“ been read with avidity on this side of the Atlantic. If however, through excessive caution, I have erred on the other side, the error can be repaired in a second edition or an Appendix, where it will be easy to supply any passage unnecessarily omitted in my first publication . . .”

The Jefferson correspondence in the Library of Congress contains a copy of this letter, in Carey’s handwriting, headed by him Duplicate and dated the following day, London, April 7, 1795 (endorsed by Jefferson rec ^d. June 30 ).

This letter is not an exact duplicate; the last paragraph, that is, all after “ on this side of the Atlantic,” is omitted; textual changes include the reading “ General” for “ commander-in-chief,” “ imputed” for “ attributed,” “ obloquy” for “ declamation,” and others. This letter has a postscript, which may be the cut off passage in the original letter, reading: “ The books I have taken the liberty of sending to the care of Mr. Madison.”

Carey had written to Madison on March 31 concerning the Official Letters, with a postscript: “As small parcels are exposed to risk on shipboard, I have not made a separate package of the volumes intended for you, but desired Mr. Rice of Market Street to send you one of the best-bound sets from a number that I have shipped off to him . . . A second set will accompany yours, which is intended for Mr. Jefferson, and which I beg you will have the goodness to forward to him.”

On September 15, 1795, Jefferson wrote from Monticello to an unnamed correspondent, possibly Mr. Rice: “ Your favor of July 28 came duly to hand, & since that I have recieved the box containing Dunlap’s & Bache’s volumes for 1794. and the two volumes of Genl. Washington’s letters . . . ”

Washington was consulted by Jefferson as to the publication of these papers, and the latter was in constant correspondence with Carey during their preparation.

On July 3, 1792, Jefferson gave Carey formal permission to use the State Papers: “ Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to m( ^~r ) Carey and will with pleasure give him access to any papers of his office which no longer require secrecy. the difficulty will be how to separate these from those still requiring secrecy, without giving m ( ^~r ) Carey access to the whole, which Th: J. would not think himself free to do. perhaps m( ^~r ) Carey can from the Journals of Congress, or other sources, designate the particular papers he would wish to publish. he shall be ready to confer with m ( ^~r ) Carey on this subject when he pleases.”

On November 19, Washington wrote to Jefferson: “I have run over the four numbers of Gen ^l. Green’s letters to Congress--herewith returned--and find nothing contained in them, unmarked by you, which ought, in my opinion, to be withheld from the Public.--Even those of the 3 ^d. of Nov ^r. 1780--tho’ quite unnecessary, might pass with an explanatory note on the then value of our paper currency.--

"It probably is best to out the scored part of N ^o. 1, page 14, although, I am persuaded, it is no more than a statement of a fact, and not an unimportant one.--In N ^o. 4, latter part of page 57. nearly the same sentiment as that erased is conveyed.”

Jefferson’s explanatory note written at the foot of the above letter reads: Cary was permitted to make from the Secretary of state’s office a selection of state papers for publication particularly those of the commander in chief, & of the Generals commanding in separate departments. he submitted his selection to me to see if it contained anything which ought not to be published. I marked a very few passages & stated them to the President. the above is his answer.

On January 31, 1793, Carey wrote to Jefferson: “Before I proceed in the business of copying the records, which your kindness has enabled me to resume, I request your permission to suggest a few hints . . .”

The “ hints” were firstly a request for permission to take the letters home, and secondly for “ a certificate, at the head of my publication, setting forth that J:C has, under the proper authority, obtained access, &c.” and has “ made oath, that he has faithfully copied, & without wilfully altering or perverting the sense &c.”

On February 20 Carey again wrote to Jefferson: “Whenever you are pleased to favor me with ”