The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-18
INTERESTING TO ANTIVuARAHs.
UnpublIshcd Letters from Thoma,

unpublished Letters from Thomas Jefferson.
The Greenbrier wv. W Independent has been
placed In possession OF number OF letters written
by Thomas Jefferson to Colonel Stuart, OF Greenbrer
county. These letters have never heretofore been
Colonel Stuart OF the first settlers OF Green
brier county and occupied high and prominent
In these communications raises natural inquiry as
to what the real character and species OF the
animal referred to and Will furnish food for reflection
for those who feel an interest In such matters.
Whether Colonel Stuart ever succeeded In obtain
ing the thigh bone OF the animal referred to Is .
It is quite certain. however that the bones were
found In this secton-no doubt In this lGreenbrer)
TO naturalists. The following are the letters pre-
MONTICELLO. May, 20, 800.
SIR:-I have great acknow Judgments to make You
for your favor OF April H. which came to hand few
days ago with the bones you were pleased to send.
the animal mentioned in your letter. One or these
the claw was broke but so that we could put 1t
together. This animal Is certainly hitherto unknown,
and seems, from the dimensions Of these bones to
have the same pre-emnence over the lion which the
big buffalo or mammoth has over the elephant.
They furnish victorious fact against the idle dreams
OF some European philosophers who pretend That
animal nature in the New World Is q degeneracy
from that OF the Old II the big buffalo were
an elephant. as Button would have us believe,
1t was OF surely an elephant improved, for
It was four or five times his size. SO II his
followers-in order to support their doctrine Of
u central heat In the earth-should choose 10
consider the animal now discovered as lion, they
rated. consider these bones as great acquisition.
and shall make point OF communicating the dis
both sides OF the Atlantic. only defer it Til can
learn whether hope exists OF finding any other OF
the bones, as would wish that the first information
should be exact and as complete as possible. Has
there ever been any other remains OF this species
found anywhere9 must look to you sir, to COM
plete the knowledge OF this animal for US as you
have begun IT, by giving me all the further informa
ton you can, and sending what other bones can DO
got OF IT. and 70 be SO good as TO inform me by letter
yN a hnr m
may decide whether ought to delay giving an nc
count OF it. am with great esteem, sir, your most
Mr.. john STUART, Grcenbrier
MONTICELLO, Nov. TO- 1890.
DEAR SIR have 10 acknoege the receipt OF your
last favor together with the bones Of the Greaclaw
which accompanied 1t. My anxiety TO obtain thigh
bone Is such that defer communicating what We
have to the Philosophical society In the hope Of add
ing that bone to the collection We should then be
able to fix the statue OF the animal without going
into conjecture and calculation as we should possess
whole limb from the haunch bone to the claw In
elusive. whenever you announce to me that the re-
covery Of thigh bone IL desperate shall make the
IL happy that this incident VIII make known to them
aperson so worthy ~ yourself to be taken into their
body, and without whose attention to these c
binary remains the world might have been
deprived OF the knolegc OF them. canno es
however help believing that this anim"i rs so
well as the Mammoth are still existing. inc
humiliation OF any species OF existence s 30 hch
amped In any parts OF the economy OF na,u tne nar
we see that we have right to conclude Is ~ eunh
ofh aari ,.x
humiliation are stronger for it. In hopes on neafng
from you az soon as you form conv , san
lsiactory to yourself that the tnlgn Doiis sro v va
not be recovered. remain. with great respect and
"Ssech'' ooai sn' Jou' n'o'' TIL. JEFFERSON.
Th' Jenerson acknowledges the receipt from
Colonel stuart OF a Uranium Of an anmaI unknown
~ IN ~, I'm nv an bJs return TO washington, for
ward It to the Philosophical society at Philadelphia
a9,,nat,on lie prays Colonel stuart TO accept hla
",iniations and assurances OF respect.
MtSrtCEI.Lo, sept. 10. 1905,