1To James Madison from Thaddeus Mason Harris, 6 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
May it please your Excellency, to permit a humble supplicant to press through the crowd that come to seek your favour, and solicit mercy in behalf of an unfortunate female. In making this application, I am indeed awed by those high considerations which demand and dictate the most respectful address; but which, I apprehend, need not deter me from a modest and frank statement of circumstances...