[Ed. Note: On 25 June 1830 the Providence, R.I., Literary Subaltern published a letter, afterwards widely reprinted, allegedly dated Monticello, 25 May 1823, and sent by TJ to an unnamed “distinguished manufacturer, and capitalist of Massachusetts.” In this document, the purported TJ acknowledges the receipt of a letter dated 10 May 1823 delivered by “Captain Barlow” and accompanied by twenty-six yards of domestically manufactured “negro cloth,” which he deems inadequate “to the wants of the Virginia slave” but which might be improved; responds to a query about his views on the “American System” by declaring that “I have always been of opinion, that the people of this nation, should manufacture all the fabricks that their exigences demand” without looking to Europe, and that even the need to seek abroad for “silks and fine linens” will soon end; declines to give his requested “opinion of the merits of Mr. Henry Clay, and his policy for the protection of domestic industry and manufactures,” because of Clay’s presidential candidacy, but declares nevertheless that “I consider him to be, one of the most talented and brilliant men and statesman, that the country has ever produced, and should I live many years longer, I hope to see him hold the place of chief executive of the American republic”; and begs that his remarks be kept from the press. On 6 July 1830 the Richmond Enquirer noticed the letter from the Literary Subaltern, but the editors cautioned that “we have some doubts of the authenticity of the passage,” based on Thomas M. Randolph’s report in 1827 that he had heard TJ speak unfavorably of Clay. On 23 July 1830 the editors of the Charlottesville Virginia Advocate dismissed the letter as “an UNPRINCIPLED FORGERY,” stating that “We have ourselves examined his autograph correspondence for the entire month of May, 1823,” and that “NO SUCH LETTER IS TO BE FOUND.” The editors further explained that “a friend” had searched all of TJ’s 1823 correspondence, with the only two items “having any reference to the late Presidential election” being TJ to James O. Morse, 30 Apr. 1823, and an extract of TJ to Samuel Smith (of Maryland), 3 May 1823, in both of which TJ refused to name a favorite. Years later the New York Atlas of 26 Nov. 1848 again printed TJ’s alleged letter, this time indicating that it had been addressed “To the Hon. Mr. Wilder, Bolton, Mass.,” and defended its authenticity. Nevertheless, the text is almost certainly spurious. TJ was not at Monticello on 25 May 1823, but rather was traveling home from a visit to Poplar Forest. Neither in SJL nor in TJ’s extant correspondence is there any evidence of such letters to or from a Mr. Wilder. Finally, in addition to his stated refusal to intervene in this particular election, it would have been highly unusual at any time for TJ to express such unguarded political opinions in a letter to a stranger.]