The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
SIR,--I am to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's letters of
January 28th, and May 4th, which have come to hand since the date of mine
of February 7th. Immediately on the receipt of the former I caused enquiry
to be made relative to the bayonets, and found that they had certainly
been packed with the muskets. Your Excellency's favor of May 4th renders
unnecessary the sending the proofs. There have been shipped in the whole
from Bordeaux 3,400 stand of arms, and from Havre 3,406 cartouch boxes,
which I hope have come safely to hand. Besides these there has been a
shipment from Bordeaux of powder, &c., made by Mr. Barclay. This was but
the half of what was intended, and of what Mr. Barclay had contracted
for. But his bill on Mr. Grand was protested on a misconception of Mr.
Grand's, who, by a mixture of your account with that of the United States,
had supposed he had but about 12,000 livres of your money in his hands. I
was absent on a journey, and happened in the course of that to meet with
Mr. Barclay at Bordeaux, and we concluded to send you half the quantity.
Since my return, I have not been able to have your account exactly settled
so as to render it now; but am able to say in general and with certainty,
that everything sent you has been paid, and that after paying Houdon 3,000
livres for the second bust of the Marquis de La Fayette now nearly ready
to be sent off for you, and 10,000 livres the second payment due towards
General Washington's statue, there will remain enough in Mr. Grand's
hands to pay for a quantity of powder, &c., equal to that sent you by Mr.
Barclay from Bordeaux, which shall accordingly be done. This balance on
hand includes 5,300 livres paid by Mr. Littlepage, which, though he has
sent us a bill for, six or eight months ago, we had refused to receive
till the arrival of your Excellency's letter informing me it had not been
paid in America; it was therefore applied for and received by Mr. Grand
a few days ago. Mr. Barclay drew on me for the balance of his account
with the State of Virginia, 2,370 livres, which I paid; besides these
he afterwards discovered an omission of 108l. 8s. in his account, which
I pay also, so as to leave your account with him balanced. There is,
however, the articles of expenses for young Mercier, which he has neither
entered in your account, nor charged to me in my private account. It yet
remains due to him, therefore, and I shall pay it to him if he applies
to me. I should have called for it, but that he was gone to America
before I discovered the omission. Should the State have further occasion
for arms, your Excellency will be able to judge, combining quality and
price, whether those of Liege or of France are to be preferred. I shall
with cheerfulness obey your future orders on this or any other account,
and have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and
respect, your Excellency's most obedient, and most humble servant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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