Thomas Jefferson Papers

William C. Preston to Thomas Jefferson, 28 May 1823

From William C. Preston

Columbia1 May 28th 1823.

Sir

A letter of yours to Majr Campbell of Richmond on the subject the controvercy between Governor Shelby and myself has been recently published in the Enquirer. whether with or without your consent I am ignorant; I beg you to be assured that altho’ no one can be more sensible than I am of the high authority of your illustrious name, I have had no agency in bringing it into this controvercy.2 I hope my friend Campbell obtained your approbation before he ventured to do so and that I may add a sense of personal obligations to the sentiments with which I am

Sir Your most obt sevt

Wm C Preston

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 8 June 1823 from “Columbia?” and so recorded in SJL.

On 24 Nov. 1822 TJ wrote to Thomas Mann Randolph giving his approbation to the printing of his letter of 10 Nov. 1822 to John Campbell.

1Remainder of dateline adjacent to closing.

2Omitted period at right margin editorially supplied.

Index Entries

  • Campbell, John (ca.1788–1866); and legacy of W. Campbell search
  • Campbell, William (1745–81); defense of search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Correspondence; publication of papers search
  • Preston, William Campbell; and legacy of W. Campbell search
  • Preston, William Campbell; letter from search
  • Randolph, Thomas Mann (1768–1828) (TJ’s son-in-law; Martha Jefferson Randolph’s husband); as governor of Va. search
  • Revolutionary War; and legacy of W. Campbell search
  • Richmond Enquirer (newspaper); prints TJ’s correspondence search
  • Shelby, Isaac; and legacy of W. Campbell search