1From Thomas Jefferson to William B. Giles, 13 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your favor of the 9th on the subject of the hire of my servant, but as my stay in Virginia will be too short to intermeddle with my affairs I must beg the favor of you to do in the matter as you would have done had I not returned.—I take the liberty of asking information from you, if you know who are the executors or administrators of the late young Mr. John Bannister, as I...
2From Thomas Jefferson to William B. Giles, 1[3] December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Some two or three years ago. a Monsr. de Vernon of Paris applied to me to know how he might recover some property which he had in the hands of a Mr. Marck of Petersburg. I advised him to appoint an attorney here, and to furnish him with his proofs, and recommended the late Colo. Bannister. He did so. Colo. Bannister undertook the business, and I inclose you two letters he wrote me, containing...
3From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 20 November 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
I have lately recieved from Donald & Burton their account crediting me for your bill of excha. £37–10 stirling, as also Mr. Brown ’s account, who by consigning my tobaccoes to another house on the failure of the former, placed my credits in his own account while the debets were with Donald & Burton, and thus saved you the £37–10 and me the rest of my tobacco. Not having been indebted to Donald...
4From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 17 December 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
I have made Mr. Bannister’s affair the subject of a separate letter , containing a full explanation of it, because by giving in the letter, it will give you no more trouble. I will only add here, what would have been too urging if expressed there, that if any thing be said of early paiment, I would rather be allowed to draw on any one there for the money than to have it sent here. The attempt...
5From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 27 April 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 16th. came to hand by the last post. I have to thank you for the trouble you were so kind as to take in my demand on Mr. Bannister’s estate. Mr. Shippen by letter promised me paiment out of the first proceeds of a sale then making at Hatcher’s run on a twelve-month’s credit. I sincerely congratulate you on the great prosperities of our two first allies, the French and Dutch....
6From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 31 December 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Dec. 15. and 20. came to hand by the last post. I am well pleased with the manner in which your house has testified their sense of the treaty. While their refusal to pass the original clause of the reported answer proved their condemnation of it, the contrivance to let it disappear silently respected appearances in favor of the President, who errs as other men do, but errs with...
7From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 19 March 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I know not when I have recieved greater satisfaction than on reading the speech of Dr. Lieb in the Pennsylvania Assembly. He calls himself a new member. I congratulate honest republicanism on such an acquisition, and promise myself much from a career which begins on such elevated ground.—We are in suspense here to see the fate and effect of Mr. Pitt’s bill against democratic societies. I wish...
8To Thomas Jefferson from William Branch Giles, 26 March 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I have permitted your much valued favor of the 31st. of December to remain unanswered until this time, because until now, no desicive event had occurred, by which a conjecture could be formed of the probable course, which the House of Representatives would take respecting the great question of the Brittish treaty, Because Europe afforded nothing interresting, and because I was unwilling to...
9From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 23 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved two days ago your favor of the 16th. and thank you for your kind felicitations on my election; but whether it will be a subject of felicitation permanently will be for chapters of future history to say. the important subjects of the government I meet with some degree of courage & confidence, because I do believe the talents to be associated with me. the [honest] line of conduct we...
10From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, [6 April 1802] (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you an extract of a letter from mr Brown to mr Lincoln under whom, acting as Secretary of state, and Genl. Smith acting voluntarily for the department of Secretary of the Navy, but without appointment or reward, the latter part of what respected the Berceau was conducted. the other letter of Brown’s which I mentioned relates merely to the details of the repairs. The question whether...
11From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 18 January 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
See the stat. 24. G. 3. (1784.) c. 47. made against smuggling- armed vessels and forfieting the vessels. the 7th. sectn. latter part provides that it shall not extend to vessels having arms or ammunition put on board for the necessary use & defence of such vessel, by license from the Lord High Admiral of G.B. or the commissioners of the admiralty.’ this shews that English vessels cannot arm...
12From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 23 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
We learnt here with real affliction the terrible calamity which happened to you. to our feelings for your personal sufferings were added those for the public want of you here. from the importance of the matters before Congress, & some unfortunate circumstances, your presence here would have been, & would still be of incalculable value to the nation. as we naturally believe what we wish, the...
13From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 23 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his thanks to mr Giles for the suggestions of the other day as to mr Pease, as he is always thankful to his friends for any information which may enable him to do for the best. he has made enquiry as to the fact of mr Pease’s being interested in the Yazoo claim, and is assured that he is not interested a cent either directly or indirectly in that claim, nor has a...
14From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 20 April 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 6th. on the subject of Burr’s offences was recieved only 4. days ago. that there should be anxiety & doubt in the public mind in the present defective state of this proof is not wonderful; and this has been sedulously encouraged by the tricks of the judges to force trials before it is possible to collect the evidence dispersed through a line of 2000. miles from Maine to...
15From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 26 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter from mr Pinckney being private , cannot be communicated to Congress for that reason, as well as for others. I send it for your perusal, in confidence, because, mr Pinckney’s nomination being under consideration, I wish his real character & way of thinking to be known from facts, instead of surmises. I send it to yourself particularly because I know you will make a just use...
16Thomas Jefferson’s Circular to Prospective Donors to Central College, 4 August 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
You have probably seen mentioned in the public papers that it is in contemplation to establish near Charlottesville a seminary of learning which shall embrace all the sciences deemed materially useful in the present age. towards this object the legislature has passed an act giving us a constitution nearly of our own choice, under the name of the Central College , making the Governor patron of...
17From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 9 June 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your favor of the 31 st ult. and my grandson Th: J. Randolph having set out for Richmond the day before, I immediately inclosed the papers to him by mail, and informed him that I should be ready if thought necessary to bear testimony to the honorable character of our dec d friend, as I knew him. I am sorry to learn that you are among the sufferers by his misfortunes. I am...
18From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 29 August 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
On reciept of your former letter of May 31. I communicated it to my grandson Jefferson Randolph. on consideration of the subject, he was induced to think that the vindication of Col o W. C. Nicholas’s character, if it needed it at all, would be particularly incumbent on his brother Norborne Nicholas, and would, in his, be in more competent hands. he therefore communicated the latter to him, &...
19From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 11 September 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Sep. 6. is this moment rec d I take for granted that very soon after it’s date you rec d mine of Aug. 29. which w d explain to you why Th: J. Randolph, having committed the business to mr Norb. Nich o declined meddling with it; & that on my part not a moment had been lost. the notice for taking any deposn was for the 28 th and on the 29 th I forwarded it to your address at the...
20From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 25 December 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 15 th was recieved 4. days ago. it found me engaged in what I could not lay aside till this day. Far advanced in my 83 d year, worn down with infirmities which have confined me almost entirely to the house for 7. or 8. months past, it afflicts me much to recieve appeals to my memory for transactions so far back as that which is the subject of your letter. my memory is indeed...
21From Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 26 December 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you a letter yesterday of which you will be free to make what use you please. this will contain matters not intended for the public eye. I see as you do, and with the deepest affliction, the rapid strides with which the federal branch of our government is advancing towards the usurpation of all the rights reserved to the states, and the consolidation in itself of all powers foreign and...