From James Madison to Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, 18 September 1806
To Joseph Hamilton Daveiss
Virginia, September 18th, 1806.
Sir,
Your letter of the 14th ultimo has come duly to hand, and will receive the confidential attention which is due to the nature of its contents and the motives which dictated them. The president to whom it has been communicated charges me with the enclosed letter, in which the delay in answering your late letters is explained.1 I remain sir, very respectfully Your most ob’t. servant
James Madison.
Printed copy (Daveiss, A View of the President’s Conduct [ 12397], 25). For enclosure, see n. 1.
1. Thomas Jefferson’s 12 Sept. 1806 letter to Daveiss (1 p.; DLC: Jefferson Papers; printed in Daveiss, A View of the President’s Conduct [ 12397], 25–26) read as follows: “Your letter of Aug. 14. has been just recieved. The first of Jan. 10. was acknoleged in mine of Feb. 15. After that those of Feb. 10. Mar 5. Apr. 5. & 21. came in due time. As their matter did not require answer, their acknolegement was postponed to avoid the suspicions of which you seemed to be aware, as well as to await your return from the journey you had undertaken. The acknolegement of their reciepts is now therefore made to relieve you from any anxiety respecting their safety, and you may rely on the most inviolable secrecy as to the past and any future communications you may think proper to make. Your letters are not filed in the offices, but will be kept among my private papers.”