To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 December 1795
From Thomas Jefferson
Dec. 3. 95.
Th: J. to J. M.
The inclosed letter came under cover to me from Mde. de Chastellux. As I know not where the Duke de Liancourt1 is, & have no particular motive for making it the occasion of renewing a slight acquaintance, never valued, I will ask the favor of you to have it handed him. We have no news but the death of Doctr. Gilmer, which happened the night before last. I hear nothing from our assembly. A post or two more I hope will bring us the first movements of your campaign, which will be most interesting. Adieu affectionately.
RC (DLC); FC (DLC: Jefferson Papers).
1. The French philanthropist and agricultural reformer François-Alexandre-Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt (1747–1827), fled to England in 1792. He met JM during his travels in the U.S. and Canada, 1795–97. The account of his journey, published in 1799, described his visit with Jefferson at Monticello in June 1796 (see JM to Jefferson, 21 Mar. 1796; Sowerby, Catalogue of Jefferson’s Library, 4:197–98).