Jefferson still owes us!

Have spent a morning in the bowels of UVA's library looking through microfilms of Donald papers. 1770s account books I admit are an acquired taste - but vital for the Donalds in America as they showed where our wealth came from - and then unfortunately where it all went to. More shame to come, but I shall ration that.

Once again, lots to go through - but going through the lists of who owes us what. Basically we had our account books for the 1770s, then added on interest to the debts - which is actually higher than the original debt - and then submitted them to the US government at the end of the 18th century to sort out for us.

On James and Robert Donald's book, there is a debt that rather stood out - one Thomas Jefferson from Albermarle. He had then owed us £15.17.10 for 27 years - so the interest came to a very reasonable £21.9.3 on top of that. The notes from 1802 say - Living in Albermarle and our agent on the ground, Pleasant Martin, reports that "Estate Sufficient".

I see no record of him having paid this. What say I take the box of 12 decanters from his study and we shall call it quits? I am no mathematician - but I am sure at the Donald rates of interest, he probably owes us quite a bit by now.

I still find it amazing that over 25 years after an original debt we really though that if we found these people and said - oh, remember before the war you bought a nice clock from Scotland from us - well, we want the money now and over 25 years worth of interest. Did we really expect them to pay? Gilbert Hamilton obviously did, but we shall get to him later.

Also noticed that the Randolphs owe us quite a bit - Miss Jefferson married a Randolph and Alexander was a great friend always writing to Jefferson about dining with them. Also Grant Gilmore claims Randolph heritage - I reckon if he does have Alexander's copy of Voltaire if he chucks that our way, we shall say no more about those debts either.