Amongst those to whom copies were sent on the following day, April 20, were the New Orleans lawyers, Derbigny and Moreau de Lislet, and also his friend Thierry, of that city.

To Derbigny Jefferson wrote: “ Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to M. Derbigny and asks his acceptance of the inclosed pamphlet on the subject of the Batture of N. Orleans. this homage is justly due to the first champion who stepped forth in defence of the public rights in that interesting subject, & arrested with so strong a hand the bold usurpations aimed at them. if in rescuing them, as a public functionary, or vindicating them as a private citizen, he has seconded the efforts of M. Derbigny, he owes him acknolegements for having led and pointed the way. he salutes him with great esteem & respect. ”

To Moreau de Lislet he wrote: “ Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to M. Moreau de Lislet, and asks his acceptance of the inclosed pamphlet, on the subject of the Batture of N. Orleans. he has taken the liberty of differing from him on a single point; but conscious of the strength of M. Moreau on that field, and of his own weakness, he has done it with just respect and diffidence: and deeply indebted for his able information on other questions of the controversy, he has with pleasure expressed his great acknolegements for it. he salutes him with high respect & consideration. ”

And to Thierry: “ Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to M. Thiery and asks his acceptance of the inclosed pamphlet on the subject of the Batture of N. Orleans. tho’ he has ventured to differ from him on a single question, he was too much indebted for his able information on other points of the controversy, not to have made his acknolegements of the aid he derived from it. with justice and pleasure. he prays him to accept the assurance of his great respect. ”

On the same day, April 20, Jefferson sent a copy to Robert R. Livingston, Edward’s brother: “ I have not hesitated to send you one of the inclosed because I know that your mind will view in it nothing but the abstract question of right; and in the opinion of my fellow citizens on that question it will be my duty to acquiesce. I owe it to you also in return for your excellent book on the subject of sheep, now becoming daily more and more interesting to us . . . ”

To Governor Claiborne he wrote: “ You will probably some time ago have seen in the newspapers that the suit of Edward Livingston against me for maintaining the public possession of the Batture of New Orleans has been dismissed by the District court of the US. at Richmond for want of jurisdiction. my wish was that it should have been tried on it’s merits, that the public might have seen thro’ that medium that the transaction complained of was one of duty as well as of right. but the court, as I presume thought it wrong to give their time to the discussion of a title to lands not within their jurisdiction. to supply therefore the information which cannot now be passed through that channel I have published the state of the case as prepared for the use of my counsel, and which I communicated to you when I had the pleasure of recieving you here. had the trial proceeded the questions would have been more ably developed by them. indeed the Jurists of Orleans have left little to be added; and on the whole I trust there will be but one opinion on the case. I inclose a copy of my view of it for yourself, and two others which I pray you to present to the Speakers of the two branches of your legislature, in their private, and not in their official capacities, the subject not being before their houses. it is offered merely as an evidence of my sincere zeal for whatever concerns that interesting country. accept for yourself the assurance of my great esteem and respect. ”

To William Duane: “ I inclose you a pamphlet on a subject which has, I believe, been little understood. I had expected that it’s explanation would have gone to the public thro’ the medium of a trial at bar: but failing in that, I have thought it a duty to give it through the ordinary medium of the press. I wish it could have appeared in a form less erudite--but the character of the question and of those for whose use I wrote it decided that of the work. had it gone on to trial, my counsel would have clothed it in a more popular dress . . . ”