61To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I informed you some time since, that I had written to the Court of Appeals on the subject of the Nostra Signora da Soledade Saint Miguel e Almas, and lay’d before them the papers you sent me, the cause has since been determined in such way as I hope will be satisfactory to her...
62To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 28 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): New-York Historical Society I shd inform you that congress have discharged the commission for negotiating a treaty of commerce with great Britain & taken that burden from Mr. Adams’s Sholders—that in compt. [compliment] to the Marquis La fayette they have made him the bearer of Letter to the King of France of which I enclose a copy. That in answer to your favor of the 11th. June...
63To John Jay from Robert R. Livingston, 26 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
I can hardly my dear friend compute the time since I last heard from you, this is the fourth Letter for which you are my debtor. I extremely regret that the circumstances mentioned in my last have hitherto prevented & still prevent my seeing ^ you ^ at New York But as I persuade myself that you will not think the time ill employed that is spent in visiting the many friends you have on the...
64To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 15 May 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
15 May 1812, New York. Introduces Mr. Budd, who wishes to meet JM and has applied to Livingston for a letter of introduction. His standing in New York “both as a Gent. & a Lawyer is very respectable, & his political principles perfectly correct.” “He has not explained to me his views but I am satisfied that he has too much modesty & good sense to ask any thing that it would be improper to...
65To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 12 November 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have just now landed here after a verry boisterous passage, ’tho Havre would been more convenient to me, yet as this port accorded better with the future destination of the frigate I preferred it. I found here a Seventy four, several frigates & a number of transports with troops on board, destined for St. Domingo; they sail as soon as the wind is fair as does also a large Armament from...
66To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 1 August 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Having flattered myself that I had fallen upon a new meathod of diminishing the friction in heavy machines, I take the liberty to communicate it to you, and to beg that you would do me the favour to inform me if I have deceived myself, or made a useful discovery? Let the end of the spindle pass thro, and be strongly fixed to a peice of light wood whose solid contents should be two square feet...
67To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 12 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I congratulate your Excellency most sincerely upon the cessation of hostilities which you will learn from the enclosed proclamation—You have doubtless heard directly from Genl Carleton on this subject, so that it will not be necessary to trouble you with the substance of his letter to me—Congress will this day on my report take into consideration the propriety of discharging the prisoners &...
68To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 4 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
The favourable reception you were pleased to give to the first part of the transactions of the incorporated society for promoting agriculture arts & manufactures induces me to beg your acceptance of a vol: containing that & the second part. In this you may find some new ideas on agriculture & on the subject of luzerne more experiments than have before been published in America or Great...
69To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 12 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I was honoured with your Letter of the 5th inst. A disapointment which the printers have subjected me to has hitherto prevented my sending you a cypher my secretary is now prepared in compleating one if he can finish in time it will accompany this Letter. As one great object of Britain in carrying on only a defensive war in this country is evidently to enable them to turn more of their...
70To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 26 November 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Not knowing whether an agricultural Society is still in existence in Pennsylvania, I have chosen to adress this to you to whose Institution no useful discovery is foreign— I had heard here that the ashes of Pyrites were used as a manure, but I could meet with no satisfactory information on the subject till in a little excursion that I made lately into Flanders I was enabled to see the process...
71To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 16 November 1805 (Madison Papers)
Mr ⟨F⟩; Skipwith may probably have brought letters for me. If so I shall deem it a favor to have them sent to me at Philadelphia where I shall remain till the 23d. of this month. I saw here the new order of council relative to colonial commerce. It led me to reflect upon what you observed with respect to Russia but not only Russia but Sweden Austria & Germany are deeply interested in a change...
72To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 24 March 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have not time to write a public letter by this conveyance of which I have just heard & the post is going out. This is to convey information of a fact that excites much sensation here & will probably thro’ all Europe. A body of french troops were sent into the electorate of Bade[n] & to the castle of Ettenheim inhabited for some time past by the duke d Enghien. He with many others was...
73From James Duane, John Jay, and Robert R. Livingston to Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones, 9 June 1785 (Hamilton Papers)
At a meeting of the agents appointed by the state of New York to manage their controversy with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts —it is agreed that a general retaining fee be given to Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones Esqrs. as Counsellors and Solicitors on the part of this State that the brief already prepared together with the necessary papers be put in their hands—That they compleat the...
74To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 11 June 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Having very latly writen to you this is merely to inform you that our mutual friend Mr. Skipwith being now the father of a family is desirous of removing to Louisiana. His knowledge of the french language the religion of his family & his amiable manner fit him in a peculiar manner for conciliating the affections of the people of that country to our government, and should you distribute that...
75To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 5 February 1808 (Madison Papers)
This will be delivered by Mr. Jasper Livingston grandson of your old acquaintance Mr. Philip Livingston who died in attendance on Congress at York town, & son in law of Judge Livingston. He is established in the Island of Jamaica The office of agent for seamen being vacant by the death of Mr. Lenox, he thinks it might be of use to him in his business to have it confered upon him. As it is a...
76To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 11 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have nothing to add to my Letter of the 25th of June which you will receive by this conveyance it having been written to send by Mr. Monroe who has been detained for want of a passport ’till now. He sets off tomorrow. I have yet no answer to my Notes owing to the Consuls and Ministers absence and I presume that every thing is for the present laid aside to give place to the operations of War,...
77To John Jay from Robert R. Livingston, 10 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
A report which prevailed here of your having determined to resume the practice of the Law induced me to write to you on the subject of my suit against Hoffman. I find by yours of the 18 th Ul t . that you have not yet resolved on your plan many reasons weigh with me to fix you here, but as they may be too much influenced by my wishes I will not urge them against your acceptance of the office...
78To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 24 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; copy and transcript: National Archives I three days since did myself the honor to write to you informing you of my appointment to the secretary ship of foreign affairs & preparing you for the happy event which has since taken place. Inclosed you have the capitulation of York & Gloster town, by which a british army of about 5600 men was surrendered to...
79To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 12 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment only received your favor the 24 Feby. It lay some days in the post Office at New York, from whence it was sent to Clermont & at last followed me to Albany. I hasten to express my gratitude for your frequent attentions to me. I had determined to take upon me no new Office, but to endeavour to promote your interest, which I believed to be intimatly connected with that of my...
80To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 25 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society Not knowing when it may be convenient for Mr Bingham to deliver this I confine myself merely to introduce him to your acquaintance— I am persuaded I need not, as his character is known to you to bespeak your civilities for him. It may however be prudent if, (as he proposes) Mrs Bingham should accompany him to...
81To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 12 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
We have been honored by your favors of the 18th April & the 28th May, as they both relate to measures that might lead to the accomplishment of the Treaty which was executed previous to their arrival no remarks upon them are necessary Except that one idea is held out in the last that Britain interested herself in preventing the possession of Louisiana by France. The fact is that she was totally...
82To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 29 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I avail myself of Mr. DeLaBegarre’s going to Washington to send you the teeth found in the western part of this state, drawings of which, I had before done myself the honor to transmit to you. May they not have belonged to the hippopotamus? The front teeth of that animal in the lower jaw being described “as projecting, furrowed & pointed, & as formed rather to tear than cut.” Fab: Columna ....
83To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 4 September 1804 (Madison Papers)
Since my last Mr d’Oubril has received an answer to the Note of the Emperor of Russia; this answer not only refuses all Satisfaction on the points raised by him, But recriminates in Strong terms & charges Alexander with having himself violated the Convention between the nations, in giving protection to the ennemies of France, & in taking possession of the Grecian Isles &c. In consequence of...
84To John Jay from Robert R. Livingston, 8 October 1778 (Jay Papers)
I should have been with you some days ago but for a continued fever with very short intermissions accompanied with violent sickness at the stomach & headache which totally unfit me for business & oblige me to spend one third of the day in bed— I yesterday had a consultation with the two Jones’s & Doc r . Cooper, they agree in orders: regular diet, & exercise, & a suspension of all business...
85To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 10 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 29th Apl with which I was honoured having reached ClerMont the day I left it for this place It was not in my power to return an earlier answer consistant with the deliberation which its importance merrited. Tho nothing could be more flattering to me than to be the means under your favourable auspices & instructions of cementing the union between France & America countries...
86To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 11 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I delayed an s wering your last favor in the expectation that we should receive some inteligence from Europe that it would give me pleasure to comminicate A ship arrived Last night from Holland she brings letters from Mr Adams but nothing which looks like a speedy termination of the war the negotiations still continue, Mr Jay & Mr Genvile remain in France tho’ I am much inclined to think from...
87To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 13 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
At Philadelphia Mr: Latrobe and Mr: Rosevelt shewed me proposals that they were about submitting to your inspection and consideration relative to the mint and requested me to state to you my opinion thereon it is certain that the Coin we now make is very imperfect & that the manner of Coining is more expensive than that they proposed if we must Coin (which by the by I have always Considered as...
88To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 30 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honoured with your favor of the 23d, & should think myself doubly happy in continuing this correspondence if in addition to the pleasure it affords me, it can be rendered useful to your Excellency. The contents of the Marquis De Lafayettes Letter to you, are so similar to what he writes me, that I can give you nothing new from that source. Tho’ I have the pleasure of assuring...
89To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 8 January 1808 (Madison Papers)
Presuming that you will have some means of keeping open the intercourse with Genl. Armstrong, & being very anxious to inform my children in France of the necessity there is for their immediate return, I take the liberty to inclose a letter to my sister, covering one to my daughter, which I pray you to have the goodness to send with your dispatches. I should not have taken the liberty to...
90To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, [4 June 1801] (Jefferson Papers)
The Chancellor Livingston has read with great pleasure the observations of the president on neutral rights—Mr. Livingston is perfectly satisfied that they are founded in reason & justice, & should as such form the Law of nations, for nothing is more absurd than that the quarels of others shd affect the right of peaceable nations—The extention which their adoption would give to the commerce of...