| NOTES (ecp\9900005\00022)

DATE: March 6, 1998

Database: 9900005

Subject: . AMT's Memoir of Dr. Thornton "The History and Life of Dr William Thornton". ECP/ 99/ 22//

Extracts from the diary:

"A Humble tribute to the virtues of my beloved husband written with a beating heart and weeping eyes"

[Note AMT is describing a letter written by WT as an example of their strong affection to counter her stinging words againt a French countesse whose passionate letters she saw as un-ladylike]

"The following extract from a letter written while in Tortola to a friend 'I am set down with a desire to please you that I may enjoy a satisfaction in this departed scrawl. The move of doing it will be if I judge of effects upon vitruous hearts to give you an account of my life/ It will I am confident be sdoubly acceptable for you were one of her admirers & you have I know some interest in my happiness. You and I were both acquainted with her talents & manner, but we could not read the depths of her understanding nor the secrets of her hearts. My dear friend You have tasted the cup of felicity in the most sincere friendship in a mutual engagement of interest and perfect harmony of opinion & have enjoyed the sweets of sacrificing the enjoyment of others- much of this I also felt- but the ties of my former friendships were not like the insoluble ties of the present. If any woman on Earth by the most interesting tenderness to every feeling of husband, by the most kind, most attentive assiduities by the most sincere attachment and delicate behavior, if a woman of the greatest sensibility and of the most virtuous heart claims the unbanded affection and care of her husband she has a full claim to mine. To this I must add the happiness of informing you she is well...' I do not insert with vanity I can say with truth that all my life my greatest ambition and desire was that he might act honorably and hold an elevated place in society. I believe that many wives lose the influence that a sensible woman ought to have over her husband by the sneers of the world (or rather their little circle in the world) who say a husband is henpecked if he is known to advise and consult with his wife on business- but who is so interested in a husband's welfare and honor as a wife- his friend- his companion. Mrs Thrale in an excellent letter to a Gentleman just married expresses the same idea which I met with since writing the foregoing statement. "Listen not to those sages who advice you alawys to scorn the counsel of a woman and if you comply with her requests pronounce you to be wife ridden". If a husband was applauded and respected as much for being influenced by his wife (if she poseeses common sense and prudence) as he is jeered for it- there would be less unhappiness and misfortune. in married life.* [adds Even his mother in law, a woman of common sense, prudence, and sound judgement, honorable and independent principles had not the weight with him she ought to have had in consequence of his being taunted by a gentleman of acquaintance (I cannot call him friend b/c I suppose his views must have been interested ones in so speaking) with being under the influence of his mother in law. Who could be so anxious for his honor and interest as his wife and mother! ....

Boats were to have been built to navigate the Missisippi, thew thought by many quite chimerical, but sinec put into successful operation by more fortunate projects. This was both in a pecuniary and ambitious view, a great source (and justly so) of mortification and dissappointment & in his life had more falls than the lot of most men & it might be said of him as Columbus "He died in the misery of hope deferred & under the presence of pecuniary embarressments...

On his return he fixed in Philadelphia where his mother in law had engaged and furnished a house ready for his reception and where he intended to commence the practice of physic* Would to God he had remained there, where he might have become an eminent physician and not been a seeker of office from illiberal and selfish politicians! I often wish he had more of my excellent and respectable mothers independence of spirit but the honorable appointment first offered to him by Genl Washington fixed his fate! His cousin Thomas Buckhouse warmly advised him to settle in London whence he said was the proper place for his Genius and Talents. Here were never sufficiently appreciated except by Genl Washington.

[She explains why he stopped being a physician and descibres him living on the outskirts of Philly..]

"Till he received from Pres Washington the honorable appointment of Commissioner of the New City of Washington or Federal City in conjunction with two of the most respectable gentleman in Maryland Mr. Gustavus Scott and Mr Daniel Carroll (brother to the late most respectable and amiable Bishop Carroll). This was apparently a desirable situation, as the city was expected to rise rapidly into consequence, as the government was to be established there but a spirit of speculation * reigned, property was held unreasonably high, new comers with small capitals were tempted to purchase and from a variety of causes the progress of improvement was retarded and even now after the laspse of so many years, property both in and near the City can be purchased (except perhaps in a few situations) for one half and one quarter of what was asked and given in 1794- the year he removed here in consequence of his purchasing then & being dissappointed in receiving remittances from his estate in Tortola (which he had a right to expect), failures of merchants in England, speculations in conjuntion with men whom after long acquaintance he found devoid of principle & his continued perserverance (even unto the end) in raising horses which propensity tho injurious to himself in many ways was a benefit to the public as he imported several fine horses from England & Barbary & improved the stock of horses in the Country. He became involved in debt, which all his exertions (incrasing in various ways but which often involved him more) and apparent well planned schemes to relieve himself added to gerat economy in many things, could not effect and at his Demise he left a large but deeply involved estate.

After the office of Commissioners ceased and when Mr Jefferson was President & Mr Madison Secretary of State, men whom he highly esteemed at that time and before (supporting and voting Mr Jefferson while kept in office by President Adams) & whom he thought reciprocated his esteem, a Superintendant was appointed, and tho he was the oldest commissioner the two others having died and there places filled by Messrs Dalton and Cranch& he had a right to expect to be apptd, Mr Jefferson said it was only temporary & was not worth his acceptance and gave it to Thomas Monroe who with MR William Brent had been Clerk to the Board ( and not withstanding MR J's Observation) he [Monroe] continued to hold the situation for a good many years with a good salary. WT was appointed a magistrate which he continued to be till his death likewise a Commissioner of Bankruptcy which soon ceased & afforded small emolument while it was continued & was besides a situation little calculated fir his feeling heart. HE was employed in the Dept of State to issue Paptents for inventions( a situation for which his general knowledge well suited him). This business he organized into an office of which he was made superintendent tho not separated from teh state dept as he wished, being in this as in many other circumstances of his life cruelly dissappointed. He was kept at low salary for many years with the tantalizing expectation of its being raised every session of congress being recommended (tho not urged by every president for many years in succession) Presidents-Secreataris- Congress all used him for ill and OH how earnestly did I wish he could hacve been independent of them all- but being invoved in pecuniary difficulties which tied him to the place & as some author justle says no man that is in debt is free, so he could not have the proud satisfaction of thwowing up a situation so unworthy (in point of compensation) of his education, talents & knowledge.

He was enthusiastically attached to Genl Washington & had he lived longer I have no doubt would have been better used, as Gen W attached a proper value to his qualifications and as MR Jefferson says of his character of Genl W in a letter dated Jan 2 1814 to Dr Walter Jones "His heart was not warm in its affection but he exactly calculated every mans value & gave him a solid esteem proportioned to it". Therefore his esteem & respect were of high price and invaluable.

He designed the Plan of the Capitol for which he received the premium & had Genl Washington lived, he would have had the satisfaction to see his plan rigidly adhered to but MR Jefferson used him very ill by allowing Mr Latrobe to make what alterations he pleased without consulting him because L flattered his vanity & pleased him by planning a roof to the representative Chambers like his favorite Hal au-bled in Paris. Even of this honor they wish to deprive him by attributing the plan to Hadfield- Latrobe- Bullfinch- any body but Him!

...He was said to be versatile in his pursuitsd but his taste for drawing & the arts and sciences generally began with his early life as his boyish journal will shew and commenced all his life. He frequently amused himself by day light and candlelight in drawing and painting while I read to him and my mother and I can say with truth those were some of my happiest hours when he calmly pursued elegant amusements & while so engaged appeared to cast aside all disagreeable thoughts to be perfectly happy at home. He was of a domestic disposition and had it not been for his unfortunate and unconquerable passion for horses might have been happier himself and made all about him so, for his disposition was gay and cheerful and his hopes always sanguine.. [What can I do to honor his memory! What can I do to spread his fame. HOw can I ever forgive those, who were the cause of so much dissappointment to his earnest and laudable devices and who neglected and slighted his merits!]

With respect to his own private plans he might be thought visionary in as much as he planned, what it proved that his means did not able him to execute. Tho he always hoped to obtain the means to realize his wished but Alas he livde not to compleat any of his plans, but left all unfinished tho his industry and activity were unsurpassed.

The arduous task of winding up his unfinished pecuniary affairs which with the assistance of kind friends I trust I shall do with honor and credit but his works of genius and art I can't finish! He said he hoped to complete his work on religion but that the other words remain to shew the uncertainty of human life and hopes and plans for futurity.

"The bitterest portion is mercifully diluted for us; if we attempt to perform our Duty with cherrfulness & he who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb "will sustain me through whatever trials may be in prosect" and "instead of yielding to passing evils we must hold them as becomes rational craetures, acting under higher impulses than mere temporary contingencies"

I will not pretend to say he had no faults (for whom is perfect) but I throw a veil over them, as his virtues by far outbalance them. It is customary to say on such occassions "God rest his soul" but I say may his spirit soon be soaring aloft- enjoying perfect bliss in seeing and comprehending the magnificent & stupendous works of the almighty in the many "mansions" designed for them who love the Lord? And whence the joys are such as "Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the thing which God hath prepared for them that love them