Thomas Jefferson to James Pleasants, 21 January 1823
To James Pleasants
Monticello Jan. 21. 23.
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to the Governor and forwards to him the application of another candidate for the place of Engineer. being appealed to for his testimony he thinks it his duty to say that of the writer of the letter mr Brant he knows nothing, nor does he personally know mr Haessler, but his character is well known to him thro’ many channels. he is a Swiss, has been in this country 14. or 15. years, is a mathematician & astronomer of as high order as any in the US. of a character entirely correct and estimable, was employed by mr Gallatin to survey our coast, sent to England to procure the necessary instruments, and brought the finest set that perhaps ever left that country. with this testimony he presents his friendly & respectful salutations to the Governor.
RC (Vi: RG 57, Applications for Position of Principal Engineer); addressed: “His Excellency Governor Pleasants Richmond”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 22 Jan. Recorded in SJL with additional notation: “Brant’s lre.” Enclosure: Lewis Brantz to TJ, 15 Jan. 1823.
According to SJL, TJ wrote a missing letter to Pleasants on 18 Jan. 1823 enclosing missives to TJ from Jared Mansfield of 6 Jan. 1823, the bottom half of address cover only of which has been found (RC in MHi; with Dft of TJ to Bernard Peyton, 10 May 1823, on verso; addressed: “[. . .] Monticello Virginia”; postmarked Washington, 6 Jan.; recorded as received 17 Jan. 1823 from West Point, N.Y.), and from Robert Mills, also of 6 Jan. 1823 (recorded as received 17 Jan. 1823 from Columbia, S.C.), also not found.
Index Entries
- Brantz, Lewis; recommends F. R. Hassler search
- Gallatin, Albert; as secretary of the treasury search
- Hassler, Ferdinand Rudolph; and U.S. Coast Survey search
- Hassler, Ferdinand Rudolph; and Va. Board of Public Works search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; letters of application and recommendation from search
- Mansfield, Jared; letter from accounted for search
- Mills, Robert; letter from accounted for search
- patronage; letters of application and recommendation from TJ search
- Pleasants, James; and appointments search
- Pleasants, James; as governor of Va. search
- Pleasants, James; letters to search
- Pleasants, James; letters to accounted for search
- surveying; U.S. Coast Survey search
- Virginia; Board of Public Works search