1To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 22 March 1802 (Madison Papers)
Since I had the pleasure of seeing you in Washington I have heard a variety of reports concerning Luisiana on the subject of which I did not think it proper to trouble you, but having been assured by Mr Duane two days since that the Province was unquestionably ceded to the U. S. and that he had received his information from a Source on which he could place the utmost reliance, and the Aurora...
2To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 9 April 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
9 April 1802, Philadelphia. “Business of a private Nature requiring my presence in New Orleans I am induced to freight a small Vessel for the sake of dispatch and will leave this City on Sunday the Seventeenth inst. to proceed there direct. I think it incumbent on me to give you information of my resolution as soon as taken, that you may have an opportunity of forwarding any instructions you...
3To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 20 April 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 April 1802, Philadelphia. “I have received your Letter of the 18th. ulto. [not found] with the Commission inclosed in it, and in consequence of your directions transmit you the Bond required for the performance of my duty as Consul. Immediately after my arrival at New Orleans I shall have the Honor of addressing you on the Subjects recommended to me and will exert myself to the utmost to be...
4To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 22 June 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 June 1802, New Orleans. Informs JM of the state of affairs in Louisiana “in compliance with your direction, to point out such objects as would require the interference of our Government, with this of Spain, to ascertain our rights, and procure redress, and at the same time to have your instructions to regulate my own conduct.” Notes that JM is already aware of “the disagreable predicament...
5To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 16 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
A Business of very considerable importance calls me suddenly to England, for which I shall embark immediately. I had not an Opportunity to advise you of my intention of leaving Orleans before I sailed for this Place where I have been but a few days. The Situation of affairs in Luisiana is such that my presence except as an influential private Character can be of no service to my Country, the...
6To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 25 November 1802 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 25 November 1802. Mentioned in Wagner’s docket on verso of a 22 Nov. 1802 letter to Clark from André Burthe d’Annelet, French adjutant general (DNA: RG 59, CD, New Orleans, vol. 1).
7To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 23 December 1802 (Madison Papers)
At the very moment of departure I have received a Letter from Paris advising, that Genl. Victor the Capt. General of Louisiana with his Etat Major, Monsr. J. J. Ayme the Commissaire de Justice with all the other officers of the new Administration of that Country, had set off about the 11th. Inst. for Holland to embark for New Orleans without delay. The Prefect had departed 2 or 3 days before...
8To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 8 March 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
8 March 1803, New Orleans. “I arrived here from Europe on the night of the 25th. ulto. and was sensibly hurt tho’ by no means surprised at the Steps taken by the Intendant in my absence, and which cause an incalculable injury to the Trade of the Western Country. In the last Letter I had the Honor of writing to you from hence I pointed out what he had then done in violation of the Treaty, his...
9To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 12 March 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
12 March 1803, New Orleans. “I have learned from the Secretary of the Province Dn Andres Lopez Armesto that the Letters received by the Schooner Cordelia from Monsr. Pichon contained a very strong recommendation to place matters respecting the Deposit on the former footing, but no alteration will be made, till advices are received from Court, as it is always the Custom here when any measure is...
10To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 24 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
I came to this place two days since to confer with the Governor of the Territory & Genl. Wilkinson on the approaching Changes in Louisiana & to communicate to them such intelligence as I had procured of the views of the French with respect to us. On my way up I met a Doctor Watkins formerly of Kentucky now of St. Louis at the Ilinois who returned last Year to the U. S from France where as well...
11To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 27 April 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
27 April 1803, New Orleans. Since his last letter the French prefect has arrived with his family, the adjutant general, and an engineer, “who are all busily employed in making preparations to receive the Capt General & the Troops.” A French ship has arrived from Dunkirk with military stores. “The Proclamation issued by the Prefect the very Evening of his arrival, has I know been forwarded to...
12To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 3 May 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 May 1803, New Orleans. Encloses a copy of his letter to Claiborne respecting Villiers’s mission among the Creeks. “There is nothing more remarkable here since my last.” RC and enclosure ( DNA : RG 59, CD , New Orleans, vol. 1). RC 1 p. For enclosure, see n. 1. Clark enclosed a copy of a 3 May 1803 letter to Claiborne (1 p.; marked “Confidential”), reporting that Louis de Villiers had told...
13To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 13 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
The Marquis de Casa Calvo who is one of the Commissioners named for delivering up this Colony to the French arrived here the 10th. Inst. I have learned from him that Spain does not intend putting France in possession of any thing East of the Mississippi but the Island of Orleans, so that the Strip of territory included between the Ibberville & the 31st. degree of Latitude will be for the...
14To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 14 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have this Morning seen the Papers mentioned in my Letter of Yesterday, they are positive not to deliver any thing more to France than what was possessed by Spain East of the Mississippi, when Great Britain possessed West Florida, it not being as the Minister expresses himself, his Majesties intention to surrender to the French any Country that was not received of them, and by all means to...
15To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 17 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor of receiving this morning at 11 OClock by an express from Governor Claiborne of the Mississippi Territory Your letter of the 19th ulto., accompanying the orders for the immediate restoration of the Deposit addressed to the Governor & Intendant of this province which were instantly delivered, and such immediate attention was paid to them, that at two in the afternoon various...
16To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 1 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
Having met the Prefect on the 29th. ulto. at a dinner given by the Marquis de Casa Calvo, he spoke to me respecting the Brig Hiram now on her way to Loftus’s heights with military Stores and after expressing the greatest dissatisfaction at her arrival in the River, he insisted that it was contrary to that Bienseance observed between European Nations to send them at the present Moment, & if...
17To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 2 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
On the restoration of the deposit I made a second application to the Intendant respecting the navigation of the Mobille River without success, and then encouraged an Individual who had considerable dealings there to petition for leave to bring away Produce to the amount of his debts, well knowing that a departure from the rule established in one case, would be speedily followed by others until...
18To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 20 June 1803 (Madison Papers)
Your Letter of the 4th. April with its inclosure from Monsr. Pichon to the Colonial Prefect of Louisiana reached me on the 4th. Inst. and was handed immediately to him according to your desire. It is a fortunate circumstance that the affair of the deposit was settled without any interposition on his part, as he would not have failed to make a bad use of it, if we may judge either from his...
19To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 1 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
The Government of this Country has discover’d that a demand has been made by the Colonial Prefect of Troops from St. Domingo to put him in possession, and entertains fears that they may shortly arrive. This intelligence was communicated to me with a wish that you should be informed of it, as it is supposed that such a measure must be productive of injury to our Government. The Spanish Officers...
20To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 16 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor of receiving a few days since your Circular of the 9th. April. The necessity the Captains of our merchant men are now laid under of delivering their Papers to the Consul or Vice Consul on arrival will enable us to forward you in future the semiannual return of American shipping frequenting the Port which heretofore it was not possible to procure with any degree of certainty, as...
21To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 21 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you a Copy of a Letter I have just had an Opportunity of forwarding to our Consul General in Paris, and accompanied it with some notes chiefly respecting the Population, Commerce & Boundaries of this Country thinking that they might be of some use in the Present Circumstances. It is generally supposed here that the War between England & France must put an end to all idea of the...
22To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 26 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
I herewith take the Liberty of inclosing to you a Copy of some memorandums respecting this Country which I had an Opportunity of forwarding to our Consul General in Paris as advised in my last. What respects the Western Boundaries of this Country and the respective Ideas of the French & spanish Governments on that head may be new to you and necessary to be informed of, in case of success in...
23To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 12 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have been honored with your Letter of the 6th. ulto. and feel the sincerest joy on the accomplishment of an object so dear to the Heart of every American. This important Cession will insure the safety & Prosperity of our Western Country, and I request you will accept my sincere Congratulations on so great an Event. I am now preparing in addition to the remarks lately forwarded you respecting...
24To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 17 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
I received by last Post a Letter from Governor Claiborne in which he asked for information respecting the Boundaries & population of Louisiana and supposing that he meant to communicate the result of his enquiries to you I have taken pains to obtain the best official statements which I now forward. By the Census of 1785 and a Comparison with that of the present Year you will see the increase...
25To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 18 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
Your Letter of the 20th. ulto. came to hand this Evening. I shall in every thing as far as I am able endeavor to fulfill your Wishes, and regret that the immediate return of the Post prevents my replying to some of the subjects mentioned in it, which I will take an immediate opportunity of doing. I flatter myself you will excuse the hasty & inaccurate manner in which the duplicate of the...
26To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 20 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
In the Census which I had the honor of transmitting under date of the 17th. Inst., you will find the district of Atacapas rated at 1447 Persons including Slaves, and I took the Liberty of mentioning my idea of the incorrectness of the Statement in general which I believed under rated considerably. An enumeration has been lately taken and just received here Copy of which is inclosed and by...
27To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 26 August 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor of inclosing to you for the information of the President, answers to such of the Queries forwarded me as I could for the present reply to. I have not observed the order in which they were put, as some will require further time to obtain information on, and others tho’ not difficult to ascertain in the gross, cannot now be inserted on account of the details with which it will...
28To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 8 September 1803 (Madison Papers)
In Consequence of information that some Frenchmen lately arrived here were fitting out a Privateer, which under pretence of Cruizing against the English was intended to prey on the Commerce of the U. States and Capture without distinction all American Vessels Sailing from this port for an infringement of the Revanue Laws of the Country, as most of them really do by taking on board with the...
29To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 8 September 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
8 September 1803, New Orleans . Encloses answers to the president’s queries, except the eighth. Hopes to send this last “by next Week’s Post,” after obtaining further information. Has been delayed by the “difficulty of obtaining official details, of comparing, translating and afterwards arranging” the material. Was forced to obtain the information “piece meal” and to translate it himself,...
30To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 22 September 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 September 1803, New Orleans . Encloses a copy of a letter from Governor Claiborne of the Mississippi Territory “on the subject of Locations in the district of Concord opposite to Natchez” and his answer, which he forwards so that JM “may be apprised of the attempts making to obtain possession of Lands in that Quarter.” RC and enclosures ( DNA : RG 59, CD , New Orleans, vol. 1). RC 1 p. For...