The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (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
Having delivered to the Attorney General all the papers I possessed,
respecting Burr and his accomplices, when he went to Richmond, I could
only write to him (without knowing whether he was at Philadelphia,
Wilmington, or Delaware) for your letter of October 21st, desired by the
court. If you have a copy of it, and choose to give it in, it will, I
think, have a good effect; for it was my intention, if I should receive
it from Mr. Rodney, not to communicate it without your consent, after I
learnt your arrival. Mr. Rodney will certainly either bring or send it
within the course of a day or two, and it will be instantly forwarded
to Mr. Hay. For the same reason, I cannot send the letter of J. P. D.,
as you propose, to Mr. Hay. I do not recollect what name these initials
indicate, but the paper, whatever it is, must be in the hands of Mr.
Rodney. Not so as to your letter to Dayton; for as that could be of no use
in the prosecution, and was reserved to be forwarded or not, according to
circumstances, I retained it in my own hands, and now return it to you.
If you think Dayton's son should be summoned, it can only be done from
Richmond. We have no subpœnas here. Within about a month we shall leave
this to place ourselves in healthier stations. Before that I trust you
will be liberated from your present attendance. It would have been of
great importance to have had you here with the Secretary at War, because I
am very anxious to begin such works as will render Plaquemine impregnable,
and an insuperable barrier to the passage of any force up or down the
river. But the Secretary at War sets out on Wednesday, to meet with some
other persons at New York, and determine on the works necessary to be
undertaken to put that place _hors d'insulte_, and thence he will have
to proceed northwardly, I believe. I must ask you, at your leisure, to
state to me in writing what you think will answer our views at Plaquemine,
within the limits of expense which we can contemplate, and of which you
can form a pretty good idea.
Your enemies have filled the public ear with slanders, and your mind with
trouble on that account. The establishment of their guilt will let the
world see what they ought to think of their clamors; it will dissipate the
doubts of those who doubted for want of knowledge, and will place you on
higher ground in the public estimate and public confidence. No one is more
sensible than myself of the injustice which has been aimed at you. Accept,
I pray you, my salutations, and assurances of respect and esteem.
TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
June 22, 1807.
I suggest to you the following, as some of the ideas which might be
expressed by General Wilkinson, in answering Governor Saludo's letter. The
introductory and concluding sentiments will best flow from the General's
own feelings of the personal standing between him and Governor Saludo:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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