111To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 23 June 1786 (Adams Papers)
I hear of a conveyance which allows me but a moment to write to you. I inclose a copy of a letter from mr̃ Lamb. I have written both to him & mr̃ Randall agreeable to what we had jointly thought best. the Courier de l’Europe gives us strange news of armies marching from the U.S. to take the posts from the English. I have received no public letters & not above one or two private ones from...
112From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 28 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your favors by Mr. Cutting, and thank you sincerely for the copy of your book. The departure of a packet-boat, which always gives me full emploiment for some time before, has only permitted me to look into it a little. I judge of it from the first volume which I thought formed to do a great deal of good. The first principle of a good government is certainly a distribution of it’s...
113To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 31 December 1787 (Adams Papers)
M r. Parker furnishes me an opportunity of acknoleging the receipt of your favors of Nov. 10. Dec. 6. 10. 18. & 25. which I avoid doing thro post. the orders on the subject of our captives at Algiers have come to me by the last packet. they are to be kept secret even from the captives themselves, lest a knolege of the interference of government should excite too extravagant demands. the...
114From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 30 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Since your favor of July 10. mine have been of July 17. 23 and 28. The last inclosed a bill of exchange from Mr. Grand on Tessier for £46–17–10 sterl. to answer Genl. Sullivan’s bill for that sum. I hope it got safe to hand, tho’ I have been anxious about it as it went by post and my letters thro’ that channel sometimes miscarry. From the separation of the Notables to the present moment has...
115To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 8 March 1801 (Adams Papers)
Th. Jefferson presents his respects to Mr. Adams and incloses him a letter which came to his hands last night; on reading what is written within the cover, he concluded it to be a private letter, and without opening a single paper within it he folded it up & now has the honor to inclose it to Mr Adams, with the homage of his high consideration and respect. MHi : Adams Papers.
116To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 2 August 1788 (Adams Papers)
I have received with a great deal of pleasure the account of your safe arrival and joyful reception at Boston. mr̃ Cutting was so kind as to send me a copy of the address of the assembly to you & your answer, which with the other circumstances I have sent to have published in the gazette of Leyden, and in a gazette here. it will serve to shew the people of Europe that those of America are...
117Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 21 March 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
I am indebted to you for mr Bowditch ’s very learned mathematical papers, the calculations of which are not for every reader, altho’ their results are readily enough understood. one of these impairs the confidence I had reposed in La Place ’s demonstration that the excentricities of the planets of our system could oscillate only within narrow limits, and therefore could authorise no inference...
118Franklin and Jefferson to John Adams, 15 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Among the instructions given to the Ministers of the United States for treating with foreign powers, was one of the 11th. of May 1784. relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Pecquet. It contains an acknowlegement on the part of Congress of his merits and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us...
119To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 May 1786 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honour of inclosing to you letters which came to hand last night from mr̃ Lamb, mr̃ Carmichael and mr̃ Barclay. by these you will perceive that our peace is not to be purchased at Algiers but at a price far beyond our powers. what that would be indeed mr̃ Lamb does not say, nor probably knows. but as he knew our ultimatum; we are to suppose from his letter that it would be a...
120To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 1 March 1793 (Adams Papers)
In consequence of the information I received from you on the first Wednesday in January that the list of votes for President & Vice President were received at the seat of government from all the states except that of Kentucky, I sent a special messenger to the District judge of Kentucky for the list of the votes of that state lodged in his custody, and by the return of the messenger received...
121To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 30 August 1791 (Adams Papers)
I received some time ago your favor of July 29. and was happy to find that you saw in it’s true point of view the way in which I had been drawn into the scene which must have been so disagreeable to you. the importance which you still seem to allow to my note, & the effect you suppose it to have had tho unintentional in me, induce me to shew you that it really had no effect. Paine’s pamphlet,...
122From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823 (Adams Papers)
The wishes expressed, in your last favor, that I may continue in life and health until I become a Calvinist, at least in his exclamation of “ mon Dieu ! jusque à quand”! would make me immortal. I can never join Calvin in addressing his god . he was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Dæmonism. if ever man worshipped a false god, he did. the being described in...
123From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 25 March 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
My grandson Th: Jefferson Randolph, being on a visit to Boston, would think he had seen nothing were he to leave it without having seen you. altho’ I truly sympathise with you in the trouble these interruptions give, yet I must ask for him permission to pay to you his personal respects. like other young people, he wishes to be able, in the winter nights of old age, to recount to those around...
124From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 21 August 1777 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of May 26. came safely to hand. I wish it were in my power to suggest any remedy for the evil you complain of. Tho’ did any occur, I should propose it to you with great diffidence. after knowing you had thought on the subject yourself. There is indeed a fact which may not have come to your knolege, out of which perhaps some little good may be drawn. The borrowing money in Europe (or...
125From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 20 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Franks will have the honor of delivering you the treaty with the emperor of Marocco, and all it’s appendages. You will perceive by Mr. Barclay’s letters that it is not necessary that any body should go back to Marocco to exchange ratifications. He sais however that it will be necessary that Fennish receive some testimony that we approve the treaty: and as, by the acts of Congress, our...
126To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 November 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 5 th. came to hand yesterday, and Col o. Smith & Col o. Humphries (by whom you will receive one of the 19 th. from me) being to set out tomorrow, I hasten to answer it. I sincerely rejoice that Portugal is stepping forward in the business of treaty, and that there is a probability that we may at length do something under our commissions which may produce a solid benefit to...
127From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 5 [December] 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 2d. of Aug. and of adding a P.S. of Aug. 6. You will have known since that that the interposition of Denmark, as auxiliary to Russia against Sweden, has been suppressed magisterially by England and Prussia. This seemed to prove that these two powers did not mean to enter into the war; that on the contrary they wished seriously to quiet things on the...
128To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 15 February 1825 (Adams Papers)
The people of Europe seem still to think that America is a mere garden plat, and that whatever is sent to one place is close for at home as to every other. the volume I now forward to you by this mail was found on Majr. Cartwright’s death, was found to have in his own handwriting an address for you altho’ mistaking your Christian name. his friends having occn to write to me on another subject,...
129From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 9 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 23d. of May. Your favor of that date did not come to hand till the 19th. of June. In consequence of it I wrote the next day letters to Mr. Lamb and Mr. Randall, copies of which I have now the honour to inclose you. In these you will perceive I had desired Mr. Randall, who was supposed to be at Madrid, to return immediately to Paris and London, and to Mr. Lambe, supposed...
130From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour of July 31. was lately delivered me. The papers inform me you are at the Hague, and, incertain what stay you may make there, I send this by Mr. Voss who is returning to London by the way of Amsterdam. I inclose you the last letters from Mr. Barclay and Mr. Carmichael, by which we may hope our peace with Marocco is signed, thanks to the good offices of a nation which is honest, if...
131Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 22 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
I was quite rejoiced, dear Sir, to see that you had health & spirits enough to take part in the late convention of your state for revising it’s constitution, and to bear your share in it’s debates and labors. the amendments of which we have as yet heard prove the advance of liberalism in the intervening period; and encourage a hope that the human mind will some day get back to the freedom it...
132Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 28 October 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
According to the reservation between us, of taking up one of the subjects of our correspondence at a time, I turn to your letters of Aug. 16. & Sep. 2. The passage you quote from Theognis , I think has an Ethical, rather than a political object. the whole piece is a moral exhortation , παραινεςις , and this passage particularly seems to be a reproof to man, who, while with his domestic animals...
133To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 18 May 1814 (Adams Papers)
This will be handed you by mr Rives a young gentleman of this state and my neighborhood. he is an eleve of mine in law, of uncommon abilities, learning and worth. when you and I shall be at rest with our friends of 1776. he will be in the zenith of his fame and usefulness. before entering on his public career he wishes to visit our sister states and would not concieve he had seen any thing of...
134To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 October 1813 (Adams Papers)
Since mine of Aug. 22. I have recieved your favors of Aug. 16. Sep. 2. 14. 15. and—and mrs Adams’s of Sep. 20. I now send you, according to your request a copy of the Syllabus. to fill up this skeleton with arteries, with veins, with nerves, muscles and flesh, is really beyond my time and information. whoever could undertake it would find great aid in Enfield’s judicious abridgement of...
135From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 8 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to mr Adams and incloses him a letter which came to his hands last night; on reading what is written within the cover, he concluded it to be a private letter, and without opening a single paper within it he folded it up & now has the honor to inclose it to mr Adams, with the homage of his high consideration & respect. RC ( MHi : Adams Papers); addressed:...
136Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 23 January 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
The messenger who carried my letter of yesterday to the Post-office brought me thence, on his return, the two pieces of homespun which had been separated by the way from your letter of Jan. 1. a little more sagacity of conjecture in me, as to their appellation, would have saved you the trouble of reading a long dissertation on the state of real homespun in our quarter. the fact stated however...
137From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 7 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with yours of Jan. 19. Mine of Jan. 12. had not I suppose at that time got to your hands as the receipt of it is unacknoleged. I shall be anxious till I receive your answer to it. I was perfectly satisfied, before I received your letter, that your opinion had been misunderstood or misrepresented in the case of the Chevalier de Mezieres. Your letter however will enable me to say so...
138To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1788 (Adams Papers)
I received this day a letter from mr̃s Adams of the 26 th. ult. informing me you would set out on the 29 th. for the Hague. our affairs at Amsterdam press on my mind like a mountain. I have no information to go on but that of the Willincks & VanStaphorsts, & according to that something seems necessary to be done. I am so anxious to confer with you on this, & to see you & them together, & get...
139From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
The wishes expressed, in your last favor, that I may continue in life and health until I become a Calvinist, at least in his exclamation of ‘ mon Dieu ! jusque à quand’! would make me immortal. I can never join Calvin in addressing his god . he was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Dæmonism. if ever man worshipped a false god, he did. the being described in...
140From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 16 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you the copy of a letter received from Mr. Barclay dated Cadiz May 23. by which you will perceive he was still on this side the Mediterranean. Has Mr. Lamb written to you? I hear nothing from him nor of him, since Mr. Carmichael’s information of his arrival in Spain. Mr. Randall gave reason to expect that himself would come on. Yet neither himself nor any letters from him arrive....
141From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 2 March 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I received this day a letter from Mrs. Adams of the 26th. ult. informing me you would set out on the 29th. for the Hague. Our affairs at Amsterdam press on my mind like a mountain. I have no information to go on but that of the Willincks and Van Staphorsts, and according to that something seems necessary to be done. I am so anxious to confer with you on this, and to see you and them together,...
142From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jay, in his last letter to me, observes that they hear nothing further of the treaty with Portugal. I have taken the liberty of telling him that I will write to you on the subject, and that he may expect to hear from you on it by the present conveyance. The Chevalier del Pinto being at London, I presume he has, or can inform you why it is delayed on their part. I will thank you also for...
143To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 14 October 1816 (Adams Papers)
Your letter; dear Sir, of May 6. had already well explained the Uses of grief, that of Sep. 3. with equal truth adduces instances of it’s abuse; and when we put into the same scale these abuses, with the afflictions of soul which even the Uses of grief cost us, we may consider it’s value in the economy of the human being, as equivocal at least. those afflictions cloud too great a portion of...
144To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
Another of our friends of 76. is gone, my dear Sir, another of the Co-signers of the independance of our country. and a better man, than Rush, could not have left us, more benevolent, more learned, of finer genius, or more honest. we too must go; and that ere long.. I believe we are under half a dozen at present; I mean the signers of the Declaration. yourself, Gerry, Carroll, and myself are...
145From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 9 December 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed information relative to ransom and peace with the Algerines, being newly come to hand, I take the liberty of communicating it to you, and through you to the Senate. It concurs in some facts and opinions with what we had before learnt thro other channels, and differs in some others, so as, on the whole, to leave us still in considerable uncertainty as to interesting points.—I have...
146To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 21 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
Albemarle, Va., 21 August 1777. RC ( Adams Papers ); printed : Jefferson, Papers The Papers of Thomas Jefferson , ed. Julian P. Boyd and others, Princeton, 1950-. , 2:27–29. Jefferson suggested applying for a loan from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who reportedly had a considerable hoard of crowns in his treasury. Philip Mazzei was recommended as a suitable agent to negotiate the loan. Jefferson...
147To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 24 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
My letter of Sep. 19. written the morning after mr̃ Lamb’s arrival here, would inform you of that circumstance. I transmit you herewith copies of the papers he brought to us on the subject of the Barbary treaties. you will see by them that Congress has adopted the very plan which we were proposing to pursue. it will now go on under less danger of objection from the other parties. the receipt...
148To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1812 (Adams Papers)
By our post preceding that which brought your letter of May 21. I had recieved one from mr Malcolm on the same subject with yours, and by the return of the post had stated to the President my recollections of him. but both of your letters were probably too late; as the appointment had been already made, if we may credit the newspapers. You ask if there is any book that pretends to give any...
149From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 23 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Sept. the 11th. came to hand in due time and since that I have recieved the copies of the Prussian treaty you were so kind as to send me. I have recieved a short letter from Mr. Barclay dated Cadiz Septr. 25th . only announcing his arrival there and that he should proceed immediately to Madrid. At this latter place he would meet my letter informing him that we did not propose any...
150From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 May 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from our friend D’ Ivernois according to his request expressed in it. Our geographical distance is insensible still to foreigners. They consider America of the size of a garden of which Massachusets is one square and Virginia another. I know not what may have been your sentiments or measures respecting the transplantation of the science of Geneva to this country. If not...
151To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
You were here the last year when the interest due to the French officers was paid to them, and were sensible of the good effect it had on the credit & honor of the U.S. a second year’s interest is become due. they have presented their demands. there is not money here to pay them, the pittance remaining in mr̃ Grand’s hands being only sufficient to pay current expences three months longer. the...
152Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 January 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Forty three volumes read in one year, and 12. of them quartos! dear Sir, how I envy you! half a dozen 8 vos in that space of time are as much as I am allowed. I can read by candlelight only, and stealing long hours from my rest; nor would that time be allowed me indulged to me, could I, by that light, see to write. from sun-rise to one or two aclock, and often from dinner to dark, I am...
153To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 27 June 1813 (Adams Papers)
Ἴδαν ἐς πολύδενδρον ἀνὴρ ὑλητόμος ἐλθὼν, Παπταίνει, παρέοντος ἄδην, ποθεν ἄρξεται ἔργου· Τί πρᾶτον καταλεξῶ; ἐπεὶ πάρα μυρία ἐιπῆν. and I too, my dear Sir, like the wood-cutter of Ida, should doubt where to begin, were I to enter the forest of opinions, discussions, & contentions which have occurred in our day. I should exclaim with Theocritus Τί πρᾶτον καταλεξῶ; ἐπεὶ πάρα μυρία ειπῆν. but I...
154From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 17 August 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I received yesterday your favor of the 7th. This was 4. days later than Mr. Short’s of the same date. It had evidently been opened. We must therefore consider both governments as possessed of it’s contents. I write you a line at this moment merely to inform you that Mr. Barclay is willing to go to treat with the Barbary states if we desire it and that
155From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 2 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favours of May 23. and the two of May 27. came safely to hand, the first being open. That of the 22d. from Montreuil sur mer had been received and answered on the 25th. The day before the receipt of the letters of the 27th. we had had your cases brought to the barrier of Paris in order to get the proper officer to go that far to plumb them. From there they were put on board the boat for...
156To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 12 October 1823 (Adams Papers)
I do not write with the ease which your letter of Sep. 18. supposes. crippled wrists and fingers make writing slow and laborious. but, while writing to you, I lose the sense of these things, in the recollection of antient times, when youth and health made happiness out of every thing. I forget for a while the hoary winter of age, when we can when we can think of nothing but how to keep...
157From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, with Draft of Treaty Proposed for Barbary States, 6 August 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I now inclose you a draught of a treaty for the Barbary states, together with the notes Dr. Franklin left me. I have retained a presscopy of this draught, so that by referring to any article, line and word in it you can propose amendments and send them by the post without any body’s being able to make much of the main subject. I shall be glad to receive any alterations you may think necessary...
158To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 13 January 1788 (Adams Papers)
I informed you in my letter of the 31 st. of December of the measures I had taken relative to the reimbursement of the 51,000 gelders to Fizeaux & co. to wit, that I had asked the Willincks and Van Staphorsts to pay the interest, & written to the board of treasury for their orders as to the principal. I inclose you a letter just received from Fizeaux & co. now Hugguer, Grand & co. by which you...
159To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 10 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 4 th. inst. came to hand yesterday. I now inclose you the two Arrets against the importation of foreign manufactures into this kingdom. the cause of the balance against this country in favor of England as well as it’s amount is not agreed on. no doubt the rage for English manufactures must be a principal cause. the speculators in Exchange say also that those of the...
160Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 8 September 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
A month’s absence from Monticello has added to the delay of acknoleging your last letters; and indeed for a month before I left it our projected College gave me constant employment; for being the only Visitor in it’s immediate neighborhood, all it’s administrative business falls on me, and that, where building is going on, is not a little. in yours of July 15. you express a wish to see our...