Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

Your letter to S. B—Came to hand yesterday, & releived us from some anxiety, which an intermission in writing, on your part, unusually long, had given rise to—It was with heartfelt satisfaction that we found you health to be better instead of worse. You have fine times of it, with your visits and parties—We have nothing of that kind to give a zest to life—However, I do not know that any pleasure derived from visiting, would, this hot weather, be an equivalent for the invaluable privilege of being perfectly ‘à son aire,’ which belongs only to home. By the same mail that brought your letter, I received one from D. Terrell, in answer to one I had written him, containing an invitation to spend the sickly months with us: He declines, however, my invitation; alleging, that he intends remaining in N.O. to prepare for the ensuing campaign—He mentions an inkstand, which you gave him in charge for me, which belonged to Mr Jefferson—If so I return you thanks for the valuable relick—I wish it could communicate to my pen some of the property of that which Mr J. wielded—

Mr Foley died the other day after a short illness, and I applied for and obtained the place of clerk of the district and Parish courts for this parish become vacant by his death—My motives were various—to make myself known in the parish—to get acquainted with forms—And lastly it is worth 4 or 500 D— which is as much as I would make by practice in this parish alone, in the outset—You must know that I am getting to be quite a public character—I am Justice of the peace, one of the administrators of the public schools, and Clerk of the court—& my election to the legislature this year is pretty certain, unless things change—Materr, one of our representatives, finds it expedient to resign on account of pecuniary affairs—He is zealous in my behalf—André le Blanc (you know him) will also support me—If I do not gather any laurels in the house, at least I will spend my time agreeably. It will be worth while going there next session if only on account of Jackson’s visit—Are you a Jackson man? You would be capidated, I suppose, in Virginia if you were not. Send me if you can conveniently the numbers of ‘Consolidation’ that appeared in the Richmond Enquirer some year or two ago—I intended to have prerused them but¹ neglected it—I have however the first number. I must turn politician—

I have not been on the other side of the river for an age but intend going to-morrow—We have experienced a drought that has done considerable injury to the crops particularly the corn. Mr Tournillon says that you forgot that he has not paid his debts; it will then be time to think of purchasing negroes & of choosing a market for his sugar—

You do not say whether Mrs Randolph had returned. Mr Tournillon has just returned from town with Mary She has grown considerably—She sends a kiss to her little Niece. Kiss her for Me likewise & Grandmother—Give my love to G. Trist & all.