To Thomas Jefferson from George Lewis Gray, 17 December 1804
From George Lewis Gray
Alexandria Decr. 17. 1804.
Sir.
I take the liberty of submitting to your Excellency the inclosed proposals for republishing a work which I hope may be useful to the community, and of requesting the permission of placing the name of the President of the United States at the head of the list of its Patronizers in this country.
Hoping that there may be something in the Justification of an Illustrious man, which may deserve your attention, I take the liberty of requesting your acceptance of the Defence of General Moreau.
If I shall receive encouragement I shall have the honour of waiting upon you, with my proposals.—My business will detain me here a few days.
I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedt. Servant.
Geo L Gray
RC (MHi); at foot of text: “His Excellency The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 18 Dec. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures: (1) Probably Gray’s proposal to publish the first American edition of Aristotle’s Ethicks and Politicks; Comprising His Practical Philosophy, translated and edited by John Gillies, to be published in two octavo volumes at a price of four dollars per volume in boards (Norfolk Gazette and Publick Ledger, 28 Nov.). (2) Justification of General Moreau, From a Charge of Conspiracy; Exhibited against Him by the Imperial Republick of France, translated by George L. Gray (Norfolk, Va., 1804; No. 2863).
George Lewis Gray (ca. 1777-1808) published the Norfolk Gazette and Publick Ledger in partnership with John Cowper from 1804 until 1805, when poor health forced his retirement. He previously published the Baltimore Republican, or, Anti-Democrat from 1803 to 1804. He fell ill during a voyage from New York to Calcutta and died on the island of St. Helena (, 1:248; 2:1125; Easton, Md., Republican Star or Eastern Shore General Advertiser, 13 Aug. 1805; Baltimore American, and Commercial Daily Advertiser, 26 May 1808; Alexandria Daily Advertiser, 28 May 1808).