Thomas Jefferson to DeWitt Clinton, 8 October 1818
To DeWitt Clinton
Monticello Oct. 8. 18.
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Govr Clinton and his thanks for his memoir on the antiquities of our country. if all those which are spread over the face of the Continent were described with the care which distinguishes this memoir, and brought together, they might elicit some general hypothesis on the nations which preceded us here. if among their remains, any of the hard metals could be found, clearly antecedent to the discovery of America, it would enlarge the bounds of conjecture.—weaned by age and it’s consequent torpitude from such pursuits, he is still happy to see them followed up by younger & more vigorous minds for the benefit of future races, and he salutes Govr Clinton with his friendly recollections, esteem & respect.
RC (NNC: Clinton Papers); dateline at foot of text; addressed: “His Excellency Governor Clinton New York,” with “Albany” added in an unidentified hand; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 10 Oct.; endorsed by Clinton, with additional notation in a different hand: “acknowledging receipt of memoir on western antiquities.” PoC (DLC); ink stained; mistakenly endorsed by TJ as a letter of 7 Oct. 1818 but correctly recorded in SJL.
Index Entries
- A Memoir on the Antiquities of the Western Parts of the State of New-York. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York (D. Clinton) search
- antiquities; A Memoir on the Antiquities of the Western Parts of the State of New-York. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York (D. Clinton) search
- Clinton, DeWitt; A Memoir on the Antiquities of the Western Parts of the State of New-York. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York search
- Clinton, DeWitt; letters to search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; receives works search
- New York (state); A Memoir on the Antiquities of the Western Parts of the State of New-York. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York (D. Clinton) search