James Madison Papers

James Madison to C. Fenimore Williston, 19 March 1836

19 March 1836

I have recd. Sir your letter of the 9th. and am sorry that I cannot give you the information it requests; nor can I refer to the source from which it may be most conveniently & successfully sought. I do not possess a Copy of the printed Correspondence between Mr. B* & myself on the subject of his proposed "Codification for the U. S." nor even the original manuscript of my part of it for which I am at a loss to acct., his letter to me coverd 21. folio pages closely written. That the Correspondence with others relating to the subject of American Codification was printed in Engd. in a Tract entitled   appears from Mr B’s address in 8 letters "to the Citizens of the Several U. S." in which it is mentioned also that the Tract was forwarded to the Governors of the States, & that Mr. J. Q. Adams had taken charge of the whole. The Archives of the States seem therefore the resort first presenting itself

J. M

*Jeremy Bentham

Draft (DLC).

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