Jefferson Lottery - Revision history

ABerkes: re-wrote intro sentence - more formal style

2009-03-20T15:04:21Z

re-wrote intro sentence - more formal style

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-	Since [[Thomas Jefferson]] was deep in [[Debt\|debt]], a '''lottery'''<ref>This article is based on James A. Bear, Jr., [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=4509 ''Monticello Keepsake''], April 11, 1968.</ref> was attempted to ease his burden.	+	Just months before [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s death, his family attempted to alleviate the crushing burden of his personal [[Debt\|debt]] by arranging a public '''lottery'''.<ref>This article is based on James A. Bear, Jr., [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=4509 ''Monticello Keepsake''], April 11, 1968.</ref>

	[[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]], to whom Jefferson had entrusted his business affairs in 1817, was forced to admit that, after eight years, he was unable to stabilize them. The old patriarch's financial burdens, brought on chiefly by the failure of his estate to handle his large obligations, were staggering. This, coupled with the bankruptcy of Wilson Cary Nicholas, whose note Jefferson had endorsed in 1817, gave him the ''coup de grace''. The Spring of 1826 was a gloomy one for Jefferson and the household. The portents for Monticello and its occupants were ominous.		[[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]], to whom Jefferson had entrusted his business affairs in 1817, was forced to admit that, after eight years, he was unable to stabilize them. The old patriarch's financial burdens, brought on chiefly by the failure of his estate to handle his large obligations, were staggering. This, coupled with the bankruptcy of Wilson Cary Nicholas, whose note Jefferson had endorsed in 1817, gave him the ''coup de grace''. The Spring of 1826 was a gloomy one for Jefferson and the household. The portents for Monticello and its occupants were ominous.

Bcraig at 14:11, 15 October 2008

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	might have on the lottery, whose plans were now well advanced. Under the hope of quicker, easier, and less costly results, and		might have on the lottery, whose plans were now well advanced. Under the hope of quicker, easier, and less costly results, and
	the influence of Randolph, the old man gave in. The lottery was quietly laid aside. Mayor Hone's Committee raised $6,500;		the influence of Randolph, the old man gave in. The lottery was quietly laid aside. Mayor Hone's Committee raised $6,500;
-	the Committee in Philadelphia subscribed $5,000; $3,000 came from Baltimore and lesser sums from elsewhere. The total was	+	the Committee in [[Philadelphia]] subscribed $5,000; $3,000 came from Baltimore and lesser sums from elsewhere. The total was
	about $16,500. This gave Jefferson some measure of relief but it did not solve his problems because his total indebtedness was		about $16,500. This gave Jefferson some measure of relief but it did not solve his problems because his total indebtedness was
	more than $100,000. The results, however, meager, cheered the old gentleman in his last months for they did indicate the esteem in which he was held by so many of his fellow citizens. Even before his death signs indicated that the subscriptions might prove		more than $100,000. The results, however, meager, cheered the old gentleman in his last months for they did indicate the esteem in which he was held by so many of his fellow citizens. Even before his death signs indicated that the subscriptions might prove

Bcraig: Add Primary Source References

2008-02-18T15:04:27Z

Add Primary Source References

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	==Primary Source References==		==Primary Source References==
-	'''1826 April 5.''' ([[Martha Jefferson Randolph to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "So far as relates the pecuniary difficulties of your dear Grandfather the lottery will certainly relieve them. For the present it will pay his debts and leave him Monticello for his life, and the maintenance of his family, for which he says the crops of the year, great or small, must suffice."<ref>Harold J. Coolidge Collection, Washington D.C.</ref>	+
		+	'''1826 February 8.''' (from Hetty Carr to [[Dabney Carr]]). "[Thomas] Jefferson [Randolph] has gone to Richmond to prevail on the Legislature to grant his Grandfather permission to sell some of his property in the way of a Lottery to see tickets to the amount of $60,000. There will be one prize and one only. It is before the house now. We shall hear the success of it tomorrow or Friday."<ref>University of Virginia. http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/</ref>
		+
		+	'''1826 February 27.''' (Jane M. Carr to [[Dabney Carr]]). "What do you think of 'My Uncle Jefferson's Lottery'- I think the Virginians will never be able to hold up their heads again. The bill has passed, but passed in such a way that the land shall be valued by disinterested gentlemen upon their oath & tickets not to be sold above the amount of the value. They had at first intended only to have put the Mill & 100 acres but Jeff has persuaded Mr. Jefferson to put in the mansion of Monticello. At first the old gentleman hesitated but after while he came into it, poor old man, how much it must distress him to think that Monticello will go out of the family. I believe though he flatters himself that the state will buy it from whom ever winds it. I am afraid he will find himself mistaken there. There is not that much feeling in Virginia."<ref>Ibid.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1826 March 13.''' (Hetty Carr to [[Dabney Carr]]). "When Jeff prepared to put Monticello into the Lottery Mr. Jefferson turned quite white and set for sometime silent & then said me must have sometime to think of it & to consult with Mrs. Randolph. The truth is that it would have taken all his property if Monticello had not been put in..."<ref>Ibid.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1826 April 5.''' ([[Martha Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "So far as relates the pecuniary difficulties of your dear Grandfather the lottery will certainly relieve them. For the present it will pay his debts and leave him Monticello for his life, and the maintenance of his family, for which he says the crops of the year, great or small, must suffice."<ref>Harold J. Coolidge Collection, Washington D.C.</ref>

	'''1826 October 1.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "I am sorry to tell you dear sister that our present prospects look as gloomy as they well can, the success of the lottery is extremely doubtful. It is put off till the 5th of December to allow a longer time for the disposal of the tickets, but there is great cause to fear that it will be impossible to sell half of the number by that time which would alone warrant the drawing of the lottery."<ref>Ibid.</ref>		'''1826 October 1.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "I am sorry to tell you dear sister that our present prospects look as gloomy as they well can, the success of the lottery is extremely doubtful. It is put off till the 5th of December to allow a longer time for the disposal of the tickets, but there is great cause to fear that it will be impossible to sell half of the number by that time which would alone warrant the drawing of the lottery."<ref>Ibid.</ref>

-	'''1827 April 10.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "...Jeff has written to Mama however to inform her of the failure of the lottery...the laws made against it by New York and Maryland, & his determination to pay the debts (if it can be done) with the products he expects from grandpapa's papers..."<ref>Ibid.</ref>	+	'''1827 March 23.''' ([[Virginia Jefferson Randolph Trist]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). ""Brother Jeff: is now in New York, wither he went very unexpectedly, and in consequence of a letter from Yates & McIntire on the subject of the sale of the lottery tickets. He has since written in bad spirits as to the probable event of the lottery; which he doubts the success of very much. A law has been passed in Maryland forbidding the sale of tickets there. And the state of New York was about to make the same; which would blast the lottery scheme and he says that he is so sick of it that he is ready to say 'damm it' let it go."<ref>University of Virginia. http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/</ref>
		+
		+	'''1827 March 25.''' (P.N. Nicholas to [[Dabney Carr]]). "The plan of affording relief by a Lottery, was one resorted to by his friends here, as one that was supposed would be most agreeable to his feelings, and as calculated to leave him a considerable amount of property after his debts should be paid. It was stated by Mr. Jefferson's friends that he was not accepting any money either from the Legislature or individuals. By great exertions the Lottery was got through the Assembly. A great many who were ardent admirers of Mr. Jefferson were opposed to the Lottery on principle, and these it was difficult to carry along."<ref>Ibid.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1827 April 10.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "...Jeff has written to Mama however to inform her of the failure of the lottery...the laws made against it by New York and Maryland, & his determination to pay the debts (if it can be done) with the products he expects from grandpapa's papers..."<ref>Harold J. Coolidge Collection, Washington D.C.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1839 March 8.''' (Thomas Shore to [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]]). "It is high time that I have brought my agency in the 'Jefferson Lottery' to a close. I had the good fortune to sell a good many tickets. After the announcement that the Lottery would not be drawn, the __of them to whom I sold tickets returned their Tickets and the amount refunded. Eleven tickets are still out, probably lost. If however they should ever be presented, I can refer them to you. I do not consider it necessary that I should retain the money any longer. Please draw upon me...for the amount say $110 and enclose me your receipt (when the amount is paid), specifying the object, with a clause binding yourself to refund."<ref>University of Virginia. http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/</ref>

	==Footnotes==		==Footnotes==

Bcraig at 21:37, 13 February 2008

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	His decision, of course, did nothing to help the still desperate state of his grandfather's affairs. He had now to look elsewhere for funds. These might be obtained from the sale of Jefferson's personal property and slaves. Unfortunately, there was nothing else left.		His decision, of course, did nothing to help the still desperate state of his grandfather's affairs. He had now to look elsewhere for funds. These might be obtained from the sale of Jefferson's personal property and slaves. Unfortunately, there was nothing else left.
		+
		+	==Primary Source References==
		+	'''1826 April 5.''' ([[Martha Jefferson Randolph to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "So far as relates the pecuniary difficulties of your dear Grandfather the lottery will certainly relieve them. For the present it will pay his debts and leave him Monticello for his life, and the maintenance of his family, for which he says the crops of the year, great or small, must suffice."<ref>Harold J. Coolidge Collection, Washington D.C.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1826 October 1.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "I am sorry to tell you dear sister that our present prospects look as gloomy as they well can, the success of the lottery is extremely doubtful. It is put off till the 5th of December to allow a longer time for the disposal of the tickets, but there is great cause to fear that it will be impossible to sell half of the number by that time which would alone warrant the drawing of the lottery."<ref>Ibid.</ref>
		+
		+	'''1827 April 10.''' ([[Mary Jefferson Randolph]] to [[Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge]]). "...Jeff has written to Mama however to inform her of the failure of the lottery...the laws made against it by New York and Maryland, & his determination to pay the debts (if it can be done) with the products he expects from grandpapa's papers..."<ref>Ibid.</ref>

	==Footnotes==		==Footnotes==

Bcraig at 14:54, 23 July 2007

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	Final authority to begin the sale was postponed by the Committee of Citizens of [[New York City]] under the leadership of Mayor		Final authority to begin the sale was postponed by the Committee of Citizens of [[New York City]] under the leadership of Mayor
-	Philip Hone and other patriotic groups throughout the country. They believed, and convinced [[Thomas Randolph\|Randolph]], that the needed money could be raised by voluntary public subscription in a dignified manner and at less expense and trouble to Jefferson. Their plan promised that Jefferson would not lose his much beloved patrimony, Monticello.	+	Philip Hone and other patriotic groups throughout the country. They believed, and convinced [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph\|Randolph]], that the needed money could be raised by voluntary public subscription in a dignified manner and at less expense and trouble to Jefferson. Their plan promised that Jefferson would not lose his much beloved patrimony, Monticello.

	Jefferson did not object to the promises held out by Hone and the others but he was disturbed over the effect the subscriptions		Jefferson did not object to the promises held out by Hone and the others but he was disturbed over the effect the subscriptions

Bcraig at 14:54, 23 July 2007

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(Difference between revisions)

Bcraig at 17:17, 12 July 2007

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	were strong swells of opposition, even in Albemarle County. At home some demurred on religious and moral grounds while others thought it would hurt Jefferson's good name. Legislative opposition came from friend and foe: many were in no mood to assist the arch democrat even in an almost dying gesture, while the rest were honestly concerned with the effect on his reputation.		were strong swells of opposition, even in Albemarle County. At home some demurred on religious and moral grounds while others thought it would hurt Jefferson's good name. Legislative opposition came from friend and foe: many were in no mood to assist the arch democrat even in an almost dying gesture, while the rest were honestly concerned with the effect on his reputation.

-	The petition was first introduced on the floor of the House of Delegates on February 8, 1826. The vote without debate on reading the bill was against passage, 95 to 94. "Its enemies," Randolph wrote, "bad been active against it and shunned debate." This was, however, only a temporary setback, for its proponents won permission, but by only four votes, to place it before the House a second time. Cabell was sanguine about eventual passage, but not without the stigma of an ncomfortably large minority opposing it.	+	The petition was first introduced on the floor of the House of Delegates on February 8, 1826. The vote without debate on reading the bill was against passage, 95 to 94. "Its enemies," Randolph wrote, "bad been active against it and shunned debate." This was, however, only a temporary setback, for its proponents won permission, but by only four votes, to place it before the House a second time. Cabell was sanguine about eventual passage, but not without the stigma of an comfortably large minority opposing it.

	The bill was presented again after an		The bill was presented again after an
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	that the winning combination would be drawn		that the winning combination would be drawn
	from 11,477 tickets at $10. each, a rather		from 11,477 tickets at $10. each, a rather
-	high fignre for that day. The following	+	high figure for that day. The following
	prizes were listed:		prizes were listed:

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	problems because his total indebtedness was		problems because his total indebtedness was
	more than $100,000. The results, however,		more than $100,000. The results, however,
-	meagre, cheered the old gentleman in his last	+	meager, cheered the old gentleman in his last
	months for they did indicate the esteem in		months for they did indicate the esteem in
	which he was held by so many of his fellow		which he was held by so many of his fellow
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	costly for the lottery as it had been for the		costly for the lottery as it had been for the
	subscriptions. Many who wished to assist		subscriptions. Many who wished to assist
-	Jefferson were not williig to do the same	+	Jefferson were not willing to do the same
	for his family. Other causes contributed to		for his family. Other causes contributed to
	the failure of the lottery. Its prizes were		the failure of the lottery. Its prizes were

Bcraig at 19:38, 25 June 2007

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	difficult to ascertain. However, February 20,		difficult to ascertain. However, February 20,
	1828, when James Madison wrote Jefferson's		1828, when James Madison wrote Jefferson's
-	friend, the Marquis de Lafayette, that "the	+	friend, the [[Marquis de Lafayette]], that "the
	lottery owing to several causes bas entirely		lottery owing to several causes bas entirely
	failed" might be an appropriate date.		failed" might be an appropriate date.

Bcraig at 15:56, 21 June 2007

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	The aged patriot and his grandson cast about for possible means of relief. Bankruptcy would serve no useful purpose and,		The aged patriot and his grandson cast about for possible means of relief. Bankruptcy would serve no useful purpose and,
-	even if unavoidable, it would leave Martha and her younger children without a roof over their heads and with but few pennies in their pockets. From the recesses of a still active mind Jefferson drew out the ageold expedient of disposing of a part of his holdings by lottery. This had frequently been done in Virginia under similar circumstances. Lotteries were prohibited by law and this made it necessary for him to obtain permission from the State Legislature. He petitioned that body and accompanied his petition with a dissertation on lotteries in which he attempted to anticipate any possible	+	even if unavoidable, it would leave [[Martha Jefferson Randolph\|Martha]] and her younger children without a roof over their heads and with but few pennies in their pockets. From the recesses of a still active mind Jefferson drew out the ageold expedient of disposing of a part of his holdings by lottery. This had frequently been done in Virginia under similar circumstances. Lotteries were prohibited by law and this made it necessary for him to obtain permission from the State Legislature. He petitioned that body and accompanied his petition with a dissertation on lotteries in which he attempted to anticipate any possible
	objections.		objections.

Bcraig at 15:21, 20 June 2007

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		+	Since [[Thomas Jefferson]] was deep in [[Debt\|debt]], a '''lottery'''<ref>This article is based on James A. Bear, Jr., [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=4509 ''Monticello Keepsake''], April 11, 1968.</ref> was attempted to ease his burden.
		+
	Jefferson Randolph, to whom Jefferson had entrusted his business affairs in 1817, was forced to admit that, after eight years, he was unable to stabilize them. The old patriarch's financial burdens, brought on chiefly by the failure of his estate to handle his large obligations, were staggering. This, coupled with the bankruptcy of Wilson Cary Nicholas, whose note Jefferson had endorsed in 1817, gave him the ''coup de grace''. The Spring of 1826 was a gloomy one for [[Thomas Jefferson\|Jefferson]] and the household. The portents for Monticello and its occupants were ominous.		Jefferson Randolph, to whom Jefferson had entrusted his business affairs in 1817, was forced to admit that, after eight years, he was unable to stabilize them. The old patriarch's financial burdens, brought on chiefly by the failure of his estate to handle his large obligations, were staggering. This, coupled with the bankruptcy of Wilson Cary Nicholas, whose note Jefferson had endorsed in 1817, gave him the ''coup de grace''. The Spring of 1826 was a gloomy one for [[Thomas Jefferson\|Jefferson]] and the household. The portents for Monticello and its occupants were ominous.

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	left.		left.

-	Original author: James A. Bear, Jr.; orignially published as a [http://tjportal.monticello.org/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=4509 ''Monticello Keepsake''], April 11, 1968.	+	==Footnotes==
		+	<references/>

-	[[Category:Monticello (House)]]
	[[Category:Personal Life]]		[[Category:Personal Life]]