1To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 2 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
In the instructions to the several commanding Officers to lay up the gun boats, they were required to report to this Department, their respective opinions of the qualifications of the sailing masters recently appointed to command gun boats, and we are now receiving their reports accordingly. With your approbation I will proceed to dismiss all those of whom unfavorable reports have thus been...
2To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 4 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
With your approbation the enclosed letter to Comre. Rodgers will be forwarded and a similar proposition will be made, through the commanding officers, to all the supernumerary meritorious sailing masters. I incline to the opinion that the Government can retain the greater portion without any expence; and thus, on emergency, have a corps of valuable men, selected from personal knowledge of...
3To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 8 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
In answer to Mr. Macgregor’s letter to you —I have informed him that there is not, at this time, any vacancy. The case of the son of W. G Anderson was attended to a few days since. The son is prodigiously clever—but unhappily for him, by severe exposure in gun boats, he has nearly lost the use of his limbs. I have, in consideration of his merit & sufferings, attached him to the Norfolk...
4To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 12 May 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
12 May 1809, Navy Department. James Owen, “lately appointed a surgeon’s mate in the navy,” has arrived in Washington too late to join the frigate United States before her departure. An extract of a letter from Commodore John Rodgers to Goldsborough, critical of Owen, is enclosed. “With your approbation I will dismiss him, allowing him his expences back to his home.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG...
5To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 14 August 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
14 August 1809, Navy Department. The chief clerk transmits copies of a letter from Capt. David Porter and Goldsborough’s reply. Goldsborough has submitted Porter’s letter to the secretaries of state and of the treasury, who have approved his reply. Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 45, Letters to the President). 2 pp. Enclosures not found.
6To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 19 August 1809 (Madison Papers)
In the absence of the Secry. of the navy, I have the honor, in pursuance of his written instructions to me, to lay before you a statement of the navy appropriations. By reference to that statement you will perceive, sir, that the appropriations for “Repairs of Vessels” & for “Contingent expences” are nearly exhausted. Under the last law of congress, making provision for these objects, great...
7To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 20 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
As you are probably less occupied now than you will be on your return to the seat of Government, I take the liberty of transmitting, for your perusal, the accompanying papers. Altho’ you may not, at this time, approve the project, yet it will I hope afford you pleasure to find that we have in our navy men of columbian ambition. The writer of these papers is not, I am persuaded, inferior in...
8To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 7 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
The secretary of the Navy having been unexpectedly detained in South Carolina by the extreme illness of two of his family, & it being probable that he will not be here for some days to come, it appears to me to be my duty to submit, for your consideration, the accompanying papers. No 1. which affords a view of the Navy appropriations to the ⟨4⟩th ins inclusively A statement of the Warrants...
9To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 9 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
The most prompt attention shall be paid to your instructions; but permit me, sir, respectfully to observe, that it will take many days to prepare the statements required: those which can be furnished, by the Executive branch of the Department, shall be ready, by the time the Secretary of the Navy shall return—those which the Accountant alone can furnish may not be prepared at so early a day....
10To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 9 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
I almost fear that I may be considered troublesome; but I beg that you will attribute my frequent applications to you, to an anxious desire to leave no duty unfulfilled—to anticipate what the Secretary, if present, would have performed. To enable the Department to comply with the enclosed requisition, to prepare the Navy Estimates for the year 1810, it is essential that we should know whether...
11To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 8 November 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
8 November 1811. Conveys information that two pipes of the wine ordered by JM have been shipped, as JM requested, from Baltimore to JM’s agent in Fredericksburg. Three pipes of wine, as well as that ordered for Mrs. Washington, have been shipped to him, and he will immediately send them to JM’s house unless directed otherwise. Encloses a paper showing the duties, freight, and other charges on...
12To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 7 January 1813 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to directions received from you yesterday, I have the honor of transmitting a paper which exhibits a view of the vessels purchased & built, since the last session of congress, without being previously authorized by Law—with their cost as far as it can be ascertained. It is a subject of great regret to me, that owing to the very loose manner in which the Books of money warrants &...
13To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 7 January 1813 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
7 January 1813. “With great deference—but for very special reasons —C W Goldsborough would propose to the President the immediate revocation of the order, to which the enclosed letter is an answer; & which was unknown to C. W. G. till this moment.” RC ( DLC ). 1 p.; docketed by JM. Enclosure not found, but see n. 1. On 31 Dec. 1812 Paul Hamilton had directed George Harrison, naval agent at...
14To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 21 January 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have this moment received information, which I deem it my duty to lay before you without a moments delay. A gentleman of great integrity & patriotism—has stated to me that Mr. Salvador Catalano Sailing master in the navy & generally employed to prove the powder &c. residing near the navy Yard here, is ready to make oath. 1st that Capt Tingey gave him orders to pass all the powder, made at...
15To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 22 January 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have just received some samples of powder—which appear to confirm the correctness of Mr. Catalano’s opinion. Mr. Catalano says the powder of which these are Samples is now in the Magazine in this city—that that which was manufactured by Mr. Lorman (at ⅔rds the price given to Docr Ewell) was proved by him—that Docr. Ewell’s was proved & certified by capt. Tingey himself—that these are...
16To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 18 June 1814 (Madison Papers)
Persuaded as I am that you would never give countenance to an act of injustice—that you would never sanction persecution—& having reason to believe that the circumstances, under which I left the navy Department, have never been made known to you: I respectfully request your consideration of the following facts. That I entered the navy department at the time of it’s first organization—& that I...
17To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 8 March 1815 (Madison Papers)
Valueing as I do the opinions of good men, I am induced from an anxiety to remove certain unfavorable impressions which I am told you have received respecting me to address to you this communication. A political & personal friend of yours has informed me, that you had been led to believe that the pieces circulated to my prejudice by Docr Ewell about two years since were not altogether without...