31From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 26 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from mr Jackson of Tennissee, formerly a Senator from that state on the subject of Colo. Butler. he is a man of great integrity and respectability; carried sometimes beyond strict reason by an overwarm and excellent heart. another from judge Campbell on the subject of Doctr. Vandyke. I also return the one from him to you covering mine. on the subject of the robbery...
32From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 5 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
About a twelvemonth after we came into the administration we learnt by a letter from mr Simpson that our predecessors had promised to the Emperor of Marocco 100. gun carriages. you have known most of the unlucky circumstances which have baffled our execution of it. the last however is but recently known. we had desired mr Simpson to have them made in Europe, or to offer the value to the...
33From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 29 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I am very much pleased to find that the Choctaws agree to sell us their country on the Missisipi, and think we ought to accept it to any extent they will agree to, only taking care the price be not too high. they are poor; and will probably sell beyond what will pay their debts, so as to be entitled to an annual pension, which is one of the best holds we can have on them. their strength & the...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 13 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a petition from Aaron Goff of Vermont praying the release of his son under age. the fact of infancy being established, the discharge becomes a matter of right. I have the pleasure to inform you that William Clarke accepts with great glee the office of going with Capt Lewis up the Missouri. in the moment of my departure from Washington mrs Madison informed me you had a thought...
35From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 8 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It is suggested to me (indirectly from the person himself) that Jerome Bonaparte is at Baltimore under the name of Monsr. Dalbarton , with a son of Rewbell, and that they mean to ask a passage to France in one of our frigates. if this be the fact, he will have satisfied thereof the minister of his nation, thro’ whom we shall be apprised of it, and relieved from all trouble in deciding on it....
36From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, with Jefferson’s Note, 20 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Will General Dearborne be so good as to recommend some person? or will it be better for him to retain the papers & consult the republican members from Maine ? [ Note by TJ :] Dudley Broadstreet Hobart of Gardener recommended by Genl. Dearborne, who candidly states that he is his son in law, but the applicn is from many respectable persons of the neighborhood, & the only competiton is a young...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Henry Dearborn, 7 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I now return you the proceedings of the courtmartial held at Fort Jay with an approbation of the sentence against Lt. Van Renslaer, & a remission of the corporal punishment of Ferguson & Rush as you advised. I am sensible of the risque we run in returning to Washington before the commencement of the [frost?] but the collection & copying of documents & other preparations for the meeting of...
38From 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...
39From Thomas Jefferson to J. P. P. Derieux, 1 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Immediately on the reciept of your letter from New York, I inclosed it to mr Madison to whom the subject of it belonged, in order that he might be able to answer it without any delay. as I presumed you would immediately [set out] from Washington on reciept of his letter, I thought it unsafe to send your certificate there, & detained it the rather as I hoped you would do us the favor of calling...
40From Thomas Jefferson to John Dickinson, 9 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your friendly favor of the 1st. inst. is recieved with that welcome which always accompanies the approbation of the wise & good. the acquisition of New Orleans would of itself have been a great thing, as it would have ensured to our Western brethren the means of exporting their produce: but that of Louisiana is inappreciable, because, giving us the sole dominion of the Missisipi, it excludes...
41From Thomas Jefferson to Daniel D’Oyley, 14 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 25. found me at this place, where I habitually pass the two months of August & September, to avoid the bilious diseases then prevailing on the tidewaters. I thank you for the pamphlet it covered, and which breathes the genuine sentiments which separated us from Great Britain. I lament that so many of the worthies of your state, who went well with us through the revolution,...
42From Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 24 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The address of the Ward committees of Philada on the subject of removals from office was recieved at Washington on the 17th. inst. I cannot answer it, because I have given no answers to the many others I have recieved from other quarters. you are sensible what use an unfriendly party would make of such answers by putting all their expressions to the torture: and altho’ no person wishes more...
43From Thomas Jefferson to William Dunbar, 21 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor in answer to my queries came to hand a few days ago, and I thank you for the matter it contains & the promptness with which it has been furnished. just on my departure from this place, where I habitually pass the sickly months of Aug. & Sep. I have time only to ask information on a particular point. it has been affirmed by respectable authority, that Spain on recieving the East &...
44From 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...
45From Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Samuel Du Pont de Nemours, 1 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Apr. 6. & June 27. were duly recieved, & with the welcome which every thing brings from you. the treaty which has so happily sealed the friendship of our two countries has been recieved here with general acclamation. some inflexible federalists have still ventured to brave the public opinion. it will fix their character with the world & with posterity, who not descending to the...
46From Thomas Jefferson to William Eustis, 19 October 1803 [document added in digital edition] (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson requests the favour of Doctr. Eustis to dine with him on Friday the 21st. inst. at half after three, or at whatever later hour the house may rise. Oct. 19. 03 The favour of an answer is asked. RC ( MHi : Letters to William and Caroline Eustis); printed form, with blanks filled by TJ reproduced in italics; addressed by TJ: “The honble Doctr. Eustis.”
47From 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...
48From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Faw, 25 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The case, which is the subject of the letter you handed me yesterday, s[eems] so perfectly understood by yourself, what the law is, & what the remedy, and that that remedy, the Habeas corpus, is always within your own reach, that no information respecting it seems necessary from me, or to be required. indeed it appears altogether a family misunderstanding, in which the exercise of paternal &...
49From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 18 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 8th. inst. yesterday I recieved your two favors of the 11th. there ought to be no further hesitation with E. Livingston. the importation of negroes from the French islands ought to be vigorously withstood: but I think we should not tread back our steps as to the reduction of the size of our revenue cutters on bare supposition that they will be resisted. when such a...
50From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 3 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson asks the favor of mr Gallatin, on his arrival at his office, to call & accompany him to the Secretary of State’s office, where a matter of moment & urgency is to be considered. RC ( NHi : Gallatin Papers); addressed: “Mr. Gallatin.” Not recorded in SJL . matter of moment & urgency : on this day the State Department learned that on 17 Aug. a Moroccan cruiser had captured the brig...
51III. Referral of the Draft to Albert Gallatin, 3 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson asks the favor of mr Gallatin to examine with rigour the inclosed projet of the message to Congress, and to note on a separate paper the alterations he thinks advantageous. as it is to go thro’ the hands of the other gentlemen of the Cabinet, his immediate attention to it is desireable. he also asks the favor of mr Gallatin to meet the heads of department here tomorrow at 10....
52From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 17 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you be so good as to enable me this morning to fill up the blank in the following passage of the Message. ‘An account of the reciepts & expenditures of the year ending the 30th. of Sep. last, with the estimates for the ensuing year, will be laid before you by the Secy. of the Treasy. so soon as the reciepts of the last quarter shall be returned from the more distant states. it is already...
53From 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...
54From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 9 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
The memoranda you inclosed me from mr Clarke deserve great attention. such articles of them as depend on the executive shall be arranged for the next post. the following articles belong to the legislature. the administration of justice to be prompt. perhaps the judges should be obliged to hold their courts weekly, at least for some time to come. the ships of resident owners to be naturalized,...
55From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 5 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Bell being the lowest bidder for the saltsprings has on that ground the first claim for preference. his character moreover, & the moderation of his views recommend him: but there seems just reason to apprehend he is too moderate, and that he has erred against himself in his calculations, being perhaps too sanguine. it is never the interest of a landlord to break his tenant. in this case it...
56From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 29 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I must ask the favor of you to meet the heads of departments here tomorrow at 12. aclock & afterwards to dine with us. the object is to decide definitively on the arrangements which are to be dispatched Westwardly the next day. Genl. Dearborne & myself had concluded to submit to the meeting a plan little different from that suggested in your letter of yesterday. towit. to send orders to...
57From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 25 July 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
We agreed that the address of the Ward committees ought not to be formally answered. but on further reflection I think it would be better to write a private letter to one of the members, in order that he may understand the true grounds on which the subject rests, & may state them informally to his colleagues. I think these grounds so solid that they cannot fail to remove this cause of division...
58From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 23 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of Aug. 13. and 15. were recieved yesterday. the appointment of a successor to Samuel Bishop must await our re-assembling at Washington. I inclose you the late letters of Livingston & Monroe, for consideration, & to be returned to me when perused. you will find that the French government, dissatisfied perhaps with their late bargain with us, will be glad of a pretext to declare...
59From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 30 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favors of the 20th. & 22d. came to hand yesterday, and this will go by return of post tomorrow. I now return the letters of Symonds & others on the smugling of negroes into Georgia. his letter to Payne of the revenue cutter will bring to issue the resistance apprehended, and if it be found too great, we must strengthen her. should the Enterprize return here to be refitted, which she...
60From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 8 August 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
It is suggested to me (indirectly from the person himself) that Jerome Bonaparte is at Baltimore under the name of Monsr. Dalbarton, with a son of Rewbell, and that they mean to ask a passage to France in one of our frigates. if this be the fact, he will have satisfied thereof the minister of his nation, thro’ whom we shall be apprised of it, & relieved from all trouble in deciding on it. this...