1From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 28 December 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 19 th was recieved some days ago, those of the 23 d the day before yesterday. at the same time with the former I recieved one of the same date from mr Rives, proposing a question to me, which, as he is absent, I will answer to you. it was, If the remission of the principal debt, and an accomodation of the cost of the library cannot both be obtained, what would be most desirable?...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 13 January 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 9 th is quite reviving. you say that as soon as the bill has past, yourself and colleagues will come up to a special meeting. this will be indispensable, because our workmen will be obliged to be looking out for other work for the ensuing season, if their employment here is not soon decided on. but observe that to make a special call legal, reasonable notice must be given to all...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 28 January 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your favor of the 23 d and it has entirely converted me to your opinion that we should let the primary schools lie for the present, avail ourselves of their temporary discredit, and of the breeze in our favor, until the University is entirely secured in the completion of it’s buildings and remission of it’s debt; and then to come forward heartily as the patrons of the Primaries...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 February 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Brockenbrough has shewn me a letter, written anonimously, charging him with the grossest frauds and malversation in the office of Proctor of the University, and addressed to M r Griffin a member of the legislature. I know the hand writing of the letter as well as I do my own, and possess many samples from the same pen. it is from James Oldham one of our undertakers. I have known him 15. or...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 12 March 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Having received from all our brethren approbations of the loan, I authorised M r Brockenbrough to engage the work of the Rotunda, and have it commenced immediately. we had only two bricklayers and two carpenters capable of executing it with solidity and correctness; these had not capital sufficient for so great an undertaking, nor would they have risked their little all but for a great advance...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 July 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
About a month before the reciept of your favor of June 24. I had been requested to draw the plan of a jail for the county of Cumberland adapted to the requisitions of the late law. I send you a copy of it, with estimates of the cost. some articles of it are left blank, because I had no ready means of coming at their value; but this may be as well obtained with you as here. there is only one...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 13 November 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I rec d with real regret your’s of Oct. 27. the necessity of looking out for a substitute obliged me to act immediately. I consulted mr Madison, but it is of great importance to see you. pray therefore call on me as you go down. affectionate salutations ViU .
8From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 19 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I percieve that to the bill concerning the University an amendmt is proposed for suspending interest a certain number of years. you are sensible we could not propose to persons in foreign countries to break up, and abandon their prospects there and come here on compensations of temporary continuance only, which at the expiration of the suspension of interest would leave them without resource...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
After sending off my letter of the 19 th it occurred to me that I should have sent also the distribution of the sciences as I should propose them on the scale of 8. Professors. the inclosed is copied from the 1 st page of the Code of regulations which I have been preparing for the consideration of the Visitors. you will see by that that the Professors are already overcharged, and consequently...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 23 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote my letter of yesterday I had not seen the Enquirer of the 17 th I recieved it in the evening & did not close my eyes thro’ the night but to dream of the Scotch gift presented us by the University bill with it’s amendatory Provisos. for thus they make it stand. ‘Be it enacted that the 15,000. D. annual endowment given to the University shall stand discharged of all liability for...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 3 February 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I am favored with your two letters of Jan. 26. and 29. I am glad that yourself and the friends of the University are so well satisfied that the provisos amendatory of the University act are mere nullities. I had not been able to put out of my head the Algebraical equation which was among the first of my College lessons that a-a=0. yet I cheerfully arrange myself to your opinions. I did not...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 16 May 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 5 th from Williamsburg has been duly received, and presents to us a case of pregnant character, admitting important issues, and requiring serious consideration and conduct. yet I am more inclined to view it with hope than dismay. it involves two questions. 1. shall the College of Wm. & Mary be removed? 2. to what place? as to the first I never doubted the lawful authority of...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Let the contents of this letter be known to you & my self only. we want a Professor of Ethics. mr Madison and myself think with predilection of George Tucker, our member of Congress. you know him however better then we do. can we get a better? will he serve? you know the emoluments, and that the tenure is in fact for life, the lodgings comfortable, the society select E t c. if you approve of...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The proposition to remove W m & Mary College to Richmond with all it’s present funds, and to add to it a medical school, is nothing more nor less than to remove the University also to that place. because if both remain there will not be students enough to make either worthy of acceptance of men of the first order of science. they must each fall down to the level of our present academies, under...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 11 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
We are dreadfully non-plussed here by the non-arrival of our three Professors. we apprehend that the idea of our opening on the 1 st of Feb. prevails so much abroad (altho’ we have always mentioned it doubtfully) as that Students will assemble on that day, without awaiting the further notice promised. to send them back will be discouraging, and to open an University without Mathematics or...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 19 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
You know that the arrearages of our subscriptions were appropriated particularly to the works of the Rotunda. but they come in most tardily: and will never be recieved but on suits, which we determine to commence against every man in arrears in time for the March courts. but this will be a chase of a couple of years, and in the mean time mr Brockenbrough is in the utmost distress for about...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 22 January 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your favor of the 16 th yesterday at noon and immediately turned in on the task it prescribed to me, in order that I might get it into the mail which is made up this evening. I am so worn down by the drudgery that I can write little now: the bill is most hastily drawn and will need your severe amendmt. I have said nothing of the manner of obtaining an account of the funds of the...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 3 February 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho our Professors were on the 5 th of Dec. still in an English port, that they were safe raises me from the dead: for I was almost ready to give up the ship. that was 8. weeks ago, and they may therefore be daily expected. In most public seminaries Text-book s are prescribed to each of the several schools as the norma docendi in that school; and this is generally done by authority of the...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 20 January 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Under a different cover I send a Circular on the subject of our Law Professor; and to save writing, which is laborious to me, I must pray my Colleagues on the Assembly to consider the single copy as addressed equally to all My grandson Tho s J. Randolph attends the legislature on a subject of ultimate importance to my future happiness. My own debts were considerable, and a loss was added to...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 February 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday the joint letter of our colleagues of Jan. 26. and your separate one of the 30 th . the vote of the house of delegate was too decisive to leave any further expectations from that quarter, or doubt of the necessity of winding up our affairs and ascertaining their ground. I went immediately to the University and advised the Proctor, to engage in no new matter which could be...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 7 February 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your kind letter of the 2 d and am truly sensible of the interest you are so good as to take in my affairs. I had hoped the length and character of my services might have prevented the fear in the legislature of the indulgence asked being quoted as a precedent in future cases. but I find no fault with their strict adherence to a rule generally useful, altho’ relaxable in...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 14 February 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two favors of the 8 th and 10 th were recieved yesterday, and I will endeavor to get this into the mail which is to be closed this evening. if they have not cheered me in all things they greatly do it in the prospect they hold up of succeeding in our intermediate plan of schools. but I am sorry you waited a moment to consult me, on the subject, and the more so as it finds me under a...