To James Madison from Robley Dunglison, 11 November 1825
From Robley Dunglison
University of Virginia Novr. 11. 1825.
Dear Sir,
Mr. St. Aubyn1—the son of an English Baronet, and Mr. Hallam,2 both from Cambridge England, being extremely desirous of meeting with an introduction to you, I have taken the liberty of recommending them to your notice. They are making a tour through some of the States and have been with us at the University for the last two days.
Every thing, I am happy to say, is going on well with us here, and we are in great hopes that the late disturbance, which created so much annoyance to us all, will be productive of ultimate benefit to the establishment. Believe me, With sentiments of great respect, Your obedt Servt.
Robley Dunglison
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. Edward St. Aubyn (1799–1872), son of Sir John St. Aubyn, fifth baronet, was “a very amiable young man of one of the most ancient respectable, & wealthy families of Cornwall.” St. Aubyn was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was a magistrate for Devonshire. He and George Hallam left Paris for the United States at the end of May 1825 and returned to England in the Manchester for Liverpool from New York on 16 Jan. 1826 (Times [London], 3 Dec. 1872; George S. Hellman, ed., The Letters of Washington Irving to Henry Brevoort [2 vols.; New York, 1915], 2:191; Baltimore Patriot & Mercantile Advertiser, 19 Jan. 1826).
2. George Walsh Hallam (ca. 1797–1859) was admitted to the bar in 1824, had “lately come into a large fortune,” and later owned Brent Pelham Hall, Hertfordshire, where he was a magistrate and a deputy-lieutenant for the county (Solicitors’ Journal & Reporter 3 [1858–59]: 457; Hellman, Letters of Washington Irving to Henry Brevoort, 2:191–92; James Whishaw, A Synopsis of the Members of the English Bar … [London, 1835], 202).