Nicholas P. Trist to John Vaughan
| Dear Sir | Monticello Sepr 6. 27. |
Mr Jefferson Randolph informed you in in the letter written just previous to his departure, of the trip to the springs which his declining health rendered necessary. Owing to my never sending to Mr R’s post-office, your letters of the 18th 24th & 27th ulto were not received by me until the day before yesterday, when they all came together.
I hasten to send you the copy of the Act called for. To this, I subjoin the following copy of the bonds, which are of $5000 each.
“Know all men by these presents, that the State of Louisiana acknowledges to owe to Thomas Jefferson Randolph in trust for his mother Martha Randolph & her heirs, five thousand dollars, current money of the United States of America, which sum of money the Said State promises to pay to him or bearer in ten years after date, or sooner if so determined by the Legislature, with interest at the rate of Six per cent per annum payable yearly, to wit, on the sixteenth day of March of each and every year, until the payment of the said principal Sum,
Seal}In testimony whereof the Governor of the State of Louisiana has signed these presents and caused the great Seal of Said State to be hereunto affixed, at New Orleans, this sixteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & twenty seven.
| (Signed) Henry Johnson |
| Governor of the State of Louisiana |
| (Countersigned) |
| By the Governor |
| P Derbigny |
| Secretary of State.” |
I have this day written to Mrs Randolph, who has been since last fall in Boston & Cambridge, desiring that she will immediately make & forward to you, in order to avoid delay, a power of attorney to Th. Jefferson Randolph, authorising him to sell, assign & deliver the bonds in question.
The moment Mr R. returns, he will send to you a power, reciting the foregoing, and authorising you to dispose of the bonds.—This, I presume, will be sufficient for their disposal. If not, may I request of you, Sir, to favor us with another line on the subject, pointing out what farther may be necessary.
Mr R. will send the bonds also.
Under the supposition that a modification may take place in the Louisiana act, whereby the gift will be placed on precisely the same footing as that of So Carolina—i.e. irredeemable until the year 1850, & interest payable Semi-annually—would it not be well to make some stipulation in reference thereto, whereby the purchaser will bind himself to pay the premium?