To James Madison from James Madison, Sr., 4 June 1784
From James Madison, Sr.
June 4th. 1784
I wrote to you two days since,1 by Ralph Cowgill, since which I have got of Mr. Benjamin Winslow £144— & have sent it to Capt. S. Jones in Frederick by Mr. Hite—so that you must deduct that Sum in settling my Bond to him. & I desire you will pay the Treasurer out of the Money you sell my Tobo. for on Acct. of Mr. Winslow for the Taxes due from him as Collector £170 which will reimburse him the Money I got of him & will discharge the Ballance of my Taxes due for the last Payment.2 This method Mr. Winslow takes for a safe, as well as speedy, method of conveying the Money into the Treasury. He has likewise some Interest Warrants which he will transmit to you the first opportunity, perhaps next Week, to pay to the Treasurer with the Money, if you do not pay it in before you receive them; & if you should, as soon as convenient afterwards. I am Your Affectionate Fathr.
James Madison
RC (DLC). Docketed. The salutation is missing owing to a tear in the Ms. Addressed to JM at Richmond, “Favor’d by Capt. Thos. Porter.” Porter (d. 1824) served in the Continental Line and moved to Wilkes County, Georgia, no later than 1792 (, p. 633; Grace G. Davidson [Mrs. John Lee], Early Records of Georgia, Wilkes County [2 vols.; Macon, Ga., 1932], II, 186).
1. The letter from JM’s father has not been found.
2. Ralph Cowgill (d. 1795) was a planter in Loudoun County (Vi: Loudoun County Court Records, Will Book E, 1793–1797, microfilm, pp. 85–87). Benjamin Winslow (ca. 1737–1826) in 1784 was Orange County tax collector. Capt. Samuel Jones was a veteran of three years’ service in the 11th and 15th Virginia regiments in the Continental Line (, p. 246). Isaac Hite (1758–1836), of Belle Grove, Frederick County, had married JM’s sister Nelly in 1783.