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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO DE WITT CLINTON - Thomas Jefferson, The Works, vol. 10 (Correspondence and Papers 1803-1807) [1905]

Edition used:

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Thomas Jefferson, 12 vols.

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TO DE WITT CLINTON

j. mss.

Washington May 24, 1807.

Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Mr. Clinton, & his thanks for the pamphlet sent him.1 He recollects the having read it at the time with a due sense of his obligation to the author, whose name was surmised, tho’ not absolutely known, and a conviction that he had made the most of his matter. The ground of defence might have been solidly aided by the assurance (which is the absolute fact) that the whole story fathered on Mazzei, was an unfounded falsehood. Dr. Linn, as aware of that, takes care to quote it from a dead man, who is made to quote from one residing in the remotest part of Europe. Equally false was Dr. Linn’s other story about Bishop Madison’s lawn sleeves, as the Bishop can testify, for certainly Th: J. never saw him in lawn sleeves. Had the Doctor ventured to name time, place, & person, for his third lie (the government without religion), it is probable he might have been convicted on that also. But these are slander & slanderers, whom Th: J. has thought it best to leave to the scourge of public opinion. He salutes Mr. Clinton with esteem & respect.

[1 ]This was A Vindication of Thomas Jefferson, against the charges contained in a Pamphlet entitled “Serious Considerations.” By Grotius. N. Y. 1800.”