Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 October 1823
To James Madison
Monticello Oct. 24. 23.
Th:J. to J. Madison.
I forward you two most important1 letters sent to me by the President and add his letter to me by which you will percieve his primâ facie views. this you will be so good as to return to me,2 and forward the others to him. I have recieved Trumbull’s print of the Decln of Independance, & turning to his letter am able to inform you more certainly than I could by memory that the print costs 20.D. & the frame & glass 12.D. say 32.D. in all.
to answer your question, Pythagoras has the reputation of having first taught the true position of the sun in the center of our system & the revolution of the planets around it.3 his doctrine, after a long eclipse was restored4 by Copernicus, and hence it is called either the Pythagorean or Copernican system. health and5 affectionate salutations to mrs Madison and yourself
RC (DLC: Madison Papers); dateline at foot of text. Dft (DLC); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure: James Monroe to TJ, 17 Oct. 1823, and enclosures.
Madison most likely posed his question to TJ in a missing, undated letter recorded in SJL as received 23 Oct. 1823.
1. Preceding two words interlined in Dft.
2. Remainder of sentence interlined in Dft.
3. In Dft TJ initially ended the letter here with a closing that he canceled and rewrote below.
4. Word interlined in Dft in place of “revived.”
5. Preceding two words interlined in Dft.
Index Entries
- astronomy; study of search
- Copernicus, Nicolaus search
- Declaration of Independence; J. Trumbull’s painting of presentation of search
- Madison, Dolley Payne Todd (James Madison’s wife); TJ sends greetings to search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); and astronomy search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); and J. Monroe search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); and print of J. Trumbull’sDeclaration of Independence search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); letters from accounted for search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); letters to search
- Madison, James (1751–1836); TJ’s correspondence sent to search
- Monroe, James (1758–1831); and J. Madison search
- paintings; by J. Trumbull search
- prints; sent to TJ search
- Pythagoras; teachings of search
- The Declaration of Independence (J. Trumbull) search
- Trumbull, John (artist); The Declaration of Independence search