The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (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
On the political events of the day I have nothing to communicate. I have
retired from them, and given up newspapers for more classical reading.
I add, therefore, only the assurances of my great esteem and respect.
TO MR. EZRA SARGEANT.
MONTICELLO, February 3, 1812.
SIR,--Observing that you edit the Edinburgh Review, reprinted in New
York, and presuming that your occupations in that line are not confined
to that single work, I take the liberty of addressing the present letter
to you. If I am mistaken, the obviousness of the inference will be my
apology. Mr. Edward Livingston brought an action against me for having
removed his intrusion on the beach of the river Mississippi opposite
to New Orleans. At the request of my counsel I made a statement of the
facts of the case, and of the law applicable to them, so as to form a
full argument of justification. The case has been dismissed from court
for want of jurisdiction, and the public remain uninformed whether I
had really abused the powers entrusted to me, as he alleged. I wish
to convey to them this information by publishing the justification.
The questions arising in the case are mostly under the civil law, the
laws of Spain and of France, which are of course couched in French, in
Spanish, in Latin, and some in Greek; and the books being in few hands
in this country, I was obliged to make very long extracts from them. The
correctness with which your edition of the Edinburgh Review is printed,
and of the passages quoted in those languages, induces me to propose to
you the publication of the case I speak of. It will fill about 65 or 70
pages of the type and size of paper of the Edinburgh Review. The MS. is
in the handwriting of this letter, entirely fair and correct. It will
take between four and five sheets of paper, of sixteen pages each. I
should want 250 copies struck off for myself, intended principally for
the members of Congress, and the printer would be at liberty to print
as many more as he pleased for sale, but without any copyright, which
I should not propose to have taken out. It is right that I should add,
that the work is not at all for popular reading. It is merely a law
argument, and a very dry one; having been intended merely for the eye of
my counsel. It may be in some demand perhaps with lawyers, and persons
engaged in the public affairs, but very little beyond that. Will you
be so good as to inform me if you will undertake to edit this, and what
would be the terms on which you can furnish me with 250 copies? I should
want it to be done with as little delay as possible, so that Congress
might receive it before they separate; and I should add as a condition,
that not a copy should be sold until I could receive my number, and have
time to lay them on the desks of the members. This would require a month
from the time they should leave New York by the stage. In hopes of an
early answer I tender you the assurances of my respect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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