The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)Jefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1789
They were in a box with Dr. Currie's, and
addressed to Mr. Madison, who will forward them to Richmond. I have
heard you are in the Assembly. I will beg the favor of you, therefore,
to give me, at the close of the session, a history of the most
remarkable acts passed, the parties and views of the House, etc. This,
with the small news of my country, crops and prices, will furnish you
abundant matter to treat me, while I have nothing to give you in
return, but the histories of the follies of nations in their dotage.
Present me in respectful and friendly terms to Mrs. Monroe, and be
assured of the sincere sentiments of esteem and attachment with which I
am, dear Sir, your friend and servant.
TO THE HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS OF THE TREASURY.
PARIS, August 5, 1787.
GENTLEMEN,--In my last of June 17, 1787, I had the honor of
communicating to you the information I had received from Mr. Grand,
that your funds here were out, and he considerably in advance. I took
occasion to mention to him the paragraph in your letter of February 17,
wherein you were so kind as to say your attention should be immediately
turned to the making a remittance. However, I understood soon after
that he had protested a draught of Mr. Carmichael's, as also a smaller
one of five hundred livres. He called upon me, and explaining to me the
extent of his advances, observed that he should not be willing to add
to them, except so far as should be necessary for the private expenses
of myself and secretary, which he wished to be reduced as much below
the ordinary allowance as we could, until remittances should be
received. He will send you by this packet a state of his accounts, by
which he informs me that your account is in arrear about thirty-two
thousand livres, advanced by him, and about fifteen thousand livres
from a fund of the State of Virginia, placed here for the purchase of
arms, making General Washington's statue, etc. In examining his
accounts, I found by the one he had sent you formerly, that you were
debited two articles of ten thousand livres and two thousand seven
hundred and twenty-four livres and sixty-six sous, which belonged to
the account of the State of Virginia. This I must explain to you. That
State had directed me to have the statue of General Washington made,
and given me assurances such as I could rely on, that I should receive
funds immediately. Doctor Franklin was setting out to America, and
Houdon, the statuary, expressed a willingness to go with him. But it
was necessary to advance him a sum of money for that purpose. Rather
than lose the opportunity, I ventured to borrow from the fund of the
United States those two sums for the State of Virginia, which I knew
would be immediately replaced. The funds of the State arrived, (being
nearly two hundred thousand livres,) and enabled me not only to replace
those sums immediately, but to furnish much larger supplies to the
wants of the United States, when their funds failed. Insomuch that the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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