1From Thomas Jefferson to Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 9 October 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved, my dear friend and General, your letter of the 1 st from Philada, giving us the welcome assurance that you will visit the neighborhood which, during the march of our enemy near it, was covered by your shield from his robberies and ravages. in passing the line of your former march you will experience pleasing recollections of the good you have done. my neighbors too of our...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Arthur S. Brockenbrough, 18 November 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
In settling some business with M r Garrett to day I find (for the first time I have known it) $200— paid to M r Giacomo Raggi which is that am t more than he should have recieved—- In your statement (to M r Garrett) of M r Appletons acc t May 8 h 1822. You state it thus Proceeds of former remittance $1239 .00 to be paid to Giacomo Raggi 200
3To Thomas Jefferson from Jonathan Thompson, 9 September 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your letter of the 30 th ultimo, with two Invoices enclosed, for the Marble by the Ship Caroline from Leghorn. The Invoices are returned herewith agreeably to your request. The marks do not agree with the Invoices & bill of lading received. I have entered the Marble and paid the duly thereon copies of the entries are enclosed, & have shipped the same on board the Sloop Eliza Allen,...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Jacob Engelbrecht, 25 February 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The kindness of the motive which led to the request of your letter of the 14 th inst. and which would give some value to an article from me, renders compliance a duty of gratitude. knowing nothing more moral, more sublime more worthy of your preservation than David’s description of the good man, in his 15 th psalm, I will here transcribe it, from Brady and Tate’s version. Lord, who’s the happy...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Bernard Peyton, 20 February 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Coffee and Corks went by a Waggon on tuesday last, to Charlottesville, care M r Raphael, the Wine is double cased, & ready for the first trusty Boat— MHi .
6To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 10 May 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Sullivan who will have the pleasure to present you this letter, intending to visit the upper part of our State, & particularly the university, having expressd a desire to be made known to you, I give him with pleasure this introduction. He is the son of gov r Sullivan of Massachusetts with whom you were probably acquainted. With great respect & sincere regard I am dear Sir your friend— MHi .
7To Thomas Jefferson from David Bailie Warden, 15 May 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I use the opportunity of mr. gallatins return to the United States to acknowledge the receipt of your letter. of the 30th of oct last, and to inform you that he has taken charge of five small parcels for you containing bose and Brocheeses. Baron Humboldt sends you a copy of his last publication and Bishop gregoire a copy of his manuel de Visté . Your Parisian friends are glad to hear of the...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Tornquist, 23 April 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
In return for the honor you did me by the Communication in your favour of the 15 th Jan y , please to accept my most sincere acknowledgements. I would by no means inconvenience you a second time were I aware how a Letter from me could reach the Board of Visitors of the College, and consequently once more take the Liberty of trespassing on your politeness to entreat, you will have the goodness...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Eliza Caile Scott Rankin, 25 July 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Will you pardon my presumption in addressing a few lines to you, for the purposes of soliciting your aid on obtaining an appointment for my Son in one of the public Departments,—it is so long since I have had the pleasure of seeing you, & my acquaintance even then was so limited, that I cannot but feel the temerity, of my present application, I rely Sir, on your well known Philanthropy.—My...
10To Thomas Jefferson from David Bailie Warden, 15 August 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of sending you through mr Sheldon, three great volumes and two letter s. The greeks have lately gained some advantages, and anticipating freedom are now preposing a constitution, or form of government adapted to their situation. The more enlightened Spaniards, motivated by the same feelings, still manifest a vigorous resistance: but the lower class, it is said, generally...
11To Thomas Jefferson from Jesse B. Harrison, 27 April 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
I hope you will believe me sincere when I assure you that it is with the greatest reluctance that I intrude on the quiet of your calm retreat, at an age when exertion must be irksome; yet when I reflect that there is a motive which has ever been more powerful with you than even the love of philosophie ease, the love of active kindness, I am emboldened to beg a few moments of your time. Having...
12To Thomas Jefferson from John Henry Sherburne, 29 June 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of transmitting herewith, an Engraving of John Paul Jones , which I received yesterday for the embellishment of his Life, which is now, in press: my object in enclosing this engraving to you, is, to ask your opinion as to the likeness , design, & c . and if you think the facsimilie of his signature is Correct. My great anxiety in having the Work & likeness Complete must be, my...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Horace Holley, 10 October 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the pleasure to be at your house a few weeks since, you expressed a desire to have another copy of the Report of our Commissioners upon a System of Common Schools. Agreeably to my promise at that time, I now send you the pamphlet. I trust, that I may be permitted to use the occasion to testify to you the very high respect, which I entertain for your persevering labours in the cause...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 10 September 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
It has for some time past that I have promised myself the pleasure of paying you a Visit, yet the situation of my family and the interests of the Museum has not allowed me that indulgence. My Son Titian has not only great skill in preserving all kinds of Animals, but also he has acquired an abundance of knowledge in Natural history, I mean of animated nature. And my Son Franklin is possessed...
15To Thomas Jefferson from John Adams, 1 December 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I ought not to have neglected so long to write you an account of the delightful visit I received from M r and M rs Cooledge, M rs C— deserves all the high praises I have constantly heard concerning her, She entertained me with accounts of your sentiments of human life, which accorded so perfectly with mine that it gave me great delight—In one point however I could not agree—she said, she had...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Arthur S. Brockenbrough, 30 April 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
I am very glad you have engaged mr Southall to assist us in the affairs of the Univ y and following his and mr Carr’s counsel implicitly you cannot go wrong. accding to the opn of these gent. the one in writing the other expressed to me verbally I observe that the following proceedings may be instituted against Mosby & Draffen, if they have license 1 . prosecute them for the forfeiture of 30.d...
17Enactments to Be Proposed to UVa. Board of Visitors, 22 Jan. 1824, 22 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Enactments to be proposed to the Visitors of the University of Virginia, for constituting, governing & conducting that institution. 1. In the University of Virginia shall be instituted, for the present 8. professorships, to wit, 1. of Antient languages. 2. Modern languages. 3. Mathematics. 4. Natural Philosophy. 5. Natural history. 6. Anatomy. 7. Moral philosophy. 8. Law. 2. In the school of...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Arthur S. Brockenbrough, 1 April 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
The above statement shows the situation of Funds of the University of Virginia to the 31 st March 1826 without breaking in upon the Annuity or borrowing we can’t possibly get on with the buildings and other expences would it not be practicable to borrow $25,000 by pledging, about $3000 of the annuity to pay the interest and the gradual redemption of the Principal? By the fall if the Buildings...
19From Thomas Jefferson to DeWitt Clinton, 30 April 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly received your favor of the 11 th with the description it covered of the Otsego Basse. born and bred among mountains, I have had less opportunity of becoming acquainted with the fishy tribe, however interesting, than with any other the objects of natural history. I should expect that the great inland seas of our country, insulated as they are, would furnish many examples of...
20To Thomas Jefferson from W.H. Tarpley, 12 July 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I address you as the sage of America, as one intimately acquainted with the human heart, and who will rightly appreciate all its effusions. “As one to whom the bliss belongs which only wisdom, of celestial birth brings in her train.” My object in writing, is to make a request which I am well assured, if you cannot comply with you will readily excuse. It is to solicit some employment about your...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Lehré, 1 August 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Age and debility after a recent illness oblige Th: Jefferson to borrow the pen of another to thank Col o Lehré for his kind letter of July 5. to assure him of the gratification it affords him to learn that those who have thought well of him continue their kind dispositions and that those who have thought otherwise begin to change opinions. he never had a wish but for the good of all his...
22From Francis Walker Gilmer to Thomas Hewitt Key, 28 September 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
This covenant entered into sat London, on this 28th day of September in the year 1824, between Francis W. Gilmer attorney in fact for the university of Virginia of the one part, and Thomas Hewett Key of the other part, Witnesseth, that the said Gilmer attorney in fact for the rector & visitors of the university of Virginia doth hereby appoint the said Key a professor in the said university,...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Antoine Louis Claude Destutt de Tracy, 5 November 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I cannot but have appeared remiss in my acknolmts of the several lres with which you have favored me, but the obstructions have been insuperable much sickness the accident of a broken arm, weakness of body and octogenary intertitude. no letters are more welcome to me than yours, and none should I answer more cordially were my powers now equal to it. you have labored for us too much and too...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Bernard Peyton, 24 August 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Aug. 24. 1825. wrote to B. Peyton for the under written articles [the following not in TJ’s hand] : One full sized silver catheter. Two or three full sized elastic gum catheters. MHi .
25From Thomas Jefferson to Catesby Jones, 8 December 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
The impracticability of giving special answers to the numerous enquiries of the charater of your favor of Nov. 27. obliges me to refer them for answers to an advertisement which will be put into the public papers the moment of the arrival of the professors we have engaged from England. one is arrived, and the rest are known to have sailed in a ship the Competitor from London bound to Norfolk...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Sewall, 16 November 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Th Jefferson returns his thanks to D r Sewall for the information he has been so kind as to furnish him of the institution of a Medical school in the College of Columbia. he sincerely wishes it success and that it may have it’s share in the merit of lessening the afflictions of mankind. he is particularly obliged to him for his interesting account of the medical institutions of our country. we...
27Thomas Jefferson: Resolution on primary schools, ca. 3 Feb. 1825, 3 February 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
Resolved that the Governor be requested to have prepared and laid before the legislature at their next meeting a statement in detail of the sum of education which, under the law establishing primary schools, has been rendered in the schools of each county respectively and for every year from the passage of the law to the present one inclusive: that it be stated in a Tabular form, in the first...
28From Thomas Jefferson to James O. Morse, 30 April 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
I must beg to be excused from answering the question proposed to me in your favor of the 11 th inst. on the subject of the Candidates named for the next Presidency. I lay it down as a law to myself to take no part in that election. advice on such an occasion, were I even qualified to give it, would incur a fearful responsibility. I shall be perfectly contented with any choice my fellow...
29Thomas Jefferson’s Thoughts on Lotteries, ca. 20 Jan. 1826, 20 January 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Thoughts on Lotteries, and that on particularly which is now asked It is a common idea that games of chance are immoral. but what is Chance? nothing happens in this world without a cause. if we know the cause , we do not call it chance; but if we do not know it we say it was produced by Chance. if we see a lo a ded die turn it’s lightest side up, we know the cause and that it is not an effect...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Justin Pierre Plumard Derieux, 25 September 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 10 th was not recieved till the instant, and I regret that it is not in my power to send you the Egyptian wheat which is the subject of your letter. I recieved it while I lived in Washington, and having no means of taking care of such things there, I generally sent them to some one of my careful neighbors. I do not recollect to whom of them I sent this particular article, but...