Alexandria Advertiser And Commercial Intelligencer

Extract from a letter published by Mr. Callender, in his Recorder.

"Since the subscriber came to Richmond, Mr. Jefferson spoke of him to a Scotsman, whose name is known, and whose face is familiar to every individual of the city guard. To this friend Mr. Jefferson said that it was of no concern in what paper he met with C's paragraphs. He always recognised them in the first sentence. At that time, the approaching president had seen a part of the first volume of The Prospect. The sheets, as they were printed off, had been sent him. To the gentleman just referred to, the president expressed his curiosity to see the remainder of the book. Upon one passage, he made this remark: "I think I see John Adams twirling off his wig, and stamping at it."

This hint was adopted in the second volume of The Prospect. The accuracy of the anecdote rests upon the observation of Mr. Jefferson.

Another observation may be mentioned as for the president's opinion of the subscriber. Mr. Thomas Leiper of Philadelphia is brother to the late Dr. Leiper of Richmond, whose worth is so distinctly remembered, and whose death has been so sincerely lamented. Mr. Leiper is as independent in his circumstances, and his sentiments, as any man well can be. In spring, 1798, Mr. Jefferson told this gentleman that the subscriber was the best writer of newspaper paragraphs that he had ever seen either in America, or in Europe. This compliment is very much overcharged. Perhaps Mr. Jefferson might be somewhat impressed by his thinking upon the same side of the question which the subscriber had embraced. Yet after making a large and reasonable deduction for the vivacity of conversation, and for the prejudices of a political partizan, enough will still remain to form a respectful attestation.

But the evidence of his opinion does not rest upon such allies of discourse, as those which have just now been quoted.

A short time after I came to Richmond, there was printed in a monthly magazine a long extract from the first and at that time unpublished volume of The Prospect. Upon Mr. Jefferson's receiving the specimen sheets, he returned not merely a letter of thanks, but, to my great surprise he said that he had directed Mr. George Jefferson of Richmond to pay me fifty dollars. When the first part of the second volume was put to press, Mr. Jefferson sent, unsolicited, and unexpected, a second remittance to the same amount. These hundred dollars attest, beyond a thousand letters of compliment, how seriously the president was satisfied with the contents of the book, and how anxiously he felt himself interested in its success. With this explanation the reader is left to judge, whether Mr. Jefferson would have supposed my assistance likely to injure the Examiner!"