Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 18 October 1823
To James Madison
Monticello Oct. 18. 23.
Dear Sir
I return you mr Coxe’s letter which has cost me much time at two or three different attempts to decypher it. had I such a correspondent I should certainly admonish him that if he would not so far respect my time as to write to me legibly, I should so far respect it myself as not to waste it in decomposing and recomposing his hieroglyphics.
The jarrings between the friends of Hamilton and Pickering will be of advantage to the cause of truth. it will denudate the monarchism of the former and justify our opposition to him, and the malignity of the latter which nullifies his testimony in all cases which his passion can discolor. God bless you, and preserve you many years.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (DLC); at foot of text: “James Madison.” Enclosure: Tench Coxe to Madison, Philadelphia, 3 Oct. 1823, announcing the publication of the Correspondence between Adams and Cunningham, which included pointed, even unkind, references to TJ by Adams; positing that the work would generate “much exposition and commentary”; reporting that Timothy Pickering intended to write a reply critical of George Washington; stating that a proposed biography of Alexander Hamilton had been shelved for the time being, because it might “distract and divide the fed. party & injure them as many of them would be offended at any thing, which should for any reason, reduce the estimation of Genl. W.”; and commenting that “Mr. Pickering & Mr. Hamiltons friends have a right to explain & defend. I do not perceive that the memory of General Washington or the republican cause have any thing to fear. There are fifty persons yet alive, who know too much of our affairs from the Congress of 1774 to this time to have any difficulty to maintain truth and justice” (RC in DLC: Madison Papers; printed in , 3:131–3).
Index Entries
- Adams, John; andCorrespondence between the Hon. John Adams, late president of the United States, and the late Wm. Cunningham, Esq. beginning in 1803, and ending in 1812 search
- books; biographical search
- books; of correspondence search
- Continental Congress, First; mentioned search
- Correspondence between the Hon. John Adams, late president of the United States, and the late Wm. Cunningham, Esq. beginning in 1803, and ending in 1812 search
- Coxe, Tench; andCorrespondence between the Hon. John Adams, late president of the United States, and the late Wm. Cunningham, Esq. beginning in 1803, and ending in 1812 search
- Coxe, Tench; and J. Madison search
- Coxe, Tench; and proposed biography of A. Hamilton search
- Coxe, Tench; and T. Pickering’s writings search
- Coxe, Tench; poor handwriting of search
- Cunningham, William; andCorrespondence between the Hon. John Adams, late president of the United States, and the late Wm. Cunningham, Esq. beginning in 1803, and ending in 1812 search
- Federalist party; and G. Washington search
- Hamilton, Alexander (1757–1804); proposed biography of search
- Hamilton, Alexander (1757–1804); TJ on search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); and T. Coxe search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); letters to search
- Pickering, Timothy; TJ on search
- Pickering, Timothy; writings of search
- Washington, George; and A. Hamilton search
- Washington, George; criticized search
- Washington, George; mentioned search