Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CVIII.—­TO JOHN ADAMS, September 19, 1785

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Paris, September 19, 1785.

Dear Sir,

Lambe has arrived.  He brings new full powers to us from Congress, to appoint persons to negotiate with the Barbary States; but we are to sign the treaties.  Lambe has not even a recommendation from them to us, but it seems clear that he would be approved by them.  I told him of Mr. Barclay’s appointment to Morocco, and proposed Algiers to him.  He agrees.  A small alteration in the form of our despatches will be necessary, and, of course, another courier shall be despatched to you on the return of Colonel Franks, for your pleasure herein.

I am, with great esteem,

your friend and servant,

Th:  Jefferson.*

     [* The original of the above was in cipher; though, as in
     the case of most of the Author’s letters in cipher, he
     prepared and preserved a literal copy of it.]

LETTER CIX.—­TO JAMES MADISON, September 20, 1785

TO JAMES MADISON.

Paris, September 20, 1785.

Dear Sir,

By Mr. Fitzhugh, you will receive my letter of the first instant.  He is still here, and gives me an opportunity of again addressing you much sooner than I should have done, but for the discovery of a great piece of inattention.  In that letter I send you a detail of the cost of your books, and desire you to keep the amount in your hands, as if I had forgot that a part of it was in fact your own, as being a balance of what I had remained in your debt.  I really did not attend to it in the moment of writing, and when it occurred to me, I revised my memorandum book from the time of our being in Philadelphia together, and stated our account from the beginning, lest I should forget or mistake any part of it.  I enclose you this statement.  You will always be so good as to let me know, from time to time, your advances for me.  Correct with freedom all my proceedings for you, as, in what I do, I have no other desire than that of doing exactly what will be most pleasing to you.

I received this summer a letter from Messrs. Buchanan and Hay, as Directors of the public buildings desiring I would have drawn for them plans of sundry buildings, and, in the first place, of a capital.  They fixed; for their receiving this plan, a day which Was within about six weeks of that on which their letter came to my hand.  I engaged an architect of capital abilities in this business.  Much time was requisite, after the external form was agreed on, to make the internal distribution convenient for the three branches of government.  This time was much lengthened by my avocations to other objects, which I had no right to neglect.  The plan however Was settled.  The gentlemen had sent me one which they had thought