revival of antient slanders: under the heading “FACTS which will aid the future historian in delineating the true character of the present executive of the United States,” the Boston Repertory of 31 May published a letter from Thomas Turner, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, who substantiated charges that had been aired in discussions of the Massachusetts legislature and appeared in the press during the winter. Turner started by elaborating on longstanding critiques of TJ’s conduct as governor during the British invasion of Virginia. He also confirmed that TJ funded and approved of James Callender’s The Prospect Before Us. He added to the record TJ’s purported attempt to pay off a loan of specie from Gabriel Jones with depreciated paper money. In a lengthy discussion of TJ’s attempted seduction of Elizabeth Moore Walker, Turner stressed that TJ’s harassment had continued for 10 years, ceasing only due to “the inflexible virtue of the lady” and TJ’s “heart wounding remorse.” Turner claimed to have seen the correspondence between TJ and John Walker wherein TJ had acknowledged his guilt and completely exonerated Elizabeth Walker of any blame. The editor of the Repertory put a part of Turner’s letter that concerned Sally Hemings into a separate note. Rumors of TJ’s relationship with Hemings, Turner stated, were “unquestionably true,” and their “eldest son (called Beverly)” was “well known to many.” The letter was widely reprinted in Federalist newspapers (Leonard, General Assembly description begins Cynthia Miller Leonard, comp., The General Assembly of Virginia, July 30, 1619-January 11, 1978: A Bicentennial Register of Members, Richmond, 1978 description ends , 208, 212; Malone, Jefferson description begins Dumas Malone, Jefferson and His Time, Boston, 1948-81, 6 vols. description ends , 5:14-17; Isaac Story to TJ, 8 Feb.). For TJ’s response to the charges in the Repertory, see also TJ to Robert Smith, 1 July.