1John Townsend to James Madison, 3 October 1831 (Madison Papers)
Personally unacquainted as I am with you, I fear that the liberty I take in addressing to you this communication may be deemed a troublesome, perhaps an impertinent intrusion upon your privacy & Leisure. I can well conjecture the frequent demands which are made upon your time, for counsel & information, having relation to the political history & opinions of the country, in the government of...