From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 12 June 1805
To Martha Jefferson Randolph
Washington June 12. 05
My dearest Martha
I have barely time to tell you that mrs Madison has executed your desires & I dare say to your mind. the commission to me has given me the greatest pleasure, as it always would that you would say to me freely at all times what want you have which I could gratify. my wishes are always to do what would be pleasing to you; but knowing nothing of what would be proper or acceptable, I do nothing. I see nothing as yet to hinder my departure on Monday & my being with you to breakfast on Thursday. mrs Madison is very seriously confined by surgical case which disables her from walking, and which it is feared may disable her from visiting Orange this season. the danger to mr Madison of staying here, may induce them to undertake the journey by short stages. my tenderest love my dear to yourself & all about you.
Th: Jefferson
RC (NNPM); at foot of text: “Mrs. Randolph.” PoC (MHi); endorsed by TJ. Not recorded in SJL.
your desires: most likely items needed in preparation for the August wedding of Martha Jefferson Randolph’s sister-in-law Virginia Randolph to Wilson Jefferson Cary (Vol. 35:266; TJ to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 24 June; Randolph to TJ, 11 July).
Dolley Payne Madison was confined with an ulcerated knee (David B. Mattern and Holly C. Shulman, eds., The Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison [Charlottesville, 2003], 47).