Jefferson, Thomas, as Third President

Autograph letter, written in the third person and signed ("Th: Jefferson") in text, 1 page (9 7/8 x 10 1/8 in.; 252 x 257 mm) on a sheet of wove paper, Washington, 8 February 1805, to Mercy Otis Warren (at Plymouth, Massachusetts), reception docket on verso; seal tear and repair just into text and costing two characters. Half blue morocco folding-case, red morocco spine labels.

Sold, Sotheby's, 23 May 1984, lot 243 (undesignated consignor)

Sowerby, Library of Thomas Jefferson 1:508

President Jefferson warmly endorses Mercy Otis Warren's History ... of the American Revolution: "the last thirty years will furnish a more instructive lesson to mankind than any equal period known in history." On January 5 1805, the fiercely republican Mercy Otis Warren, brother of James Otis and wife of General James Warren, sent Jefferson a prospectus and subscription form for her forthcoming history of the American Revolution. Jefferson not only subscribed to the publication himself, but he solicited orders from all of the member of his cabinet, apart from the Secretary of War, who had previously subscribed.

"Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to mrs Warren & returns her the paper she has been pleased to enclose to him with his own subscription & that of the heads of departments except General Dearborne who had signed another paper. he learns with great satisfaction that mrs Warren's attention has been so long turned to the events which have been passing. the last thirty years will furnish a more instructive lesson to mankind than any equal period known in history. he has no doubt the work she has prepared will be equally useful to our country, & honourable to herself. he prays her to offer his respects to General Warren and accept herself his salutations & assurances of high consideration."

History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution was the first historical work by Warren, although her published poetry and plays had always had an overt political perspective. Warren alludes several times to Jefferson's role in the Revolution, most explicitly in the statement that  "a declaration of the independence of America, and the sovereignty of the United States, was drawn by the ingenious and philosophic pen of Thomas Jefferson, Esq.,  a delegate from the state of Virginia" (vol. 1, p. 309).