51From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 19 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I now return you the papers reserved from the last post. our regular answer to mr Livingston may well be that the Attorney General having given an official opinion that the right to the batture is in the US. and the matter being now referred to Congress, it is our duty to keep the grounds clear of any adversary possession until the legislature shall decide on it. I have carefully read mr....
52From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Notes on the British claims in the Missipi territory. 1803. Mar. 3. act of Congress gave to Mar. 31. 1804 to exhibit their claims or grants 1804. Mar. 27 do. gave to Nov. 30. 1804. & allowed transcripts instead of originals Etc. 1805. Mar. 2. do. gave to Dec. 1. 1805 to file their grants. & in fact to Jan. 1. 1807. time when the sale might begin. 1807. Dec. 15. the British claimants...
53From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 5 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
We did not collect the sense of our brethren the other day by regular questions, but as far as I could understand from what was said it appeared to be 1. that an acknolegement of our right to the Perdido is a sine quo non, and no price to be given for it. 2. no absolute & perpetual relinquishment of right is to be made of the country East of the Rio bravo del Norte, even in exchange for...
54From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
In conversation with mr Gallatin yesterday as to what might be deemed the result of our Tuesday’s conferences, he seemed to have understood the former opinion as not changed, to wit that for the Floridas East of Perdido might be given not only the 2. millions of dollars and a margin to remain unsettled, but an absolute relinquishment from the North river to the bay of St. Bernard and Colorado...
55From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 20th. came to hand last night. I sincerely regret that mrs Madison is not likely to be able to come on so soon as had been hoped. the probability of an extensive war on the continent of Europe strengthening every day for some time past, is now almost certain. this gives us our great desideratum, time. in truth it places us quite at our ease. we are certain of one year of...
56To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
I now return you the papers forwarded by the merchants of Philadelphia and Boston on the subject of the wrongs they complain of at Buenos Ayres. I observe that they have not gone into a developement of the subject. Two or three cases are opened with some degree of detail; as to the rest we have only a list of the ships for which our interference is claimed. But in cases where a hair’s breadth...
57To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1801 (Madison Papers)
I shall be with you on the 25th. unless health or weather prevent. But if you propose leaving home sooner for Washington, do not let my coming prevent you. Only, in that case, if convenient, lodge word at Gordon’s, or write me by next post, that you will be gone; as I should then wish to lengthen my day’s journey. I have not been able to look yet into my newspapers, but I presume yours contain...
58From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 12 [i.e. 13] August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The post having made it night before his arrival yesterday and my mail extraordinarily voluminous, I have been able to read & now return you the inclosed papers only. mr Livingston’s shall come by the next mail. I do not like this mistake of Capt Mc.Niel’s, and fear it will be very embarrassing. other dispatches oblige me to close here with assurances of my affectionate esteem & respect. PrC (...
59From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 20. & 21. were recieved yesterday. I have sent on the letter to Turreau without alteration. it was as little as either the stile or matter of his letter deserved. I shall be with you probably on Wednesday. mr Barlow stays with us till then, & returns at the same time. The bearer is mr Chisolm the bricklayer who wished to see you before your departure. Dinsmore has suggested a...
60To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 29 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
By the last post I recieved & forwarded your letter to Duane, in which there was nothing but what was safe and proper. Duane is honest, & well intentioned, but over zealous. These qualities harmonise with him a great portion of the republican body. He deserves therefore all the just & favorable attentions which can properly be shewn him. By the same post I recieve from the collector of Norfolk...
61To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 14 April 1807 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Rodney not being at Washington I send you the inclosed because it requires to be acted on immediately. I remember it was concluded that witnesses who should be brought from great distances, and carried from one scene of trial to another must have a reasonable allowance made for their expences & the money advanced. I expect it will be thought proper that the witnesses proving White’s...
62To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1808 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 17th. came to hand yesterday. I wrote to Mr. Gallatin that the principle to govern our indulgencies of vessels to foreign ministers, was that it was fair to let them send home all their subjects caught here by the embargo & having no other means of getting home, proportioning the tonnage permitted to the number of persons according to the rules in the transport service; and that...
63From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 10 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours by yesterday’s post is recieved. the letter to Higginson & others is entirely approved, and is sealed & forwarded to mr Brent. the Consulate at Nantes must be disposed of according to our former arrangement. I do not know whether the mr Lynch recommended is the one who was living at Nantes when I was in France, or his son. of that one there is something not favourable resting in my mind,...
64To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, [29 December] 1801 (Madison Papers)
To compleat the roll of governmental officers on the plan inclosed will give the departments some serious trouble: however it is so importan⟨t⟩ to present to the eye of all the constituted authorities, as well as of their constituents, & to keep under their eye, the true extent of the machine of government, that I cannot but recommend to the heads of departments to endeavor to fill up, each,...
65To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 11 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
I pray you to peruse & consider the inclosed letter of Governor Cabell and my answer, and to exercise over the latter the same discretion I have confided to Genl. Dearborne; returning it to me for any material correction, or forwarding it to the General if you think it will do, and by the same post, as it goes so circuitously. I suspect your difficulty with the mail lock proceeded as it did at...
66To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 March 1801 (Madison Papers)
I am still here. Three refusals of the Naval Secretaryship have been re[c]ieved, and I am afraid of recieving a 4th. this evening from mr. Jones of Phila. In that case Genl. Smith has agreed to take it pro tempore, so as to give me time; and I hope the moment it is in either his or Jones’s hands, to get away; but this may be yet three four or five days. Lincoln is doing the duties of your...
67To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 24 May 1802 (Madison Papers)
Our postrider having mistaken his day, brought us no mail on Thursday last. Yesterday I recieved a double one. In it were the inclosed letters. Those from Dupont & Granger are forwarded for your perusal, and I will recieve them again when I see you at your own house. The one from Dallas to yourself on Jackson’s case I recieved from mr. Brent: the recommendation of the Attorney of the district,...
68To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 19 August 1804 (Madison Papers)
In a conversation with mr. Granger not long before we left Washington he mentioned that he was about to establish a post line from Natchez to New Orleans, and must place an office at Baton rouge. I told him that that should have good previous consideration in the present jealous state of the Spanish officers; that perhaps they might even stop our mail carrier. I heard no more of it till last...
69To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 14 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
The following Commissions to be made out. Lemuel Trescott of Massachusets Collector of the district, & Inspector of the revenue for the port of Machias. Jonathan Palmer of Connecticut Surveyor of the port of Stonington, & Inspector of the revenue for the same. John Vemor junr. Surveyor of the port of Albany & Inspector of the revenue for the same. Robert Cockran of N. Carolina Collector for...
70From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s by the last post was recieved yesterday, and I now return Monroe’s letters. that Armstrong should be returning so suddenly & without notice is quite an impossibility. any other hypothesis for his journey to Amsterdam would be more probable. I send you a letter from Pierpoint Edwards respecting Swartwout: his testimony against him cannot be suspected, considering their mutual relation to...
71From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 2 September 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 30th. I recieved yesterday, and now return the papers from Cathcart, Sullivan, De Ponceau, Ramage, Barnet, Merry, & that concerning Lewis. in a former letter I had suggested to you the waiting to arrest Lewis in some other state (for I believe that such an offence may be tried any where) but considering the change of the Marshall it is possible a fair jury may be obtained now in...
72From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 14 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed reclamations of Girod & Chote against the claims of Bapstropp to a monopoly of the Indian commerce supposed to be under the protection of the 3d article of the Louisiana convention, as well as some other claims to abusive grants, will probably force us to meet that question. the article has been worded with remarkeable caution on the part of our negociators. it is that the...
73To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 9 May 1801 (Madison Papers)
A person of the name of Thompson, of Amherst county in Virginia has asked my interference for the recovery of his son John Thompson understood to be impressed on board the Squirrel a British vessel of war. The inclosed letter gave him the first information he has recieved from him for some time past, for so long a time indeed that he had apprehended he was dead. He thinks the letter not...
74From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you the papers on Clarke’s claim, which indeed I have not considered with all the attention which should be done were this an ultimate decision but my first impression is that the claim ought to be rejected. It is clearly a claim for money, not for land. The Commrs. of N.Y. were constituted a special court of justice to distribute the 30,000. D. of Vermont according to right, & they...
75From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I now return you the letters of mr Pichon, and of Jones; also those of Van Polanen & Thos. Sumter . the letter to be written to Van Polanen should be so friendly as to remove all doubt from the Batavian government that our suppression of that mission proceeds from any other motive than of domestic arrangement & economy. —I inclose you a draught of a letter to the emperor of Marocco, which make...
76To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 14 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed reclamations of Girod & Chote against the claims of Bapstropp to a monopoly of the Indian commerce supposed to be under the protection of the 3d article of the Louisiana convention, as well as some other claims to abusive grants, will probably force us to meet that question. The article has been worded with remarkeable caution on the part of our negociators. It is that the...
77To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 20 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
I observe a great number of contracts for carrying the mails are advertised to be made within a short time hence, & for 4. years. I suppose the principal reason for making such long contracts is the trouble which would be so often recurring to the post office, if they were shorter. This should have it’s just weight: but it may be doubted whether contracts for so long a time as 4. years do not...
78To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 9 August 1808 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 7th. was recieved yesterday, but the post was so late, and arriving with his portmanteau open threw me into great alarm, as I expected a large sum of money in the mail. I was relieved by finding it safe. I return you Pinckney’s, Joy’s, Claiborne’s, Foronda’s and Bailey’s letters. Would it not be worth while to send Erskine a copy of Bailey’s letter, to observe to him that this...
79From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 12 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 10th. came to hand yesterday & I return you Foronda’s, Tufts, Soderstrom’s & Turreau’s letters. I think it is become necessary to let Turreau understand explicitly that the vessels we permit foreign ministers to send away are merely transports for the conveyance of such of their subjects as were here at the time of the embargo, that the numbers must be proportioned to the vessels...
80To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 5 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
We did not collect the sense of our brethren the other day by regular questions, but as far as I could understand from what was said it appeared to be 1. that an acknolegement of our right to the Perdido is a sine quo non, and no price to be given for it. 2. no absolute & perpetual relinquishment of right is to be made of the country East of the Rio bravo del Norte, even in exchange for...