31To James Madison from George W. Erving, 21 February 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
21 February 1803, London. No. 15. “All the Consuls have not yet transmitted their Accounts for the last half-year, that of Mr. Fox for the reasons stated in a former letter cannot yet be compleated; and as we have now no Fund for settling the ballances which may be due, I have thought it best to refer them over to the next half year, and no longer to delay sending my Consular, and Seaman...
32To James Madison from George W. Erving, 19 March 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
19 March 1803, London. No. 16. “I have the honor to inclose Copy of a Letter which I yesterday received from our Consul at Lisbon.” RC and enclosure ( DNA : RG 59, CD , London, vol. 8). RC 1 p. In a clerk’s hand, signed by Erving. Docketed by Wagner. For enclosure, see n. 1. The enclosure, Jarvis to Erving, 10 Feb. 1803 (1 p.; docketed by Wagner), reported that the prince regent had lifted...
33To James Madison from George W. Erving, 21 March 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
21 March 1803, London. No. 17. “Since the commencement of the present Misunderstanding between this Country & France, our Mariners have been pressed as formerly, and upon the usual application, such of them as have regular protections, and are not married, or settled in Great Britain, have been discharged. A considerable portion of those who have left the United States subsequent to the late...
34To James Madison from George W. Erving, 24 March 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
24 March 1803, London. Assumes JM is anxious “at this very critical & important moment” to receive all possible information and opinions on the question of war between Great Britain and France. “The general apprehension here, & the vigorous preparations which are going on, would lead one to suppose that the British government Either considered war as inevitable, or were determined upon it; but...
35To James Madison from George W. Erving, 30 April 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 April 1803, London. No. 18. “I had the honor to address you in No. 12. of Jany 1st. upon several points relating to our Claims, & have now the satisfaction of confirming the assurances which I then gave, of the successful progress, and probable speedy termination of this Business. “By the enclosed List you will be pleased to observe, that we have very considerably reduced the Number of...
36To James Madison from George W. Erving, 16 May 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
16 May 1803, London . No. 15. “ Private .” Presumes King, who is still in London, has kept JM informed of the state of negotiations between France and Great Britain. War now appears inevitable. Andréossy left London “at 5 o clock this Morning,” and Whitworth is at Boulogne on his way to London. “An Embargo is laid, letters of marque are preparing, & all the orders & movements of the government...
37To James Madison from George W. Erving, 6 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of April 19h. and in conformity to the direction therein given shall pay into the hands of Baring & Co the ballance of monies deducted or to be deducted on account of the advances of the United States in Prize Causes, from what may be received in the awards of the commissioners: After the 15 July I shall be able to ascertain the amount...
38To James Madison from George W. Erving, 8 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have had the pleasure of receiving your (private) Letter of Ap. 4. 1803. Mr King has finally left this without availing himself of the priviledge which it Seems the President intended that he shoud exercise. In fact I have reason to think that Mr Gore himself had been made sensible of the impropriety of his acting as chargé des affairs & that he declined the offer of Mr King to appoint him:...
39To James Madison from George W. Erving, 26 June 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 June 1803, London . No. 20. Loses no time in forwarding a copy of “a decree issued by the French government on the 20th instant,” which he has “just received from Paris.” RC and enclosure ( DNA : RG 59, CD , London, vol. 8). RC 1 p.; docketed by Wagner as received 29 Aug. The enclosure was a copy of Napoleon’s 1 Messidor an XI (20 June 1803) decree forbidding the importation of goods into...
40To James Madison from George W. Erving, 1 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to acquaint you that the British government have deemed it Expedient to blockade the River Elbe; this measure has been formally notified to the foreign ministers Resident here, & to Mr Gore who tho not left in charge of our affairs by Mr King, has I understand, presuming upon certain letters which you have addressed to him provisionally under the Expectation that he might have...
41To James Madison from George W. Erving, 26 July 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 July 1803, London . Forwards the enclosed letters at the request of John M. Forbes, U.S. consul at Hamburg. RC and enclosures ( DNA : RG 59, CD , London, vol. 8). RC 1 p.; docketed by Wagner as received 26 Sept. For descriptions of the enclosed letters (7 pp.; docketed by Wagner), see Forbes to JM, 13 June 1803 , and n. 1. A full transcription of this document has been added to the digital...
42To James Madison from George W. Erving, 28 September 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
28 September 1803, London . No. 23. Transmits his semiannual accounts as agent for the prosecution of claims and appeals and as agent for the relief and protection of seamen to 30 June [not found]. “The Awards of the Board of Commissioners, issued for the most part but a short time previous to the period fixed for the payment of the first instalment, and some were subsequent to that date, have...
43To James Madison from George W. Erving, 25 October 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have had the honor to receive the Triplicate of your letter of April 27th. Respecting the Claim of George Hunter of Philadelphia for the Capture of his Vessel the Mary Ann—Kuhn Master, and in compliance with your directions immediately proceeded to enquire into the State of it and as to the Probabilities of success from a revival of the Proceedings. It appears that the Appeal was duly...
44To James Madison from George W. Erving, 29 October 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
29 October 1803, London . Received from Lewis Le Coulteux “the papers respecting his Claim on this Government,” referred to in JM’s letter to the U.S. minister in London of 16 May. “I as the Agent of Mr: Le Couteulx, drew a memorial (of which I have the honor herewith to inclose a Copy) to the King in Council, & submitted it to the Minister for his approbation.” Believes this was “the most...
45To James Madison from George W. Erving, 2 November 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
2 November 1803, London. No. 26. Encloses a sea letter of the brig John and Mary of Charleston, which he has canceled. The ship was sold in South America to a Spaniard, was recently brought into Plymouth for adjudication, and was reclaimed by the English supercargo, a brother of the original owners. [John] Hawker, U.S. consular agent at Plymouth, wrote Erving about the matter on 2 Oct.; Erving...
46To James Madison from George W. Erving, 9 November 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have been favord with your private letter of June 15th; its inclosures were duly forwarded. I am very happy to find by the observations which you have made with respect to the impressment of our seamen, that in my letters to Sir Evan Nepean (copies inclosed in my official letter No 23) I have not made use of a language too strong upon this interesting subject. The statement which with Mr...
47To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 November 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
10 November 1803, London. No. 27. Encloses the “Tables of Quarantine, Light-Money and other dues” [not found] that JM requested in his circular letter of 4 Apr. Trusts that these, “together with the Returns from our other Consuls,” will enable JM “to lay before the House of Representatives the Statements required by their resolution of the 3d. of March last.” Forwards “‘Mascalls Book of...
48To James Madison from George W. Erving, 27 January 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
27 January 1804, London. No. 28. Received JM’s circular of 1 Oct. 1803 respecting sales of American registered vessels. Sent in his 10 Nov. letter the documents required. Has found the powers lately vested in consuls extremely useful in preventing “irregularities both in the Transfers of Vessels, and the treatment of Seamen.” “To render their effect more complete by insuring the deposit of the...
49To James Madison from George W. Erving, 28 January 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
28 January 1804, London. No. 29. “Having had the honor to receive your Letter (Novr. 1st. 1803) respecting Alexander Mc.Elwee an American Citizen impressed into the British Service, I lost no time in applying to the Lords of the Admiralty for his discharge. Copies of my letter and their answer are herewith inclosed. “You will please to observe that their Lordships presume Mc.Elwee not to be at...
50To James Madison from George W. Erving, 29 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
Since the arrival of Mr Monroe, the frequency of his dispatches to you & the view he is known to possess of all our interests; render it unnecessary for me to trouble you as formerly with frequent, & probably what were very tedious letters: Perhaps too at this crisis it woud on all other accounts be proper to leave wholly to his more matured & exercised judgement & discretion, the treatment of...
51To James Madison from George W. Erving, 6 February 1804 (Madison Papers)
By the Monsoon Captn. Nickerson I send to the care of the collector of Baltimore and directed to you, one large Chest containing West Florida papers & one deal box contents unknown. These were left in my care by Mr. King with his request that they shoud be transmitted to you; No opportunity offering for Alexandria ’till we heard of Mr Monroe’s appointment to this Court, I judged it expedient...
52To James Madison from George W. Erving, 6 March 1804 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor to address you on the 6th. Ulto by the Monsoon Captain Nickerson for Baltimore, & to send by that ship to the care of the Collector of Baltimore a large Chest of West Florida Papers, & a small deal Box both left with me by Mr. Rufus King. I have now the satisfaction of informing you that the Commissioners concluded their business and finally dissolved their Board on the 23d. of...
53To James Madison from George W. Erving, 7 March 1804 (Madison Papers)
In my public letter (No 28) I took the liberty of observing that tho’ a great deal has been done by the late laws & regulations to purify the ownership of Vessels, yet something further might be done to advantage: The comptrollers remark of Sep. 10 forwarded with your circular of Oct. 1. does away all doubts as to the description of persons who are Entitled to receive by purchase abroad “...
54To James Madison from George W. Erving, 31 March 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
31 March 1804, London. No. 32. “I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of January 18 . instructing me to correspond in future with the Secretary of the Treasury and to pursue his directions respecting all Monies which I have or hereafter may receive on account of the United States, & to settle my official Accounts with him.” Adds in a postscript that he encloses a copy of...
55To James Madison from George W. Erving, 18 May 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
18 May 1804, London. No. 33. “Conformably to a clause in your instructions of April 4th. 1803 it is now my duty to report to you that the Ship Ruby Alexander Shaw Master registered as the Property of Niele McNeal of Charleston sailed from this Port on the 15th. Instant for Angola on the Coast of Africa and from thence was destined to proceed to Charleston South Carolina.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, CD...
56To James Madison from George W. Erving, 25 May 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 May 1804, London. No. 34. “I have the honor herewith to transmit a List [not found] of the Ships which have entered this Port and of which the Masters have deposited their Papers in this Office pursuant to the Act of Congress of February 28th. 1803 since the operation of that Act commenced here to the 31st. of December 1803.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, CD , London, vol. 9). 1 p.; docketed by Wagner...
57To James Madison from George W. Erving, 8 June 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
8 June 1804, London. No. 35. “The Vessel Resolution, built at Norwich Register No. 5 Richard Shipley late Master owned by Alphons Dunham & Jonathan Clark of Boston Samuel Ham of Portsmouth and Benjamin Connor of Exeter in New Hampshire arrived here on the 10th. of February from the River La Plata. One of the owners (Ham) now here, has endeavoured to sell this Vessel but on account of the late...
58To James Madison from George W. Erving, 11 June 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 June 1804, London. No. 36. “In the Case of Lewis Le Couteulx.” “Since I had the honor to address you last on the subject of this Case I have done every thing possible to procure a satisfactory result to my Application on Mr. Le Couteulx’s behalf. Finding that the consideration of that Gentleman’s claim was delayed, I thought proper on the 23rd. of March to address the Note to the Clerk of...
59To James Madison from George W. Erving, 13 June 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have duly received your public letter of April 22d to the Contents of which I pay immediate attention, & shall prepare & forward the statements which you require without loss of time. Mr Monroe has informed you of all which relates to the visit of Mr Livingston to this country: His communications upon public affairs in this quarter are so frequent & full, that as there is no difference...
60To James Madison from George W. Erving, 15 June 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
15 June 1804, London. No. 37. “By the Ship Virginia Captain Dixon which leaves this place to day for City point in Virginia I have shipped by desire of Mr. Monroe a small deal Box containing the Journals of the late board of Commissioners and the reports of their Assessors; and have particularly charged the Captain to keep it dry in his Cabin which he has promised to do. Another Copy of these...