Thomas Leiper to Thomas Jefferson, 16 March 1824
From Thomas Leiper
Philada March 16th 1824
Dear Sir
In a former letter I wished you to give us another Declaration Republicans against the Holy Allience but your answer you were done with Politics but at this Crisis I think it impossible—But President Monroe has done the Business for you for he has sent a Chalenge to the Holy Allience if they come within our Hemisphere they shall not do it with impunity—
I observe in this days paper that the French are fitting out a Cargo Fleet at Brest and that they are in such a hurry about it, that they work on Sundays—I hope we shall be ready for the Game Cocks come when they will and as for my part I do expect them for you cannot help observing it makes no difference to them whether they fight for Boneparte or Lewis the Eighteen You are Alive to the war with Spain this convinces me you are not intirely done with Politics—But we are disapointed in the Winding up of this Business but where their are Roman Catholics and plenty of French1 money and they believing as they do they can procure from a Priest absolution for Crimes we had nothing better to expect from spain But the time will come about that the Holy Alliance2 will lose their Crowns and Republican3 representive Goverments established in their place for Altho’ they say Ferdinand is perfectly established on his Throne4 at the same time we are informed it requires 40,000 French men to keep him there
There is no want of money here for I believe there is on Deposit in different Banks here Five million of Dollars retained for the express purpose of purchasing Real Estate at halfprice and I am sorry to inform you many of them have already succeeded—I have just offered for sale a piece of Property with the Ground it stand on for 30,000 Dollars5 Cost me from 60, to 70000 Dollars and I am of the opinion I shall not be able to obtain it—You mention you are indorser6 for 20,000 Dollars and that you shall be obliged to sell Real estate this winter to pay for it now unless your Real estate sells better than ours you may put down the Loss at 40,000 Dollars yours no doubt was an Acts of Freindship and so was mine but at the same time I can look at my indorsements in no other light than that of Robbery—I observe the Virginians have taken up Crawford have they any thing in his favor than he was born in Virginia I know this has a powerfull weight but certainly not sufficient to make him President of the United States—Enclosed you have published as your opinion in favor of Mr Crawford which I am disposed not to believe one Syllable nor shall till I can have better than a News Paper on the subject—The Centinel and the Press has been collecting all the squibs they could find in favor of Crawford as for Walsh we are the Greatest fools that ever did exist if we do not take John Quincy Adam for our Next President—The Franklan was for John Calhoun and we could not get any thing Published in favor of the Hero of New Orleans—
But you will see from the Harrisburgh Convention that General Jackson had the whole Votes for President unless Jonathan Roberts which was for Crawford so you may rest satisfied that General Jackson for President will have an Unamious Vote in this state and John C Calhoun for Vice President for the Electors will not be elected unless they Pledge themselve to Vote for these Two men as President and Vice President.—I observe you have had a large meeting of the members of your Assemblee in favor of Crawford but part of them has had another meeting in favor of Clay—There is some thing about Clay I like he is perfectly disposed to do what is right and never to think of Consequences—The Turks has frightened John Randolph but Clay has given him his opinion and altho’ he seems to treat it indifferently if he is a man of any feeling it will stick to him for some time—
I was informed our Governor had promise he would turn no man out of Office that had fought the Battles of the Revolution if he ever made the promise he has not adhered to it—Barnard of York with only one Leg—General Henry Miller of Perry County John Hall of this City and Butler of Pittsburgh how many more I know not but these I am informed are All Out—Barnard I never knew—Miller I knew through7 the whole of the Revolution as True Blue as any Officer belonging to the Army—John Hall has been in these Prison’s—I was informed their was interest making to Turn Miller out I wrote to the Governor to keep him in I mentioned his service also himself Two Daughters and a number of Grand Children all depending on this small office for their future subsistance but out he went—Butler last War marched a company from Pittsburgh—His father was Colonel Richard Butler second to no man in Our Army He was appointed by General Washington Second in Command under General Morgan in that Regiment sent to Saratoga which rendered so much service—Colonel Butler was Killed in that unfortunate Defeat under General St Clair but all this was not sufficient to keep his son in Office—When we take into View the men that has been niglected in our Revolution it is sufficient to break the Heart of a Stone—Now after all this you may infer that the Prospect before me is not much in favor Governor Shulze Robert Morris General St Clair and Stark Died in want and Hundred others but this subject is too painfull to Dwell on I am with the greatest Respect and esteem
Thomas Leiper
PS You must certainly Read the Memorial and Petition from the Farmers of Hampshire County in Virginia and Chief Justice Tilghman Memorial to Congress in Answer to the Memorial8 from the Chamber of Commerce of this City—
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 25 Mar. 1824 and so recorded in SJL; with TJ’s additional notation beneath endorsement related to his 3 Apr. 1824 reply: “done with Politics Holy alliance. presidl election my opn base fabricn. Pleasant’s paragraph.”
For President James Monroe’s chalenge to the holy allience, see note to Monroe to TJ, 4 Dec. 1823. A letter reprinted from the London Courier of 12 Jan. 1824 described “maritime armaments” being prepared and the arrival of “every species of naval munitions” at brest, France, with work even done on sundays (New York American, 27 Feb. 1824; Richmond Enquirer, 4 Mar. 1824, and elsewhere).
The enclosed opinion in favor of mr crawford, not found, was probably a clipping from an unidentified issue of the Philadelphia Democratic Press. An article in the Washington Gazette, 11 Feb. 1824, headed “Mr. Jefferson’s Opinion,” reported that “The Philadelphia Democratic Press, not long ago, mentioned a letter which had been received by a gentleman from Mr. Jefferson, wherein that illustrious man gave his opinion in favor of Mr. Crawford, as the Republican Candidate for the Presidency. We have taken some pains to ascertain the existence and contents of this letter, and have been enabled to verify that such a communication of sentiment has passed from the Patriarch of Democracy to one of his friends. The purport of it we understand to be this: That, as to the qualifications of one of the candidates (meaning Mr. Adams) he had never had an opportunity of judging, from the circumstance of the Secretary of State’s political principles having been in uniform opposition to his own. But that, as to the qualifications of Mr. Crawford, whose principles and views (Mr. Jefferson says) had been uniformly congenial with those entertained by himself, he was more competent to decide, &c. With respect to some others, we understand he added, they were so little known to him that he could say nothing concerning them at all.” The letter in question was probably TJ to Samuel H. Smith, 2 Aug. 1823. Clippings of the Washington Gazette article, one reprinted in the Richmond Enquirer, 14 Feb. 1824, and another from an unidentified newspaper, are in DLC: TJ Papers, 225:40257–8. For a missing clipping on a different subject also enclosed here, see TJ’s 3 Apr. 1824 reply to Leiper.
The Philadelphia newspapers referenced by Leiper are the American Sentinel, and Mercantile Advertiser (centinel); the Democratic Press (the press); the National Gazette and Literary Register (edited by Robert walsh); and the Franklin Gazette (franklan). At the harrisburgh convention of 4 Mar. 1824, Republican delegates chose Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun as candidates for president and vice president, respectively (Philadelphia National Gazette and Literary Register, 16 Mar. 1824). Dueling meetings of members of your assemblee (the Virginia General Assembly) favoring Crawford and Clay met on 21 Feb. and 8 Mar. 1824, respectively (Richmond Enquirer, 28 Feb., 12 Mar. 1824).
During discussion in the House of Representatives of a resolution supporting appointment of a diplomatic agent or commissioner to Greece, on 20 Jan. 1824 john randolph of Roanoke opposed the proposal, fearing that it would entangle the United States in foreign affairs to the detriment of its domestic concerns. Henry Clay spoke in favor of the measure, which he asserted would reflect well on the character of the nation (Hugh A. Garland, The Life of John Randolph of Roanoke [1850], 2:195–200; Clay, Papers, 3:597–600). our governor: John Andrew Shulze, governor of Pennsylvania, 1823–29.
In 1821 a group from hampshire county in virginia presented a memorial to Congress urging an increase in the tariff on imported goods that would stimulate the growth of manufacturing in the country. Three years later William tilghman as president and Mathew Carey as secretary issued a statement to Congress on behalf of the Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures that vehemently argued for protection for commercial interests similiar to that afforded to tobacco planters (Memorial of Sundry Citizens of Hampshire County, State of Virginia. January 29, 1821 [Washington, 1821]; Memorial of the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of American Manufactures, Agreed to March 10th, 1824 [Philadelphia, 1824]; JHR, 14:178 [29 Jan. 1821]; JS, 13:241 [19 Mar. 1824]).
1. Manuscript: “Frence,” here and below.
2. Manuscript: “Alliane.”
3. Manuscript: “Republian.”
4. Manuscript: “Thorne.”
5. Preceding three words interlined.
6. Manuscript: “indosere.”
7. Manuscript: “though.”
8. Manuscript: “Mimolial.”
Index Entries
- Adams, John Quincy; presidential prospects of search
- American Sentinel (Philadelphia newspaper) search
- Barnard, Mr. (of York Co., Pa.); as Revolutionary War veteran search
- boats; military search
- Butler, James R.; military service of search
- Butler, Richard; military service of search
- Calhoun, John Caldwell; presidential prospects of search
- Carey, Mathew; and Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures search
- Catholicism; criticized search
- Clay, Henry; as U.S. representative from Ky. search
- Clay, Henry; presidential prospects of search
- Congress, U.S.; and tariffs search
- Crawford, William Harris; presidential candidacy of search
- currency; and prices search
- Democratic Press (Philadelphia newspaper) search
- Ferdinand VII, king of Spain; efforts to restore absolute power of search
- France; and invasion of Spain (1823) search
- France; and naval armament search
- Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia newspaper) search
- Greece, modern; and U.S. search
- Hall, John (of Philadelphia); Revolutionary War service of search
- Hampshire County, Va. (later W. Va.); memorial to Congress on tariff search
- Holy Alliance; and French invasion of Spain (1823) search
- Holy Alliance; and U.S. search
- House of Representatives, U.S.; debates in search
- Jackson, Andrew; presidential prospects of search
- Jackson, Andrew; War of1812service of search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; endorses notes for W. C. Nicholas search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; W. H. Crawford search
- Leiper, Thomas; and politics search
- Leiper, Thomas; finances of search
- Leiper, Thomas; letters from search
- Louis XVIII, king of France; and French invasion of Spain (1823) search
- manufacturing; and tariffs search
- Miller, Henry (of Pennsylvania); as Revolutionary war veteran search
- Monroe, James (1758–1831); and Monroe Doctrine search
- Monroe Doctrine; J. Monroe’s annual message to Congress (1823) search
- Morgan, Daniel; Revolutionary War service of search
- Morris, Robert (1735–1806); finances of search
- Napoleon I, emperor of France; armies of search
- National Gazette and Literary Register (Philadelphia newspaper); and election of1824 search
- New Orleans; and War of1812 search
- newspapers; PhiladelphiaAmerican Sentinel search
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- newspapers; PhiladelphiaFranklin Gazette search
- newspapers; PhiladelphiaNational Gazette and Literary Register search
- newspapers; politics of search
- Ottoman Empire; and Greece search
- Pennsylvania; and election of1824 search
- Pennsylvania; banks, local search
- Pennsylvania; party politics in search
- Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures search
- Philadelphia; chamber of commerce search
- politics; elections search
- politics; in Pa. search
- politics; TJ avoids political debates search
- Randolph, John (of Roanoke); as U.S. representative from Va. search
- religion; Catholicism search
- Republican party; and election of1824 search
- Revolutionary War; compensation claims search
- Roberts, Jonathan (1771–1854); and presidential election of1824 search
- Shulze, John Andrew; as governor of Pa. search
- Spain; invaded by France (1823) search
- St. Clair, Arthur; finances of search
- St. Clair, Arthur; military service of search
- Stark, John; finances of search
- Tilghman, William; and Pennsylvania Society for the Encouragement of Manufactures search
- United States; and Greece search
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- Walsh, Robert; editor ofNational Gazette and Literary Register search
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