Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

My dear Trist

Washington 17. May 1828

I am greatly obliged by your kind compliance with my request although you may think I have been in no haste to acknowledge it. this is true, and I have nothing to offer in extenuation but the pressing business in the latter part of a Session, an excuse which might be good [. . .] circumstances but which is a very vile one in those in which I stand [feel]ing for you and your brother an almost paternal affection. No business ought to have prevented my seizing the first occasion of expressing it but in this wicked world we rarely do what we ought and many times omit what we really wish to do.

I have read with attention your interesting disquisition and have derived from it both instruction and pleasure. You do not mention what decision the general court made on the question. I should be glad to see it.

Mrs Livingston & Cora both scolded me when they saw your letter for not having mentioned them in mine, they have been with me all winter, and bid me now remember them to you with great affection, they hope at some future day to have the pleasure of being made acquainted with Mrs Trist.

Is your Grandmother with you. I hope she retains her health, and the good Spirits which she formerly possessed in so great a degree.

I have not a single copy of the pamphlet¹ on the batture controversy. you will find both in the fifth vol. of Halls law journal. Mr Jefferson was deceived by interested persons as to facts & ill advised by ignorant ones on the law. and when down to his own resources defended himself most learnedly & ingeniously. The injury to [. . .] think he foresaw. and exerted a warmth on my part which was natural. It ha[s] however been a source of great consolation to me that, before his Death I forgot the injury & he performed the more difficult task of forgiving me for having received it

I shall be extremely happy my dear Trist to he[ar] of your happiness and advancement to those Stations what your talen[ts] so well qualify you to fill. very sincerely