The copy of this book in the Library of Congress no. 298 b as above, is inscribed on the title-page by the author to the United States Senate. It seems improbable therefore that it was part of the Jefferson collection. The book is in a Milligan binding, and has the 1815 bookplate, though with a b number as shown above, leading to the supposition that it was presented to the Library of Congress during the time of the printing of the catalogue.

Jefferson received a copy from Mathew Carey soon after its publication, that is after the sale of his library to Congress but before its delivery. On February 9, 1815, he wrote to Carey from Monticello: “ I thank you for the copy of the Olive branch you have been so kind as to send me. many extracts from it which I had seen in the newspapers had excited a wish to procure it, but the effecting this had been prevented by the difficulty of making small or fractional remittances to Philadelphia and especially since the bank bills of the different states have ceased to be recievable in all others. a cursory view over the work has confirmed the expectation excited by the extracts, that it will do great good. faults have doubtless been committed on both sides, and most, probably, by those who have the oftenest been obliged to decide which branch of a dilemma should be pursued. a more serious perusal of the book which I shall immediately undertake will, I doubt not, confirm the good opinion formed of it . . . ”

Numerous references are made throughout the work to Jefferson and his administration. A passage of 7 pages (31-38) is headed Of the errors of Mr. Jefferson’s Administration.

On pages 172 and 173 are quoted extracts from letters from Jefferson to Thomas Pinckney, the minister plenipotentiary from the United States at London. These are dated respectively June 11, October 12, and November 6, 1792. Jefferson’s autograph letterpress copies of the originals, in the Jefferson Papers in the Library of Congress, show the printed versions to have been edited and supplied with italics not used by Jefferson.

In October 1815 Carey sent Jefferson a copy of the sixth edition. In his letter of acknowledgment, dated October 13, Jefferson drew Carey’s attention to “ a circumstance in your Appendix which may be worthy of correction in the new edition proposed. in page 400. the introduction of the conscription into France is ascribed to Bonaparte. this however is not correct. it was instituted there by the republican government before Bonaparte’s name was known . . . ”

Mathew Carey, 1760-1839, author, publisher, book dealer and economist, was born in Dublin. Before coming to America in 1784, for political reasons, Carey worked at Franklin’s printing press at Passy. The Olive Branch, originally published in 1814 and frequently reprinted, was an effort to unite the Federalist and Republican parties.

Several references to Jefferson occur in the text, listed incompletely in the Index at the beginning.

For another work by Blodget and an account of him see no. 3254.