1XI. Secretary of State to Jacob Isaacks, 23 November 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 1st. instant did not come to hand till yesterday 3. aclock. Unfortunately I had that very morning given in my report, which had been read in the house, and of which I inclose you a printed copy. That the discovery was original as to yourself I can readily believe. Still it is not the less true, that the distillation of fresh from seawater, both with and without mixtures, had...
2IX. Secretary of State to Isaac Senter, 10 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved in due time your favor of April 13. together with Dr. Lind’s book, which I now return you with many thanks. I had been able to get here the editions of 1774. and 1788. but not that of 1762. which was most important, as it was the best evidence of the time of his first publishing his idea of distilling seawater without any ingredient. The other peices you have been so kind as to...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Pierpont Edwards, 31 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The recess of Congress now permits me to resume the subject of my circular letter of Aug. 12. which had the double object of procuring from all the states 1. a statement of their proceedings as to British property, and 2. a complete collection of their laws to be deposited in my office for the use of the general government. As to the first I am to thank you for the papers and observations you...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Hamilton, 31 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The publication of the laws of the U. S. and the purchase of those of the several states call on us immediately for about five hundred dollars, for which sum I must ask a warrant from you to be accounted for. The contingent expences of my department to the 1st. inst. are now stated and will be settled with the Auditor tomorrow. I have the honor to be with great esteem & respect Sir Your most...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Mary Jefferson, 31 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I am happy to have a letter of yours to answer. That of Mar. 6. came to my hands on the 24th. By the bye you never acknowlege the receipt of my letters, nor tell me on what day they came to hand. I presume that by this time you have received the two dressing tables with marble tops. I give one of them to your sister and the other to you. Mine is here with the top broke in two. Mr. Randolph’s...
6From Thomas Jefferson to William Lewis, 31 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The recess of Congress permits me now to resume the subject of my letter of Aug. 12. and to acknowlege the receipt of your favors of Sept. 14. Nov. 25. and Jan. 1. with respect to British debts and property. It was thought possible then that they might come forward and discuss the interests and questions existing between the two nations; and as we knew they would assail us on the subject of...
7From Thomas Jefferson to William Channing, 29 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The recess of Congress now permits me to take up the subject of my former letter to you and to acknowlege the receipt of yours of Nov. 24. in answer, together with the laws you were so kind as to send forward. The M.S. copies of laws relating to British property, which you mention to be in hand, will be acceptable, as that subject will probably come under discussion some day. The perpetual...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Christopher Gore, 29 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The recess of Congress now permits me the honor of acknowleging the receipt of your favor of Sep. 27. together with the copies of the laws you were so kind as to send, for which be pleased to accept my thanks. Our collection now stands thus. The only chasm in this seems to be from 1772. to 1780. to which I will continue to ask the attention you are so kind as to promise, as occasions arise...
9From Thomas Jefferson to William Nelson, Jr., 29 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two favours of Nov. 22. and that of Feb. 4. came to hand during the session of Congress, and making part only of a very extensive subject, I was obliged to postpone it till Congress had risen. The laws also which you were so kind as to send have been received. Our collection stands thus at present. Laws of 1775. Dec. 1783. Oct. 1776. May and Oct. 1784. May and Oct. 1777. May. 5. 1785.Oct...
10From Thomas Jefferson to John Samuel Sherburne, 29 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The recess of Congress permits me now to acknowlege the receipt of your favor of Oct. 20. and also of the laws of New Hampshire from 1696 to 1773 and from 1776 to 1787. Should there be any other printed laws not in these collections I will avail myself of your kind promise to procure them for the use of my office, as it is very desireable to possess a compleat collection of every law that was...
11From Thomas Jefferson to James McHenry, 28 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Having sent your letters to Mr. Short with a desire that he will, as far as is right, patronize the applications which shall be made to the minister on your demand, instead of destroying your first letter to Messrs. Le Couteulx, I have thought it better to return it to you, in proof that your desires have been complied with.—A murder of some friendly Indians a little beyond Fort Pitt is likely...
12From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 27 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been again to see Mr. Barclay on the subject of his mission and to hasten him. I communicated to him the draught of his instructions and he made an observation which may render a small change expedient. You know it had been concluded that he should go without any defined character, in order to save expence. He observed that if his character was undefined they would consider him as an...
13II. Secretary of State to Edward Telfair, 26 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour of the 2d. of January was received the 4th. instant. The dispositions expressed by the Governour of Florida give reason to hope he will execute with good faith the orders of his sovereign to prevent the future reception within his province of slaves flying from the United States. How far he may think himself authorised to give up those who have taken refuge there heretofore is...
14From Thomas Jefferson to William Blount, 26 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Having in charge to lay before Congress a general statement of all the lands subject to their disposal, it becomes necessary for me, so far as respects the proceedings of North-Carolina, to draw on a map the line which forms the Eastern boundary of the cession of that state to Congress, and then to specify all the private claims within the cession which form exceptions to the general right of...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Mathew Carey, 26 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson’s compliments to Mr. Carey and incloses him a N Caroli[na] newspaper containing a convention between the two states of Virginia and N Carolina and submitting to Mr. Carey whether it be not worth a place in his Museum. Th: Jefferson has been told that the same convention is complete in the ac[t] of Virginia of about 1786, but he does not possess the act. RC not found but sold at...
16VI. Affidavit of the Secretary of State on the Result of the Experiments, 26 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress having referred to me the Petition of Jacob Isaccks praying a reward for a secret he possesses of converting Salt-water into fresh, I procured a Cask of sea-water to be taken up without the Capes of Delaware at flood-tide, and brought to Philadelphia, and asked the favour of Mr. Rittenhouse, President of the American Philosophical Society, of Dr. Caspar Wistar, Professor of Chemistry...
17VII. Secretary of State to Isaac Senter, 26 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress having referred to me the petition of Jacob Isaacs setting forth his possession of a secret for facilitating the separation of sea-water from it’s salt, it becomes necessary for me to know exactly the advances which have been already made towards obtaining that desideratum. I have reason to believe no body has carried them further than Dr. Lind. I possess his book on the diseases of...
18V. Secretary of State to James Hutchinson, 25 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Dr. [Hutchinson] and sends him the result of the five Experiments which have been made on the sea water. Tr ( DLC ); in clerk’s hand. Although not recorded in SJL , this was obviously a circular report addressed to Hutchinson, Rittenhouse, and Wistar. Enclosure: Tabular statement of the experiments conducted on 14, 21, 22, 24, and 25 Mch. 1791, showing...
19From Thomas Jefferson to James Currie, 24 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 14th. was delivered to me on Sunday the 20th. I sent on the 21st. (by a person who possesses my confidence) your two notes to Mr. Potter. The intention was merely to prepare him for my calling on him myself, as we were not personally known to each other. His answer was ‘no effects at this time.’ On the 22d. (the day before yesterday) yours of the 15th. came to hand with the...
20From Thomas Jefferson to J. P. P. Derieux, 24 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Intensity of employment will I hope be with you a sufficient, as it is a very real, excuse for my tardiness in acknowleging the reciept of your favors of Nov. 15. and Feb. 5. The letter to M. Le Roy I put under cover to Mr. Fenwick, our Consul at Bordeaux, to whom I wrote very full details of all those circumstances which I thought might tend to interest your uncle, and I desired Mr. Fenwick...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Fenwick, 24 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of inclosing you a letter for a Monsieur le Roy, of Bordeaux, on the subject of which I must enter into some details. It is from a Monsieur De Rieux, a nephew of M. le Roy’s who is my nearest neighbor in Virginia. Being totally without fortune, and married to a young lady , whom he had become acquainted with in France, but who had lived some time in Virginia, he determined...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 24 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The badness of the roads retards the post, so that I have recieved no letter this week from Monticello. I shall hope soon to have one from yourself to know from that that you are perfectly reestablished, that the little Anne is becoming a big one, that you have received Dr. Gregory’s book and are daily profiting from it.—This will hardly reach you in time to put you on the watch for the...
23From Thomas Jefferson to William Murray, 22 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
A certain James O’Fallon is, as we are informed, undertaking to raise, organize and commission an army, of his own authority, and independant of that of the government, the object of which is to go and possess themselves of lands which have never yet been granted by any authority which the government admits to be legal, and with an avowed design to hold them by force against any power foreign...
24From Thomas Jefferson to David Rittenhouse, [21 March 1791] (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson sends to Mr. Rittenhouse Bp. Watson’s essay on the subjects of chemistry, which is too philosophical not to merit a half an hour of his time, which is all it will occupy. He returns him Mr. Barton’s papers which he has perused with great pleasure. He is glad the subject has been taken up and by so good a hand. He has certainly done all which the scantiness of his materials would...
25From Thomas Jefferson to James Maxwell, 20 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I took the liberty of asking you to send me at the proper season 3. or 4. casks of the best Hughes’s crab cyder, either in casks or bottles as you should think best. As I presume we are now in the proper season for removing it, I shall be in hopes of recieving it soon. Having been disappointed in getting some cyder of a very good kind from Jersey, if you should have found any that is very...
26III. Secretary of State to Caspar Wistar, Jr., 20 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I am thankful for the trouble which yourself and Doctr. Hutchinson have taken and are still willing to take on the subject of Mr. Isaacs’ discovery. However his method may turn out, this advantage will certainly result from it, that having drawn the public attention to the subject, it may be made the occasion of disseminating among the masters of vessels a knowlege of the fact that fresh water...
27X. Secretary of State to William Short, 19 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of Nov. 6. No. 46 by Mr. Osmont came to hand yesterday and I have just time before the departure of Mr. Terrasson the bearer of my letter of the 15th. inst. and dispatches accompanying it, to acknowlege the receipt, and inform you that it has been laid before the President. On consideration of the circumstance stated in the 2d. page of your letter, he is of opinion that it is...
28From Thomas Jefferson to David Rittenhouse, 19 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to regret that having rode into the country yesterday afternoon, I did not return till it was too late either to take tea with you, or to go to the society, where I should have been pleased to hear Mr. Barton’s paper read. Will you be so good as to express to him my regrets? I send for your acceptance some sheets of drawing-paper, which being laid off in squares representing feet, or...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 19 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Congress having appropriated the sum of 40,000 Dollars annually to the department of state in the transaction of it’s foreign business, I inclose you the Treasurer’s bill on you for 90,000 florins supposed equivalent to the beforementioned sum of dollars. You will be pleased to open an account therefore with ‘the Secretary of state for the United states of America’ wherein you will credit him...
30VIII. Secretary of State to the President, 18 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson is sorry to present a long letter to the President to be read at so busy a moment: but the view which it presents of our commercial matters in France is too interesting to be unknown to the President.—The circumstances presented to view in the 2d. page of the letter induce Th: J. to think it may be well to commit to Mr. Short and the M. de la Fayette to press our settlement with...