Two-hundred and fifty years ago, Thomas Jefferson penned the words of the Declaration of Independence. His influence on the American Revolution was immense. But the Articles of Confederation, finally ratified in 1781, proved practically powerless. During the summer of 1787, leaders from 12 of the 13 states assembled again in Philadelphia to deliberate on the nation’s future. Jefferson was not in attendance.
He was in Paris as the American Minister to France. Upon hearing about the gathering, Jefferson made his opinions clear. In a letter to his close friend, Philadelphia scientist David Rittenhouse, he stated what he believed should be the primary objectives of the nation.
“Peace should be our plan,” Jefferson wrote, “and the payment of our debts, improvement of our constitutions and extension of agriculture our principal objects.”
Detail from John Trumbull’s 1818 painting of the Committee of Five presenting their draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. (L–R): John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin. (Public Domain)Letter and Books Acquired
This nearly 700-word letter, which was written on Sept. 18— a day after the Constitutional Convention concluded, was recently acquired by the Pennsylvania-based auction house Raab Collection.
“This is a powerful and wide-ranging letter, and Jefferson’s insight feels timely,” Nathan Raab, president of Raab Collection, told The Epoch Times. “Foreign entanglements and national debt bedeviled our Founders, and their vision against them is evident in [these lines].”
The acquisition was not solely a letter, but also a three-volume set of French chemist Antoine-François de Fourcroy’s “Elements of Natural History and Chemistry,” which is also inscribed by Jefferson. Jefferson, a brilliant scientific mind himself, gave credence to Fourcroy’s work in the letter, calling it “the best and most complete publication in that line which we have had for some time past.”
Jefferson spends a paragraph addressing the turmoil in Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. A month before writing his letter, the Russo-Turkish War had begun, and Jefferson wrote that he feared “a general war” was “inevitable.” With the Ottoman Empire backed initially by the French and the British, Jefferson added: “I hope the British will permit us to keep clear of the war, if it should become general.” The war would continue until 1792 and expand with the concurrent Austro-Turkish War, which extended from 1788 to 1791.
The letter is addressed to David Rittenhouse, an American scientist. (Courtesy of the Raab Collection)A Most Unique Collection
According to the Raab Collection, the combination of this letter and the inscribed books are the most unique piece of Jeffersonian history the house has acquired in its near 40-year history. What makes this collection even more valuable is that the books were shipped to James Madison, considered the Father of the Constitution, and who is mentioned in the letter, to be delivered to Rittenhouse—thus touching two future presidents and renowned American Founding Fathers. Rittenhouse, along with being one of the leading scientific minds in Philadelphia at the time, would go on to become director of the U.S. mint.
The collection had been on display at Texas A&M University from 2008 to 2026. It had been on loan from the owner, a private collector from Texas. The owner had been searching for an appropriate buyer, one that would appreciate its contents. The owner had considered only selling only a portion of the collection, but decided on selling it in its entirety. The entire collection will now go to auction starting Sept. 21 at a total price of $285,000.
The body of Jefferson’s letter to David Rittenhouse. (Courtesy of the Raab Collection)If there ever was a time to purchase a piece of Jeffersonian history, the 250th anniversary year of Jefferson’s most famous document seems fitting. Raab noted that there has been increased attention on historical documents from America’s founding, considering the anniversary, but he added that there is always a high demand for any documents related to the founders.
Purchases through the online auction house are on a first-come, first-served basis. Despite the hefty asking price, Raab stated that “artifacts of this power and rarity never last long.”
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