The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 15

March 1789 to November 1789

Thomas Jefferson, Julian P. Boyd, Julian Boyd

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9780691045474
• eBook ISBN: 9780691184821
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Political Biographies
• Index: Politics & International Relations

In Volume 15 Jefferson, a veteran of the councils of his own country's revolution, becomes an eyewitness of the opening events of the great upheaval in France in 1789.


The Archbishop of Bordeaux and his colleagues of the National Assembly ask Jefferson's aid and counsel in drafting a new constitution; he declines in July but gives a private dinner in August for Lafayette and the moderates who wish to form a coalition and thus avoid civil war. He is catapulted into the limelight by Mirabeau's attack on Necker for the shortage of grain and flour. He advises Lafayette about the latter's proposed draft of a Declaration of Rights and proposes a compromise charter for France in order to gain time, to consolidate the advances already made, and to allow public opinion to ripen.


Jefferson dines with De Corny and learns at first hand what happened at the fall of the Bastille. Three days later he is among the crowds with Dugald Stewart, the young Scottish philosopher, as Louis XVI is "led in triumph by his people thro' the streets of the capital." He writes long dispatches to Jay and private letters to Thomas Paine and Richard Price, among others, detailing the events that he regarded as "the first chapter of the history of European liberty."


Early in September Jefferson becomes ill and, treated by a philosopher-physician, is possessed by the idea that "the earth belongs in usufruct to the living." He urges Madison to develop this concept and to apply it to American legislation--but his ostensible purpose is supported by arguments addressed wholly to the situation in France, whereby he furnishes justification for the abolition of ancient debts, the public appropriation of feudal grants, the wiping out of hereditary privileges, and the eradication of monopolies.


Late in September, with Polly, Patsy, Petit, and two servants, Jefferson leaves Paris for a six months' leave, unaware that the same day the United States Senate confirmed his nomination as Secretary of State. Four weeks later he lands in Norfolk, where he is greeted by the officials--and finds that politics and anti-federalism are far from inactive in Virginia.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• CONTENTS
• Accounts, see Jefferson's memorandum concerning, 84
• Adams, John, letter to, 116
• Address of welcome of the officials of Norfolk, and reply, 556
• Albemarle County, commissioners of the specific tax for, letters to, 590
• Albemarle County, commissioners of the specific tax for, letters to, 592
• Albemarle County, commissioners of the specific tax for, letters to, 594
• Albemarle County, commissioners of the specific tax for, letters to, 603
• Alexandre, D., letter from, 169
• American commissioners, from E . Brush, 616
• Appleton, Thomas. See A Fourth of July Tribute to Jefferson, 239
• Arnoux, Abbé, letter to, 282
• Assembly, National, extract from proceedings of, 197
• Ast, William Frederick, letter to, 371 (note)
• Baggage, list of, shipped by Jefferson from France, 375
• Baker, Jerman, letter to, 670
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 3
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 59
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 73
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 200
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 292
• Bancroft, Edward, letters from, 352
• Barail, Frimont de, letters from, 283
• Barail, Frimont de, letters from, 369
• Barlow, Joel. See A Fourth of July Tribute to Jefferson, 239
• Barrett, Nathaniel, letter to, 149
• Bayard, letter from, 54
• Beilanger, Madame Plumard de, letter from, 318
• Berkeley, County Lieutenant of, letters to, 588
• Berkeley, County Lieutenant of, letters to, 594
• Bingham, William, letter from, 55
• Bivins, James, letter to, from John Wayles, 655
• Blackden, Samuel. See A Fourth of July Tribute to Jefferson, 239
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 63
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 71
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 74
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 84
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 147
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 264
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 383
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 400
• Bondfield, John, letters from, 464
• Bordeaux, Archbishop of, letter from, 291
• Boyd, Ker & Co., letter from, [78]
• Boyd, Walter, letter from, 487
• Brac de la Perrière, letter from, 250
• Brailsford & Morris, letter to, 99
• Brissot de Warville, letters from, 64
• Brissot de Warville, letters from, [321]
• Broome, Samuel, letter from, 92
• Brossier, James I., letters from, 237
• Brossier, James I., letters from, 354
• Broutin, Madame Denise, letter from, 278
• Brush, E., letter from, to the American Commissioners, 616
• Buchanan, James, letter to, 592
• Buffon, letter from, 635
• Cahierre, Paul, letter from, 174
• Cambray, letter from, 347
• Campbell, Arthur, letters from, 596
• Campbell, Arthur, letters from, 597
• Campbell, William, letter to, 588
• Carmichael, William, letter from, 340
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 612
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 618
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 626
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 632
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 634
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 636
• Carr, Martha Jefferson, letters from, 639
• Carr, Peter, letter from, 155
• Cary, Wilson Miles, letter from, 561
• Cassini, Jean Dominique de, letter to, 237
• Cathalan, Stephen, Jr., letters from, 43
• Cathalan, Stephen, Jr., letters from, 127
• Cathalan, Stephen, Jr., letters from, 213
• Cathalan, Stephen, Jr., letters from, 321
• Cathalan, Stephen, Jr., letters from, 408
• Cavelier, fils, letters from, 203
• Cavelier, fils, letters from, 303
• Cavelier, fils, letters from, 336
• Chardon, letter from, 261
• Charpentier, letter from, [16]
• Chauvier, Père, letter to, 430
• Chiappe, Francisco, letter to, 405
• Chiappe, Giuseppe, letter to, 405 (note)
• Churchman, John, letter from, 129
• Claiborne, Richard, letter from, 107
• Clark, George Rogers, letter from, 609
• Clay, Rev. Charles, letter to, 571
• Clérisseau, Charles Louis, letter to, 172
• Coffyn, Francis, letter to, 423
• Cointeraux, François, letters from, 184
• Cointeraux, François, letters from, 379
• Colley, Nathaniel, memorandum to, 546
• Collow Frères, Carmichael & Co., letter from, 378
• Commissioners of the United States Treasury, letter to, 125
• Condorcet, letter from, 419
• Continental Congress, Marine Committee of, 583
• Corny, Madame de, letter from, 554
• Cosway, Maria, letters from, 339
• Cosway, Maria, letters from, 351
• Cosway, Maria, letters from, 513
• Crèvecoeur, St. John de, letter to, 139
• Crew, Robert, letter from, 353
• Currie, James, letter from, 562
• Curson, Richard, letter to, 184
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 144
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 159
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 175
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 264
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 293
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 401
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 414
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 427
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 440
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 465
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 499
• Cutting, John Brown, letters from, 514
• Cutting, Nathaniel, letters from; 380
• Cutting, Nathaniel, letters from; 419
• Cutting, Nathaniel, letters from; 477
• Cutting, Nathaniel, letters from; 480
• Cutting, Nathaniel, letters from; 518
• Dalzan, letter from, 233
• D'Anterroches, letters from, 51
• D'Anterroches, letters from, 86
• David, Veuve, & fils, letters from, 220
• David, Veuve, & fils, letters from, 344
• Dawson, William Jones, letter from, 256
• Debt to Farell & Jones and the slave ship The Prince of Wales, documents concerning, 642-677
• Declaration of Rights, Lafayette's draft of, 230
• Delaire, Thomas, letter from, 547
• De Lormerie, letters from, 155
• De Lormerie, letters from, 478
• Descamets, letter from, [4]
• De Valady, letter from, 483
• Diodati, letter from, 303
• Diriks, Jacob Gerrit, letter from, 173
• Dowse, Edward, letter from, 563
• Drago, Gaetan, letters from, 89
• Drago, Gaetan, letters from, 205
• Drayton, William, letter to, 101
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 21
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 78
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 298
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 305
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 349
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 443
• Dumas, C.W.F., letters from, 545
• Dupont, Pierre Samuel, letter from, [421]
• Durival, Jean, letter to, 49
• Duvivier, Pierre Simon, letters from, [42]
• Duvivier, Pierre Simon, letters from, [174]
• Enville, Madame d', letter from, 454
• Eppes, Elizabeth Wayles, letters from, 628
• Eppes, Elizabeth Wayles, letters from, 637
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 572
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 574
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 575
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 576
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 615
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 623
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 625
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 628
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 631
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 632
• Eppes, Francis, letters from, 636
• Fabbroni, Giovanni, letters to, 149
• Fabbroni, Giovanni, letters to, 308
• Farmers-General, memoir on salt by, 488
• Farell & Jones, letter from, 662
• Fielding, Joseph, letter from, 528
• Fitch, John, letter from, 641
• Fitzgerald, John, letter to, 587
• Fitz-Gerald, Robert, letter from, 129
• Form letter for refusing requests for use of Jefferson's influence, 487
• Fourth of July Tribute to Jefferson, 239
• France. National Assembly, extract from proceedings of, 197
• Fraser, John, letters from, 47
• Fraser, John, letters from, 296
• Gallwey, John, letters from, 57
• Gallwey, John, letters from, 383
• Geismar, letter from, 48
• Gem, Richard, letter to, 398
• Gomez, Louis, letter from, 67
• Gouvion, Jean Baptiste de, letter to, 346
• Grand & Cie., letters from, 108
• Grand & Cie., letters from, 109
• Grand & Cie., letters from, 134
• Grand & Cie., letters from, [320]
• Grand & Cie., letters from, 470
• Grand, Ferdinand, letters from, 619
• Grand, Ferdinand, letters from, 629
• Griffin, Samuel, letter to, 599
• Guiraud, letter to, 423 (note)
• Handy, Thomas, letter from, 525
• Hanson, Richard, letter to, from William Jones, 676
• Haskell, Edward, letter from, 174
• Hawkins, Benjamin, letter from, 506
• Hopkins, Esek, Jefferson's outline of argument concerning insubordinationof, 578
• Hopkinson, Francis, letter from, 16
• Houdetot, Madame d', letters from, 259
• Houdetot, Madame d', letters from, 281
• Houdetot, Madame d', letters from, 431
• Houdon, Jean Antoine, letter to, 238
• Hoyne, Kyran, letter from, 374
• Hubbard, Nicolas, letter from, 119
• Huger, Benjamin, letter from, 186
• Influence, form letter for refusing requests for use of Jefferson's, 487
• Ingenhousz, Jan, letter from, 119
• Inglis, Samuel, letter to, 571
• Ingram, Messrs. Robert & Hugh, letter from, 339
• Innes, Harry, commission for, 583
• Izard, Ralph, letter from, 21
• Jarvis, Benjamin. See A Fourth of July Tribute to Jefferson, 239
• Jay, John, letter from, 202
• Jefferson, Martha, letter to, 638
• Jefferson, Thomas, memorandum concerning public accounts, 84
• Jerningham, Edward, letter from, 96
• Jodrell, Paul, letter from, 478
• Jones, Jonathan, letter from, 30
• Jones, William, letters to, 131
• Jones, William, letters to, 161
• Jones, William, letters to, 507
• Juries, list of books on, 282
• Kinloch, Francis, letter from, 71
• Knox, Henry, letter to, 421
• Koenig, Amand, letter from, 260
• La Brissane, letter from, 152
• Lackington, James, letter to, 406
• Lafayette, letters from, 166
• Lafayette, letters from, 249
• Lafayette, letters from, 254
• Lafayette, letters from, 255
• Lafayette, letters from, 354
• Lafayette, Madame de, letter from, 630
• La Lande, letter to, 346
• La Luzerne, letter from, 602
• Lamy, D., letter from, 159
• La Platière, Imbert de, letter to, 478
• La Vingtrie, Bayard de, letter from, 514
• Lee, Arthur, letter from, 598
• Lee, Henry, letter to, 415
• Lee, Richard Henry, letter from, 606;
• LeRoy, Jean Baptiste, letter from, 80
• Lewis, Francis, letter from, 587
• Lewis, Nicholas, letter to, 370 (note)
• Limozin, André, letters from, 18
• Limozin, André, letters from, 57
• Limozin, André, letters from, 70
• Limozin, Edward, letter to, 312
• Limozin, Veuve, & fils, letter from, 237
• Lincoln, Benjamin, letters from, 585
• Lincoln, Benjamin, letters from, 586
• Littlepage, Lewis, letter to, 105
• Livingston, Walter. See Commissioners of the Treasury
• Ludlam, William, letter to, 432
• McCaul, Alexander, letter from, 212
• McClurg, James, letter from, 610
• MacCarthy Brothers, letter from, 31
• Madison, James, letters from, 5
• Madison, James, letters from, 114
• Madison, James, letters from, 147
• Madison, James, letters from, 153
• Madison, James, letters from, 180
• Madison, James, letters from, 224
• Madison, James, letters from, 324
• Madison, James, letters from, 509
• Madison, James, letters from, 528
• Madison, Rev. James, letters from, 572
• Madison, Rev. James, letters from, 605
• Mareil, Guichard de, letter from, 74
• Marine Committee of Congress, letter from, 583
• Marks, Hastings, letter from, 93
• Mason, George, letter from, [582]
• Mason, John, letters from, 265
• Mason, John, letters from, 402
• Maurice, James, letters from, 406
• Maurice, James, letters from, 416
• Maurice, James, letters from, 462
• Maurice, James, letters from, 479
• Mazzei, Philip, letter from, 613
• Memoir on salt by Farmers-General, 488
• Memorandum of agreement between Richard Hanson and executors ofJohn Wayles, 674
• Memorandum concerning public accounts, 84
• Métherie, Jean Claude de La, letter from, 127
• Militia return by Jefferson as County Lieutenant, 583
• Mirabeau Incident, documents concerning, 243-256
• Montmorin, letters from, 254
• Montmorin, letters from, 462
• Morgan, George C , letter from, 266
• Morris, Gouverneur, letter from [79]
• Morris, Robert, letter from, 609
• Moustier, letter from, 210
• Muter, George, letters to, 600
• Muter, George, letters to, 601
• Necker, letters to, 253
• Necker, letters to, 481
• Necks, Lucy, letter to, 626
• Nelson, Thomas, Jr., letters from, 601
• Nelson, Thomas, Jr., letters from, 607
• Noailles, letter from, 399
• Norfolk, address of welcome of the officials of, and reply, 556
• O'Bryen, Richard, letter from, 181
• Osgood, Samuel. See Commissioners of the Treasury
• Oster, Madame, letters from, 11
• Oster, Madame, letters from, 54
• Page, John, letter to, 593
• Page, Mann, letter from, 604
• Paine, Thomas, letters from, 193
• Paine, Thomas, letters from, 197
• Paine, Thomas, letters from, 274
• Paine, Thomas, letters from, 429
• Paine, Thomas, letters from, 449
• Paradise, John, letter from, 434
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 10
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 51
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 94
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 130
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 151
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 164
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 229
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 281
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 350
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 379
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 402
• Paradise, Lucy Ludwell, letters from, 508
• Parent, letter from, 15
• Parker, Daniel, letter to, 526
• Passports issued by Jefferson, 483
• Payne, Thomas, letter to, 31
• Perrin, letter from, to Chauvier, 461
• Pinckney, Charles, letter from, 31
• Pitt, William, letter to, from John Trumbull, 517
• Pontière, Louis de, letter from, 98
• Preston, William, letter to, 589
• Price, Richard, letters from, 90
• Price, Richard, letters from, 329
• Prince of Wales. See Debt to Farell & Jones and the slave ship ThePrince of Wales
• Public accounts, see Jefferson's memorandum concerning, 84
• Rabaut de St. Etienne, letter to, 166
• Ramsay, Andrew, letter to, 637
• Ramsay, David, letter from, 37
• Randolph, Ann, letter from, 638
• Randolph, John, state of Farell & Jones judgment against, 672
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 656
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 662
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 663
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 664
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 666
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 667
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 668
• Randolph, Richard, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 670
• Randolph, Thomas Mann. See Memorandum of agreement between Richard Hanson and executors of John Wayles
• Rayneval, letter from, 451
• Rice trade, documents concerning, 445-448
• Rights, Jefferson's draft of a charter of, for France, 167
• Rochambeau, letter from, 416
• Royez, letter from, 356
• Ruellan & Cie., letters from, 65
• Ruellan & Cie., letters from, 309
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 39
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 145
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 170
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 403
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 467
• Rumsey, James, letters from, 504
• Rutledge, Edward, letter from, 11
• Rutledge, John, Jr., letters from, 24
• Rutledge, John, Jr., letters from, 72
• Ruysch, letter from, 65
• Salt, memoir on, by Farmers-General, 488
• Sarsfield, letters from, 18
• Sarsfield, letters from, 35
• Sarsfield, letters from, 72
• Schweighauser & Dobrée, letter from, 53
• Short, William, letters from, 27
• Short, William, letters from, 65
• Short, William, letters from, 76
• Short, William, letters from, 85
• Short, William, letters from, 91
• Short, William, letters from, 510
• Short, William, letters from, 530
• Short, William, letters from, 547
• Short, William, letters from, 558
• Short, William, letters from, 563
• Sinclair, Sir John, letter from, 5
• Skipwith, Fulwar, letter from, 529
• Skipwith, Henry. See Memorandum of agreement between RichardHanson and executors of John Wayles, 674
• Slaves, sales of, imported in The Prince of Wales, 654
• Slave ship, The Prince of Wales. See Debt to Farell & Jones and the slave ship The Prince of Wales, 642
• Souche, letters from, 124
• Souche, letters from, 187
• Specific tax, commissioners of. See Albemarle County
• Steuben, letter to, [599]
• Stewart, Dugald, letter to, 204
• Stockdale, John, letter to, 615
• Streckensen, J . G., letter to, 219
• Swan, James, letters from, 261
• Swan, James, letters from, 361
• Swan, James, letters from, 381
• Tessé, Madame de, letter from, 371
• Thiery fils ainé, letter from, 67
• Thompson, John, letter to, from John Wayles, 649
• Tillier, Rodolphe, letter from, 160
• Trade, see documents on the rice trade, 445
• Treasury, U.S. Commissioners of the, see Commissioners of theTreasury
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 84
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 151
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 157 (2)
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 176
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 214
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 263
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 275
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 297
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 400
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 417
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 453
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 467
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 503
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 515
• Trumbull, John, letters from, 561
• Turnbull, Andrew, letter from, to Edward Rutledge, 14
• United States, Jefferson's account with, 84
• Van Dale, letter from, [551]
• Van Damme, letter from, 462
• Van Ishoven, P., letter from, 42
• Van Staphorst, Nicolas & Jacob, letters from, 19
• Van Staphorst, Nicolas & Jacob, letters from, 257
• Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 126
• Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 562
• Vaughan, Benjamin, letters from, 102
• Vaughan, Benjamin, letters from, 146
• Vaughan, Benjamin, letters from, 182
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 57
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 129
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 134
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 150
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 158
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 313
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 538
• Vernes, Jacob, letters from, 545
• Virginia delegates in Congress, letter to, 598
• Walker, John, letter from, 573
• Washington, George, letter from, 519
• Wayles, John, letter from, to John Thompson, 649
• Wayles & Randolph, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 651
• Wayles & Randolph, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 652
• Wayles & Randolph, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 656
• Wayles & Randolph, letters to, from Farell & Jones, 667
• Weedon, George letters from, 602
• Weedon, George letters from, 607
• Willink & Van Staphorst, letter to, from Commissioners of the Treasury,41
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 19
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 58
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 91
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 313
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 342
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 439
• Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, letters from, 471
• Wood, James, letter to, 608
• Wycombe, Lord, letter to, 306