Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

my dear Dabney

Dunlora March the 13 1826

I am much disappointed to day in not getting Letter from you to inform me of the Sale of the Crop. I wrote to you yesterday o saturday concerning Mr Jeffersons business. I saw Jefferson after my Letter was had gone to the Postoffice. I informed him of what I had writen & asked him I had done wrong. he said no. & that if the money could be raised in that way it would be more flattering to his Grandfather, than any other. as it would shew the feelings of the People towards him. but it would not do to consult him or his Grandfather about it but if the money was offered it would be acepted. Mr Jeffeson has been written to by A friend from South Carolina to allow his County to Assist in paying his debt. but Mr Jeffeson was affraid that it would not be carried into effect & that he would loose the Chance of the Lottery. there must be 130.000$ Collected for him. & Jefferson has to pay for Mr Jeffeson 15.000$ by the first of april Now if you & John Smith could set this thing into motion so as to rase this sum & send Jefferson A check for it before that time I would say you were clever fellows the rest you could raise afterwards he expects to sell tickits by that time to meet the 15000$ if the subscription could be raised it would save Montecello. when Jefferson proposed to put Montcello into the Lottery Mr Jefferson turned quite white & set for some time silent & then said he must have some time to think of it & to consult Mrs Randolph. the truth is that it would have taken all his property if Montecello had not been put in,

now read this to John Smith & set about it you have no time to loose & you cannot say you would raise the money in Balt if you all thaught it would be accepted as this is written with Jeffersons approbation he goes to Richmond on Wednesday week he will not return home until he goes to Baltimore which place he expects to be on the first of April on his way to the other Cittys to sell the tickits. unless the money is raised otherwise Mr Jefferson objected to his debts being paid by the Legislator for this reason he was affraid it could not be carried through & then he would Loose the chance of the Lottery so that if the People do not raise the money soon the Lottery must go into¹ effect. & all will end in talk which I fear is all that is ment

it is no way to make a present & by asking the person first whether he will accept of it it will not be necessary to say you are autherised to say he will accept if offered 130.000$ would be nothing to the People. I am only sorry you have not more time I have had for 3 days a smart attack of my Rheumatism it is a little better to day it is in my left arm. do not wait for John Smith to come to town but go out & spend the Night there & consult or ever after hold your T. & boast no more of what you would do in Baltimore we have had no bad weather here. your poor Uncle Dabney has lost his little boy I wish you would write to him.