Nelson Nicholas to Thomas Jefferson, 6 November 1822

From Nelson Nicholas

Lexington Nov. 6th 1822.

Sir,

Enclosed you will find some free commentaries,1 on certain political principles which you have inculcated, which I have submitted to the consideration of the people of Kentucky. Much mischief has been occasioned here by your letters to Jarvis & to William T. Barry, the latter of which, though it has never been printed, has been extensively published, & has been the more influential in our controversies, because its private character has precluded those public commentaries necessary to expose the improper uses which have been made of, & the unwarrantable conclusions which have been drawn from it. I trust, sir, that I have not been guilty of misrepresenting your sentiments, & that you will not feel disposed to censure me for the use which I have made of your name, to arrest the mad career of my country, to expose the artifices of the demagogues who have betrayed her to ruin & disgrace, & to restore the ascendancy of, what I consider, sound & honest principles.

With sentiments of profound respect

I subscribe myself your humble servant.

Nelson Nicholas.

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 23 Dec. 1822 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure not found.

Nelson Nicholas (d. 1826), journalist, was a nephew of Wilson Cary Nicholas. He attended the College of William and Mary, 1811–12. Late in the latter year Nicholas was living in Lexington, Kentucky, where in 1821 he issued a prospectus for a proposed newspaper, the Political Censor. In 1825 he sucessfully launched the Kentucky Whig, which he published until his death near Lexington (William and Mary Provisional List description begins A Provisional List of Alumni, Grammar School Students, Members of the Faculty, and Members of the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary in Virginia. From 1693 to 1888, 1941 description ends , 30; Madison, Papers description begins William T. Hutchinson, Robert A. Rutland, John C. A. Stagg, and others, eds., The Papers of James Madison, 1962– , 43 vols.: Congress. Ser., 17 vols.: Pres. Ser., 11 vols.: Retirement Ser., 3 vols.: Sec. of State Ser., 12 vols. description ends , Pres. Ser., 5:255–7; Clay, Papers description begins James F. Hopkins and others, eds., The Papers of Henry Clay, 1959–92, 11 vols. description ends , 2:714, 4:642; Shawneetown Illinois Gazette, 21 Apr. 1821; Louisville Public Advertiser, 11 June 1825; Lexington Kentucky Whig, 13 July 1826).

TJ’s letters to William Charles jarvis and william t. barry were dated 28 Sept. 1820 and 2 July 1822, respectively.

1. Manuscript: “commentatries.”

Index Entries

Barry, William Taylor; letter to, from TJ referenced search
Jarvis, William Charles; letter from TJ referenced search
Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; publication of papers search
Nicholas, Nelson; identified search
Nicholas, Nelson; letter from search
Nicholas, Nelson; sends political commentaries to TJ search

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Jefferson Papers
Title: Nelson Nicholas to Thomas Jefferson, 6 November 1822
Author: Nicholas, Nelson
Recipient: Jefferson, Thomas
Date: 6 November 1822

Reference

Cite as: “Nelson Nicholas to Thomas Jefferson, 6 November 1822,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-19-02-0101. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, vol. 19, 16 September 1822 to 30 June 1823, ed. J. Jefferson Looney et al. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2022, pp. 136–137.]