Thomas Jefferson to University of Virginia Board of Visitors, 30 September 1821
To University of Virginia Board of Visitors
Monticello1 Sep. 30. 21.
Dear Sir
Mr Brockenbrough has been closely engaged, since our last meeting in settling the cost of the buildings finished at the University, that we might obtain a more correct view of the state of our funds, and see whether a competency will remain for the Library. he has settled for 6. Pavilions, 1. Hotel, and 35. Dormitories, and will proceed with the rest; so that I hope, by our next meeting, the whole of the 4. rows will be nearly settled. from what is done he has formed an estimate of the cost of what is yet to be done; & guided in it by actual experience, it is probably nearly correct. the result is that our actual reciepts heretofore, with what is still to be recieved of the loan of this year, after paying for the lands and all incidental & current expences, will exactly compleat the 4-rows of buildings for the accomodation of the Professors and students, amounting in the whole to 195,000. Dollars, and leave us without either debt or contract.
In the conjectural estimate laid before the Visitors at their last meeting it was supposed that the 3. annuities of 1822. 23. & 24. would suffice for the Library and current charges, without the aid of the unpaid subscriptions, which were reserved therefore as a contingent fund. by this more actual2 estimate it appears that the unpaid subscriptions, valued at 18,000.D. will be necessary to compleat that building. so that that conjectural estimate fell short by 18,000.D. of the real cost of the 4. rows; which in a total of 195,000.D. is perhaps not over-considerable. I call it the real cost because that of the unfinished buildings is reckoned by the real cost of those finished. the season being now too far advanced to begin the Library, and the afflicting sickness in Genl Cocke’s3 family having deprived me of the benefit of consultation with him,4 I think it a duty to leave that undertaking entirely open and undecided, for the opinion of the Visitors at their meeting in November, when it is believed the actual settlements will have reached every thing, except 1. pavilion, and 3. Hotels, which alone will be unfinished until the spring.
The considerations which urge the building the hull, at least, of the Library, seemed to impress the board strongly at their last meeting; and it is put in our power to undertake it with perfect safety, by the indefinite suspension by the legislature, of the commencement of our instalments. this leaves us free to take another year’s annuity, to wit that of 25. before we begin instalments, should the funds fall short which are here counted on for that building. the Undertakers are disposed to accept and collect themselves the outstanding subscriptions in part of payment.
You will distinguish, in this statement, by their enormous cost the Pavilions No 3. and 7. and 16. Dormitories, contracted for in 1817. & 18. at the inflated prices prevailing then while we acted as a Central College only. in 1819. & the following years, prices were reduced from 25. to 50. per cent. the enlarged cost of the latter Dormitories has been occasioned by the unevenness of the ground, which required cellars under many of them.
I shall hope to have the pleasure of recieving you at Monticello a day, at least before that of our meeting, as we can prepare our business here so much more at leisure than at the University.5 I salute you with great friendship and respect
Th: Jefferson
FC (DLC); entirely in TJ’s hand; at foot of first page: “mr Madison, mr Cabell, mr Johnson, Generals Breckenridge, Taylor and Cocke”; endorsed by TJ as a letter to these individuals and recorded as six separate letters in SJL. RC (DLC: Madison Papers); in the hand of Ellen W. Randolph (Coolidge), signed by TJ; with entire internal address from FC mistakenly copied by Randolph at foot of first page and corrected to Madison’s name alone; addressed by TJ: “James Madison Montpellier near Orange C.H.”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 4 Oct. RC (ViU: TJP); in the hand of Nicholas P. Trist, signed by TJ; with entire internal address from FC mistakenly copied by Trist at foot of first page and corrected to Cabell’s name alone; addressed by TJ: “Joseph C. Cabell esquire Warminster”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 7 Oct.; endorsed by Cabell as a circular letter from TJ. RC (NNGL); in the hand of Martha Jefferson Randolph, signed by TJ; with entire internal address from FC mistakenly copied by Randolph at foot of first page and corrected to Breckinridge’s name alone; mutilated at seal; addressed by TJ: “General James Breckenridge Fincastle”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 4 Oct.; endorsed by Breckinridge. RC (ViU: TJP); in Trist’s hand, signed by TJ; at foot of first page in TJ’s hand: “Genl Cocke”; addressed by TJ: “General John H. Cocke Bremo”; franked; endorsed by Cocke. Enclosure: TJ’s View of the Expenses and Funds of the University of Virginia, [ca. 28 Sept. 1821]. Enclosed in TJ to Robert Taylor, 30 Sept. 1821.
1. Remainder of dateline added by TJ to all RCs.
2. Word replaced by TJ with “accurate” in Cabell’s copy.
3. Instead of preceding two words, Cocke’s copy reads “your.”
4. Cocke’s copy: “you.”
5. Remainder added by TJ to all RCs, with “great friendship” replaced with “constant friendship” in Madison’s copy and “affectionate esteem” in Cocke’s copy.
Index Entries
- Breckinridge (Breckenridge), James; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Breckinridge (Breckenridge), James; letters to search
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; as University of Virginia proctor search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; letters to search
- Central College; subscription for search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); health of search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); letters to search
- Coolidge, Ellen Wayles Randolph (TJ’s granddaughter); as TJ’s amanuensis search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; View of the Expenses and Funds of the University of Virginia search
- Johnson, Chapman; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Johnson, Chapman; letters to search
- Literary Fund; and annuity for University of Virginia search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); letters to search
- Randolph, Martha Jefferson (Patsy; TJ’s daughter; Thomas Mann Randolph’s wife); as TJ’s amanuensis search
- Taylor, Robert Barraud; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Taylor, Robert Barraud; letters to search
- Trist, Nicholas Philip; as TJ’s amanuensis search
- Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; accounts of search
- Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; funding for search
- Virginia, University of; Administration and Financial Affairs; TJ’s View of the Expenses and Funds of the University of Virginia search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; and construction of University of Virginia search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; and funds of University of Virginia search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; letter to search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; meetings of search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; building costs search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; cellars search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; dormitory rooms search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion III search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion VII search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Rotunda (library) search
- Virginia; General Assembly search