George Washington and Thomas Jefferson's Letters

The Constitution has been adopted by the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Georgia. There has been much greater uniminity in favor of the proposed government than could have been reasonably expected. Should it be adopted, America will lift up her head again and in a few years become respectable among the nations. This is a selection of nine letters, six of which are from George Washington, three of which are from Thomas Jefferson, written to the Marquis de Chastellu, who was a major general in the French Army. In 1780, he came to the United States with an expeditionary force to help in the War of Independence. Chastellu, although a career military man, was also a philosopher and was so fascinated by America and its possibilities. In April 1782, Chastellu traveled through Virginia and he spent four days with Thomas Jefferson, and the two were kindred spirits. One of the letters that really speaks to me is this Jefferson letter written from Paris in 1784, discussing the differences between Northerners and Southerners and American culture in general. And here he says in the north they are cool, while in the south they are fiery. In the north they are persevering, in the south they're unsteady. In the north they are interested, in the south they're generous. These characteristics grow weaker and weaker by gradation from north to south and south to north, insomuch that an observing traveler, without the aid of a quadrant, may always know his latitude by the character of the people among he finds himself. When the United States won its independence in 1783, its survival was by no means assured. It's one of the beauties of reading original letters. Unlike historians, they don't know what's going to happen. Both Washington and Jefferson in these letters refer to something known as the Mutiny of the Philadelphia Riot. There was indeed some dissatisfaction in the army at not being paid off before they were disbanded. In a very trifling mutiny, 200 soldiers in Philadelphia on the latter occasion, Congress left that place disgusted. This is a recurring theme that, you know, perhaps the United States will not survive. And that's what makes these letters so wonderful. They're living in the moment and they're describing that moment as they lived it. The letters are remarkably well preserved, especially if you take a look at some of these examples here. The ink is almost as bright as the day it was written, as the paper is almost creamy white as when Washington first laid his pen on it. This letter dated 10th March 1783 reinforces how close they had become. Washington opens to Chasteloup who had just arrived in Paris, The affectionate expressions in your farewell letter the 8th of January for Annapolis gave me a new spring to the pleasing remembrance of our past intimacy and has convinced me that time nor distance can eradicate the seeds of friendship when they have taken root in a good soil and are nurtured by philanthropy and benevolence. When you come across a collection of letters that has never been in the public sphere, collectors value that very, very highly. These letters form the basis of our history. These are the primary sources from which we glean insights about historical figures' hopes and dreams. And essentially this is the beginning. This is where we get it all from.