1From Thomas Jefferson to Horatio Gates, 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I accept with pleasure, and with pleasure reciprocate your congratulations on the acquisition of Louisiana: for it is a subject of mutual congratulation as it interests every man of the nation. the territory acquired, as it includes all the waters of the Missouri & Missisipi, has more than doubled the area of the US. and the new part is not inferior to the old in soil, climate, productions, &...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you your pocket book left here. if the dirk will appear passable by post, that shall also be sent, when recieved. your bridle, left by the inattention of Joseph in packing your saddle, is too bulky to go in that way. we have not recieved a word from Europe since you left us. be so good as to keep me always advised how to direct to you. accept my affectionate salutations &...
3II. Table on Party Affiliation of Federal Officeholders in the States, before 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
New Hampsh Massachu R. Island Connecticut Vermont New York New Jersey Pennsylva Delaware Maryland Virginia N. Carola S. Carola Georgia Tennissee Kentucky Ohio
4III. Table of Federal Officeholders in the States, 10 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
r o f N.H. 6 3 Mas. 13 1 24 R.I. 6 6 Conn. 7 5 Verm . 3 1
5IV. Table of Officeholders in the General Government, 10 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
r o f heads of deptmts. 5 Secondaries 3 1 1 Purveyor 1 Mint officers 1 1 foreign ministrs. 3 Secs. of legn 2 Consuls 34
6V. Notes on Republican Appointments, 10 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
< Offices expd & not renewed 6. restorations to office 4. Atties & marshals on principle 5. other officers.
7From Thomas Jefferson to William Thornton and Family, 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Madison and his family take a family dinner with Th: Jefferson tomorrow (Tuesday). Will Doctr. Thornton and his family join us? RC ( DLC : William Thornton Papers); addressed: “Dr. Thornton.”
8From Thomas Jefferson to James Wallace, 11 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of May 19. was recieved in due time, and that of the 6th . inst. came to hand last night. the duties of my present office calling for the whole of my time, and even that being insufficient, and rendering it necessary to leave unacted on whatever will admit of it, the first of your favors remained unanswered. under these circumstances I am obliged to deny myself the gratification of...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 12 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The dangers on the road to Natchez are really serious, & calling for attention. mere stationary posts, as proposed by Govr. Roan, appear to me inefficient. either a small body of cavalry, or mounted infantry, to be perpetually scouring the road and hovering about the caravans of passengers, as a marechaussée, seems worthy of consideration, as also the employing Indians in the same way, or...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 12 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The strengthening the revenue cutters by the addition of another mate & 2. hands is approved. while our cutters must be large enough to go safely to sea, and should be well manned for their size, we should avoid making them larger than safety will require; because many small vessels will watch the coast better than a few large ones. resistance will not be attempted probably. Genl. Muhlenberg’s...
11Memorandum to James Madison, 12 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Commissions to be made out: Thomas Rodney of Delaware to be judge of Missipi. vice S. Lewis Thomas Rodney of Delaware } to be Commnrs. &c West of Pearl river. Robert Williams of N. Carolina Ephraim Kerby of Connecticut } to be Commnrs. &c East of Pearl river. Robert Carter Nicholas of Kentucky a blank commission for the Register East of Pearl river. Tenche Coxe of Pensylvania to be Purveyor....
12From Thomas Jefferson to John Armstrong, 13 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 4. has been duly recieved. on recurring to the deed of Genl. Kosciuzko to Madame Felix I observe he guarantees to her 1st. the existence of the land , that is, that these lands were real, and not merely ideal, as many which had been sold in Europe. 2. the situation, to wit geographical situation. 3. title. 4. contents. 5. delivery of possession. the objections mentioned in...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Jean Georges Cabanis, 13 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I lately recieved your friendly letter of 28. Vendem. an. 11. with the two volumes on the relations between the Physical & moral faculties of man. this has ever been a subject of great interest to the inquisitive mind, and it could not have got into better hands for discussion than yours. that thought may be a faculty of our material organisation, has been believed in the gross: and tho’ the...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Caesar A. Rodney, 13 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7th. is now before me. mr Mendenhall wrote to me in Feb. last, asking the communication of a paper against him which he understood had been delivered to me. I wrote him in answer Feb. 25. that I did not remember ever to have recieved such a paper: that tho’ I might ascertain the fact by a recurrence to my files, yet it was unnecessary for another reason, which was, that as it...
15From Thomas Jefferson to James Taylor, Jr., 13 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
In a letter to Colo. Newton some time ago I informed him I should take two pipes of Madeira of the Brazil quality annually, that being about my annual consumption of that kind of wine. he mentioned in reply that they should be imported annually with his own, and what he ordered for a few particular friends, and that his correspondents had assured him these should be of superior quality. having...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Tobias Lear, 14 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly salutations to Colo. Lear, and prays him to give the best conveyance he can to the inclosed letter. he wishes a pleasant voyage & happy issue of his peacemaking mission : and the rather as the purchase of Louisiana will require the aid of all our resources to pay the interest of the additional debt without laying a new tax, and of course call for the...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Jones & Howell, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Be pleased to forward for me without delay, to the care of Gibson & Jefferson of Richmond 2½ Cwt of iron in flat bars, of the toughest quality, and 5. Cwt of a harder quality in bars ¾ I. square. Accept my salutations & best wishes. P.S. mr Barnes will remit you 309.42 D in the beginning of the ensuing month for the last supply of rod. PrC ( MHi ); in ink at foot of text: “Jones & Howell”;...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Ephraim Kirby, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I yesterday signed a commission appointing you one of the Commissioners to recieve & determine the titles of lands held on the East side of Pearl river. the place of sessions will be Fort Stoddart. I am happy in having in that commission the name of a person already so well known to the public as to ensure their confidence. the other Commissioner will be mr Robert Carter Nicholas of Kentucky,...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I dropped you a line on the 11th. inst. and last night recieved yours of the 8th. last night also we recieved the treaty from Paris ceding Louisiana according to the bounds to which France had a right. price 11¼ millions of Dollars besides paying certain debts of France to our citizens which will be from 1. to 4. millions. I recieved also from Mr. La Cepede at Paris, to whom I had mentioned...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The arrival of the treaty of cession of Louisiana last night, and the short day given for ratification (Oct. 30.) will oblige me to call Congress about the middle of that month; & consequently to return here earlier than I had calculated; I shall therefore go home earlier. I think I shall be with you on Friday or Saturday next. my affectionate love to all of you.—the price of Louisiana...
21From Thomas Jefferson to John Strode, 15 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly salutations to mr Strode. the arrival of the treaty of cession of Louisiana, [rendering it] necessary to call Congress in October, he will leave this place earlier than he had intended. he will probably breakfast with him on Thursday or Friday morning next. he wishes him health. PrC ( DLC ); torn; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso.
22From Thomas Jefferson to Mustafa Baba, Dey of Algiers, 16 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Our Consul Mr OBrien has forwarded to me the letter you wrote me on the 17th of October last. I read in that the welcome assurances of your friendship and good will to the United States, and reciprocate them with sincerity, hoping that these sentiments will long subsist between us, and long preserve peace and intercourse between our Nations. Your interposition with the Bashaw of Tripoli on...
23Notes on a Cabinet Meeting, 16 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
July 16. Present the 4. Secretaries. The cession of Louisiana being to be ratified by the 30. Oct. shall Congress be called, or only Senate, & when? answer unanimous Congress on the 17th of October. a Proclamation to issue. a copy to be enclosed to every member in a letter from the Secretary of state, mentioning that the call 3. weeks earlier than they had fixed was rendd. necessary by the...
24Proclamation to Convene Congress, 16 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
By the President of the United States of America. A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS great and weighty matters, claiming the consideration of the Congress of the United States, form an extraordinary occasion for convening them; I do by these presents appoint Monday the 17th day of October next for their meeting at the City of Washington, hereby requiring the respective Senators and Representatives, then...
25From Thomas Jefferson to William C. C. Claiborne, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Before you recieve this you will have heard thro’ the channel of the public papers of the cession of Louisiana by France to the US. the terms & extent of that cession, as stated in the National Intelligencer , are accurate. in order to obtain a ratification in time I have found it necessary to convene Congress on the 17th. of October. before that time it will be necessary for me to procure for...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Daniel Clark, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
You will be informed by a letter from the Secretary of state of the terms and the extent of the cession of Louisiana by France to the US. a cession which I hope will give as much satisfaction to the inhabitants of that province as it does to us. and the more as the title being lawfully acquired & with consent of the power conveying, can never be hereafter reclaimed under any pretence of force....
27From Thomas Jefferson to William Dunbar, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Before you recieve this you will have heard thro’ the channel of the public papers, of the cession of Louisiana by France to the US. the terms as stated in the National Intelligencer are accurate. that the treaty may be ratified in time I have found it necessary to convene Congress on the 17th. of October: and it is very important for the happiness of the country that they should possess all...
28From Thomas Jefferson to William Falconer, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
An old man of the name of Duncan Brown, who exhibits respectable attestations of character, complains of a robbery committed on him in North Carolina by an inhabitant of S. Carolina. he has been very illy advised, for he says he was advised to come to me to have justice done him. he shews me your opinion, which I immediately informed him was exactly what he ought to have pursued and to have...
29From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 17 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It was agreed yesterday 1. that a copy of the proclamation should be inclosed to each member in a letter from the Secy. of state, mentioning that the meeting of Congress had been necessarily anticipated three weeks, because the ratificns of the treaty & conventions for the cession of Louisiana were to be exchanged on the 30th. day of October, & suggesting the importance of a punctual...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Austin, Jr., 18 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
This serves to acknolege the reciept of your favor of the 7th. inst. and the pleasure I derive from the expressions of approbation which it contains. we have lately recieved the treaty and conventions for the cession of Louisiana. 11¼ millions of Dollars to the government of France, the discharge of their debts to our citizens under the Convention of 1800. not to exceed 20. Millions of francs,...