political economy.

Mr S. A. Wells of Boston, grandson of our old friend Saml Adams, and who proposes to write the life of his grandfather, has made some enquiries of me relative to revolutionary antiquities which are within your knolege as well as mine. I therefore put my answer under your cover, and open for your perusal and animadversion to him if I have committed any error. I fear none where I have taken facts from written notes. in other parts there may be error. when read, will you have the goodness to insert a wafer & send the letter to the post office? ever and affectionately yours.

Th: Jefferson

RC (MHi: Adams Papers); mutilated at seal, with missing text supplied from PoC; addressed: “President Adams Quincy Massachusets”; franked; postmarked Milton, 17 May. PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; mutilated at seal; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: TJ to Samuel Adams Wells, 12 May 1819.

The editor was Joseph Milligan.

Index Entries

  • Adams, John; and Destutt de Tracy’s writings search
  • Adams, John; and proposed biography of S. Adams search
  • Adams, John; letters to search
  • Adams, Samuel (1722–1803); family of search
  • Adams, Samuel (1722–1803); proposed biography of search
  • A Treatise on Political Economy (Destutt de Tracy) search
  • Destutt de Tracy, Antoine Louis Claude; A Treatise on Political Economy search
  • Milligan, Joseph; and Destutt de Tracy’sTreatise on Political Economy search
  • Wells, Samuel Adams; and proposed biography of S. Adams search