1To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 19 May 1788 (Madison Papers)
The fate of the new constitution is now hastening to a crisis. The decision of Virginia in its favor ensures its existence, for South Carolina will most certainly adopt it before you can be organized. If on the other hand your Convention should reject the Government it will be rendered extremely uncertain in New York, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. Had our friends been less sanguine in New...
2To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 27 September 1787 (Madison Papers)
My anxiety in favor of the new federal Constitution has induced me to attempt some comments on it, that might render it more clear and agreeable to the people at large, than the concise manner, in which it was necessarily drawn up, would admit of. A friend, with whom I ventured to converse on the Subject, has pressed me to pass them thro the papers of Virginia and New York. This will apologize...
3To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 6 February 1788 (Madison Papers)
I trouble you with the last No. (3) of the freeman. In the paper N. 1. signed a Pennsylvanian I have opened a regular examination of the state of the opposition here, & shall endeavour to add a refutation of some of the objections of the minority. Consolidation I shall of course retouch, & therefore wish any thing you meet on that Subject to be enclosed. No. 44, & 45 of Publius are very...
4To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 24 March 1789 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you a few lines some days ago, which I hope you have received. The letter contained Col. Morgan’s propositions to our farmers & tradesmen. On sunday last I sat down to make a few notes on some points which appear necessary to be considered in forming our System of impost. Enclosed you will find a copy of them hastily transcribed, of which you will make any use you see proper. Some of...
5To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 18 August 1787 (Madison Papers)
Some matters of a good deal of consequence to myself render it necessary for me to be known to Mr. Jefferson—just so far as to take the liberty of addressing two or three letters to him. You will oblige me very much by favoring me with two copies of a short letter of introduction to go by different opportunities. It will be much more agreeable to me to receive them from you sealed than open....
6To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 22 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
As I know your anxiety upon the Subject of the State legislatures, I have great Satisfaction in assuring you that by the returns of our new house at least 38 are firmly attached to the Constitution. The whole number is 69, but we have no returns of the greater part of the remainder. I think we have the best ground to believe the house will be 40 to 29 at least—and a very able man, Mr. Findlay,...
7To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 28 December 1787 (Madison Papers)
I trouble you once more with an Attempt of mine to explain a point connected wth. the new federal constitution. Finding from a conversation with Mr. Wilson & Dr. Rush that an Idea in Mr. R. H Lee’s letter to your Governor concerning the commercial powers of Congress was doing mischief in Virginia I devoted last Sunday to an investigation of it. I take the liberty of enclosing a couple of...
8To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 27 January 1788 (Madison Papers)
From your letter with respect to the Convention at B. I have been anxious to procure the Remr. of Mr. Lloyd’s debates to send to Mr. King. There were some pages more struck off, which I have obtained and cover them to you with a letter to be forwarded as before. I beg your pardon for the trouble I give & the freedom I have used. I find our Opposition were possessed of the temper of the Western...
9To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 15 February 1788 (Madison Papers)
If you thought it worth attention to publish N. 1. of the Pennsylvanian perhaps No. 2, enclosed may also be properly inserted in the same paper. The first was in Hall & Sellers’s of 6th. sent before. I wish to believe the accot. of the 11th from New York informing of the Adoption by Massachussets on 5th instant—but we wait for the Numbers, the form, the more perfect Certainty. To Morrow I...
10To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 16 January 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have obtained from the Editor about sixty pages of the debates of our State Convention, wch. I am anxious to get into the hands of Mr. King, for the use of the gentlemen in the Massachussets convention. Uncertain whether he is in New York or Boston I have taken the liberty of enclosing it to you with a request that you will as early as possible have it sent forward to him under a franked...