1From Thomas Jefferson to Edward Bancroft, 26 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 21st. inst. on the subject of Mr. Paradise, which I hope you have received. By the death of Mr. Williamos a copy of my Notes on Virginia got into the hands of a bookseller, who was about publishing a very abominable translation of them when the Abbé Morellet heard of it, and diverted him from it by undertaking to translate it for him. They will thus appear in French in spite...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Dessin, 17 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now to return you many thanks for your attention to the several cases I left with you to be expedited to this place. They all came safe to hand. The Acquit à caution for the parcel which I brought myself, is herein inclosed. I should sooner have sent this, but that I awaited the arrival of the second parcel, meaning to return to you both acquits à caution together. But on asking for the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to William Carmichael, 4 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of writing you on the 18th. of October and again on the 25th. of the same month. Both letters, being to pass through the post offices, were confined to particular subjects. The first of them acknoleged the receipt of yours of Sep. 29. At length a confidential opportunity arrives for conveying to you a cypher ; it will be handed you by the bearer Mr. Lambe. Copies of it are in...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Castries, 9 January 178[6] (Jefferson Papers)
On receiving the honor of your Excellency’s letter of December 30 on the subject of the debts due by Robinson and Francfort to Françoise Rippert, I asked of Captain Jones those informations which his office had put him in possession of. I now trouble you with a copy of his letter on the subject. Your Excellency will find by that that Robinson having belonged to the Alliance, and the portions...
5Notes of a Tour of English Gardens, [2–14 April] 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Memorandums made on a tour to some of the gardens in England described by Whateley in his book on gardening. While his descriptions in point of style are models of perfect elegance and classical correctness, they are as remarkeable for their exactness. I always walked over the gardens with his book in my hand, examined with attention the particular spots he described, found them so justly...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Louis Joseph de Beaulieu, 9 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
My absence in England for two months past has prevented your letter of Mar. 17. from being sooner answered. Your personal appearance either before a Notary or myself, whichever is most convenient, seems necessary for such a certificate of your life as the War office will probably require. By my last accounts from America, I think the lands promised by Congress to their officers must now be...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Eppes, 24 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letters by the Mr. Fitzhughs, I wrote you the 11th. of December and 7th. of January. Both went by the way of London. About a week ago your favor and Mrs. Eppes’s of Sep. 14 and my dear Polly’s came to hand. The latest of your letters before this, which have reached me, were of 15 months ago, that is, of Octob. 1784. That which you mention to have written in May last by a confidential...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Stuart, 25 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received your favor of the 17th. of October, which though you mention as the third you have written me, is the first which has come to hand. I sincerely thank you for the communications it contains. Nothing is so grateful to me at this distance as details both great and small of what is passing in my own country. Of the latter we receive little here, because they either escape my...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Vergennes, 3 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
After begging leave to present my respects to your Excellency on my return to this place, I take the liberty of offering to your attention some papers which I found on my arrival here, written by sundry merchants of l’Orient, and others, some of whom are citizens of the United states, and all of them concerned in the trade between the two countries. This has been carried on by an exchange of...
10From Thomas Jefferson to John Bondfield, 17 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Being charged jointly with the M. de la Fayette and Mr. Barclay, with the purchase of arms for the state of Virginia, we have purchased several thousand stand from Messrs. Bettinger & St. Victour, to be made at Tulle, and delivered at Bourdeaux. A part of these are now ready. I have therefore taken the liberty of desiring them to be delivered to you, and must beg your undertaking to receive...
11From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 12 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had just closed the preceding letter when M. de Blumendorf the Imperial Secretary of legation called on me with the answer to Doctr. Franklin. It was that of Sep. 28. 1784 which you remember as well as myself, wherein Count Merci informed us the Emperor was disposed to enter into commercial arrangements with us and that he would give orders to the Government of the Austrian Netherlands to...
12From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 27 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the 12th. inst. which goes by the same packet, but was delivered to a private hand, I had the honour of inclosing to you letters from Mr. Carmichael, Mr. Barclay and Mr. Lambe on the Barbary affairs. Others came to hand last night which are now copying, and will be inclosed to you by the post of this day as far as they can be copied. The whole cannot possibly be in readiness...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Lucy Ludwell Paradise, 29 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honoured, my dear Madam, with your letter of the 5th. instant, and embrace the first opportunity which has offered by a private hand of sending to Mr. Paradise letters for Virginia. I shall be happy to hear he is gone there, because I believe he will be happier there than in England. It is a country where a rational and studious man may follow his inclinations with less...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Elder, 25 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter by Doctor Lyons has been safely delivered me. Mr. Short on his arrival here from Virginia had informed me that the young Mr. Randolphs were either gone or going to Edinburgh and since that I have received the same information from Doctor Currie in a letter. I consider that really as the best position in Europe for the acquisition of real science: and that it will be very...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 9 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The only letter of yours the receipt whereof I have not yet acknoleged is the 31st. of Dec. Mine are of Sep. 25. Jan. 3. and Jan. 27 [i.e., 26]. With that of Jan. 27. I had sent the crayons &c. formerly desired. With the present I will send 2. doz. camelshair pencils, and a doz. black lead pencils which are desired in yours of Dec. 31. I at the same time sent the 14th. 15th. and 16th....
16From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5th. came to hand yesterday, and Colo. Smith and Colo. Humphries (by whom you will receive one of the 19th. 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 our...
17From Thomas Jefferson to André Limozin, 16 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
In expectation that the ship bound from your port to Norfolk in Virginia may not be gone, I take the liberty of sending under your address by the Diligence a packet for Mr. Madison in Williamsburg, which I will pray you to forward by that vessel. I have the honour to be with much respect Sir Your most obedient & most humble servt., PrC ( MHi ).
18From Thomas Jefferson to James Buchanan and William Hay, 26 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honour of writing to you on the receipt of your orders to procure draughts for the public buildings, and again on the 13th. of August. In the execution of those orders two methods of proceeding presented themselves to my mind. The one was to leave to some architect to draw an external according to his fancy, in which way experience shews that about once in a thousand times a pleasing...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Cary, 4 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Knowing your fondness for Botany, and meeting with a new edition of Linnaeus’s systema vegetabilium in English with many additions furnished the editors by young Linnaeus which have never yet been in print, I procured one for you, and now avail myself of the return of Monsr. de la Croix to Williamsburg to convey it to you and ask your acceptance of it. I saw in the hands of Mr. Mazzei a list...
20From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 27 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 13th. and 20th. were put into my hands today. This will be delivered you by Mr. Dalrymple, secretary to the legation of Mr. Craufurd. I do not know whether you were acquainted with him here. He is a young man of learning and candor, and exhibits a phaenomenon I never before met with, that is, a republican born on the North side of the Tweed . You have been consulted in the...
21From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Baron Polnitz not going off till today enables me to add some information which I receive from Mr. Barclay this morning. You know the immense amount of Beaumarchais’ accounts with the U.S. and that Mr. Barclay was authorized to settle them. Beaumarchais had pertinaciously insisted on settling them with Congress. Probably he received from them a denial: for just as Mr. Barclay was about to set...
22From Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 17 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Monsieur de Tronchin, minister for the republic of Geneva at this court, having a son at this time in London, I take the liberty of introducing him to your acquaintance. A respect for the father induces me to this liberty, together with an assurance that the son merits it. He is young and may need a monitor, who, with the gay, may mix the serious, when it becomes necessary to keep him out of...
23From Thomas Jefferson to John Paul Jones, 5 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
The resolution of Congress of Oct. 29. 1783. is the only one I have seen on the subject of the Danish business. That is directed expressly to ‘the Ministers plenipotentiary of the U.S. at the court of Versailles empowered to negociate a peace.’ It is true that I had the honour of being named in that commission and was preparing to come when we received news of the signature of the preliminary...
24From Thomas Jefferson to La Rouerie, 12 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honoured with your letter of the 26th. of Dec. on the subject of the interest due to the foreign officers. An express instruction of Congress having subjected their monies in Europe to the order of their board of treasury only leaves me without the power of giving the order you desire. However, wishing to do whatever was possible for those officers, I went to Mr. Grand’s to consult...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Cambray, 13 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I received this day your favor of the 10th. instant. Dr. Franklin did not leave with me any Certificates old or new either for yourself or any other person, neither is it in my power to give you any information on that subject. I think it would be adviseable for you to write to M. Otto, Chargé des affaires of France at New York, who can make the necessary enquiries for you, of Dr. Franklin,...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Cary and Others, Introducing John Paradise, 29 May [1786] (Jefferson Papers)
This will be delivered you by Mr. Paradise who married a daughter of the late Colo. Ludwell of Virginia and who now comes to that country to make preparations for establishing himself and family in it. As a stranger and man of character he would have all the benefits of your civilities and attentions; but as a man of letters, of the purest integrity, of perfect goodness, and republican...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., 25 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I am sorry to hear, by letter from Mr. Elder, that your health is infirm, and that it is likely to become necessary on that account for yourself, your brother and cousin to remove to the continent of Europe. Edinburgh had the two advantages of possessing science in as high a degree as any place in the world, and of conveying it in your native tongue. Places may be found on the continent which...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cushing, 8 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I was honoured with your letter of Octob. 25. by Mr. Barrett: and am to thank you for an introduction to his acquaintance. The matter of the whale oil was settled before he came. I need not trouble you with the details of this however as I have written them to his Excellency Governor Bowdoin. The indulgence obtained is made temporary. I suppose this was done to give them an opportunity of...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Le Veillard, with Enclosures, 9 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Jefferson presents his compliments to Monsr. Le Vieillard and will be happy to hear that himself, Madame et Mademoiselle le Vieillard are well. He is but just returned from England, and will avail himself of the first leisure moment to pay his respects to Monsr. le Vieillard in person. In the mean time he returns with many thanks the papers relative to Dr. Franklin which he was so kind as...
30From Thomas Jefferson to James Warren, 8 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honoured with your letter of Oct. 9. by Mr. Barrett. No intimation has yet come to my hands of such an arrangement of the Consular department as is therein mentioned: and I rather suppose that Congress will find their commerce with Portugal so interesting as to be worthy the establishment of a minister or resident at that court. If so, the consulate there would undoubtedly be under...