Description:

T. Jefferson Forwards Multiple Dispatches "by the return of post to Mr. Madison", Including on Re: Florida & Napoleon

1p, measuring 7.125" x 9.625", Monticello, dated September 13, 1808. Signed "Th: Jefferson" as President and addressed to Edgar Patterson, a government contractor. With flattened mail folds, light toning and soiling, and a bold signature. Very fine.

The letter is a hurried note, regarding a letter Patterson sent to Jefferson which was then forwarded to Secretary of State James Madison. Reading in full:

"I received not till yesterday your favor of the 5th and I send it by the return of post to Mr. Madison with whom it rests to provide bearers for his dispatches, but as the vessel was destined to sail from Thursday to Tuesday next, he must undoubtedly have made his provision, however I have taken the only chance of giving effect to your wishes and salute you with esteem." 

Jefferson lost no time writing to Madison, penning his forwarding letter that very same day. Writing in part: "I send you a letter of Short's for perusal, & one of Edgar Patterson asking what is already I presume provided for…" Jefferson forwarded Patterson's letter along with numerous others, including several that discuss Napoleon Bonaparte, French seamen, and the possession of Florida by England or Spain. He continues in his letter to Madison: "One of General Armstrong which I do not well understand because I do not recollect the particular letter which came by Haley. I presume the counsel he refers to is to take possession of the Floridas. This letter of June 15 is written after the cession by Carlos to Bonaparte of all his dominions, when he supposed England would at once pounce on the Floridas as a prey, or Bonaparte occupy it as a neighbor. His next will be written after the people of Spain will have annihilated the cession, England become the protector of Florida, and Bonaparte without title or means to plant himself there as our neighbor…"

Following the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson attempted to annex West Florida from Spain, a nation under the control of Emperor Napoleon and the French Empire. In late 1805, Jefferson secretly requested a two million dollar expenditure from Congress to purchase Florida. Despite some misgivings from congressional members, the $2 million bill passed and was signed into law in February 1806. The two million dollars was to be given to France as payment who, in turn, would put pressure on Spain to accept the annexation of Florida. France, however, refused the offer, and Florida remained under the control of Spain until 1819.

Edgar Patterson was a rather innocuous figure in history up until 1814. He was a businessman and frequently sought supply contracts from Madison and provided small favors for President Jefferson. A letter dated February 1, 1808, records Jefferson asking Patterson to convey two watches to him which were procured from Philadelphia. However, during the War of 1812, Patterson became a radically important ally. As the British drew nearer to the nation's capital in the summer of 1814, State Department clerk Stephen Pleasonton ordered the removal of the country's most important documents, including the Declaration of Independence, numerous George Washington correspondence, various treaties, etc., and likely the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and the Bill of Rights. These documents were stored in linen bags and loaded onto 22 carts to be removed from the capital. The first place they were moved to was an abandoned gristmill owned by Edgar Patterson. It is unknown how long the documents remained there, but they were later moved to Rokeby Mansion due to fears of an attack on a nearby munitions foundry.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

January 6, 2022 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000