111To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 23 November 1808 (Madison Papers)
This will be delivered by my sons in Law Robert L. and Edward P Livingston. One being a senator may give you the politics of this State, & the other that of France, as far as a traveller could collect it. For myself I am content to be a mechanic & a farmer & find more pleasure in these occupations than you statesmen do in buffeting the storm that beats around you at Washington. I mentioned to...
112To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 17 September 1803 (Madison Papers)
A circumstance has arisen here that has given me the most serious uneasiness because it has placed me in a very delicate situation with this Court & with Mr. Monroe, & it is impossible to act in it without incurring some serious evils unless the Treaty should be immediately ratified in which case you may suppress all that relates to it, for having made it a duty to perform no act in my public...
113To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 4 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
I informed you in my last of my intention to comply with your instructions & to obtain from this Government Such an explanation of the Convention as would embrace all the objects the President wished & then to have proceeded to draw bills for the principal of the debts, leaving the interest as a fund for equalizing the demands by dividing it among the creditors, by this means the further...
114To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 31 March 1804 (Madison Papers)
Enclosed are some letters that have passed between Mr. Skipwith and me. They sufficiently explain themselves—I shall make no comment upon them. I would only observe that the President having left it in my discretion to fix the salary of Mr Skipwith as agent of prizes at any sum not exceeding 2000$ I was induced to go to the extent of the allowance because at the time there were many prize...
115To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 1 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have now before me your favor of the 9th of Novr announcing the agreable information of the ratification of the Treaty & Conventions by so decided a majority. This is the first official information I have had on that Subject the letter you mention to have written on the 22d October has not come to hand. I had however received the intelligence thro’ private letters & the news papers prior to...
116To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 4 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
I returned to Paris a few days ago from my tour thro Italy & Germany. When the Emperor was <o>n the point of leaving this for Milan. The day of his <de>parture I was honoured to my great surprize by the <le>tter of which the enclosed is a copy accompanied by the Emperors portrait in a gold box, very richly set with dia<m>onds of very considerable value. I made no difficulty <in> accepting this...
117To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 23 October 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have just returned from the Minister’s & have the Satisfaction of informing you that he has Spoken to the Emperor on the Subject of Consular agents in their Colonies & that he has agreed to allow them during the war & has promised to Send me a note to that effect as well as to give the most precise orders on the Subject of the Depredations committed on our Commerce. I can not but think this...
118To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 22 November 1801 (Madison Papers)
I arrived this evening from L’Orient at this place, I have yet seen nobody here from whom I could collect any sort of information of what is doing at Paris. At L’Orient I met with Genl. Desfourneaux who is going with the armament that sails from that place for St. Domingo. He told me that it was probable that either Adet or Mr. De Puissay (who was Aid to the Marquis La Fayette & his fellow...
119To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 21 September 1804 (Madison Papers)
The ambassador of Spain has this moment left me. In the course of our conversation he dropped Some things that it is important you Should know as indicative of the Sentiments of his Court & perhaps as necessary to form the basis of the measures that it may be proper immediately to take. He of course insisted that West Florida made no part of our purchase, but as he Supported this Sentiment by...
120To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 24 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
The question of war yet remains undetermined my letters from Mr. King of the 18th lead me to believe as well as my persuasion of the present System of politicks in England that war will come Soon. Here there is an earnest & Sincere desire to avoid it as well in the Government as the people. I enclosed in my last a note to the Minister. Some days after I called upon him & he told me an answer...
121To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 10 November 1802 (Madison Papers)
France has cut the knot. The difficulties relative to Parma and Placentia that stopped the expedition to Louisiana have ended by their taking possession of the first. As you see by the enclosed paper, orders are given for the immediate embarkation of troops (two demi brigades) for Louisiana they will sail in about twenty days from Holland. The government here will give no answer to my notes on...
122To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 13 February 1804 (Madison Papers)
The principal object of this is to Send you an extract of a letter Just received from Mr Graham, as it is possible that Mr Pinkney may not find So early an opportunity of writing to you. It appears by Mr Graham’s letter that Mr Pinkney had not yet received information of the Communication made by the Spanish Court to the First Consul on the Subject of our Treaty. After this I think it...
123To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 12 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
We have been honored by your favors of the 18th April & the 28th May, as they both relate to measures that might lead to the accomplishment of the Treaty which was executed previous to their arrival no remarks upon them are necessary Except that one idea is held out in the last that Britain interested herself in preventing the possession of Louisiana by France. The fact is that she was totally...
124To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 10 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
On the 15 Thermidor when the Ministers had a public audience the Senate were ⟨announced⟩—they entered the ⟨circle with⟩ their President Barthelemi at their head. He presented the decree declaring Bonaparte Consul for life as the result of the vote and made an address in writing upon the occasion which was answered by the first Consul from a paper he held in his hand so that it appears the...
125To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 30 September 1803 (Madison Papers)
I remitted you some time ago a memoire from Col. Devienne who had been in our service—who with a wife & three children is reduced to the utmost distress—since you forbid any advances on the public account I have at different times been compelled to give him about twenty guineas on my private account to keep him from starving, I pray you if Congress are siting when you receive this to take up...
126To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 13 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
We have the pleasure to transmit to you by Mr d’Erieux a Treaty which we have concluded with the french Republic for the Purchase & Cession of Louisiana. The negociation of this important object was committed on the part of France to Mr. Marbois, Minister of the Treasury, whose conduct therein has already received the Sanction of his Government, as appears by the Ratification of the first...
127To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 18 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
I enclose a copy of the instructions of the French Government to their Commercial agent at Tripoli upon the Subject of our prisoners. I Shall Send it by the Post to morrow to Leghorn, with directions to Mr Appleton to forward it by the first conveyance, & if none offers to Send a Small vessel with it, & the notes I have Sent him to Commodore Prebble to whom I have written on the Subject, &...
128To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 16 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
We have the honor to inclose the account which Should be annexed to the Convention transmitted you. The Bordeaux embargo is in Assignats, and two thirds will be deducted from many of the others. We have reason to think from a particular account now in our hands there will be Such considerable deductions as will reduce the whole charge to less than 20 millions of livres including the interest....
129To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 7 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
We have the pleasure to forward to you by Mr. Jay the ratification by the first Consul of the Treaty and conventions, which we concluded on the 30th. of April, with this Republic. We have heretofore forwarded to you the original instruments, and two Copies by different ways, the original by Havre, under the care of Mr. Hughes, who sailed about two weeks since, expressly charged with that...