1To John Adams from William Jones, 13 April 1813 (Adams Papers)
I am honored with yours of the 5th. Instant and the President had put into my hands your letter to him on the same subject. Well may you Sir feel a consious pride in recognizing in the hero’s who adorn our Navy, the youthful midshipmen of your own creation. I assure you Sir that nothing but my inability to comply with your wishes in respect to young Marston could for a moment withhold the...
2To Benjamin Franklin from John Paradise and William Jones, 20 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VIII , 366n. Mr. Paradise and Mr. Jones present their best respects to Dr. Franklin. They are just arrived at Paris; and, as they were desired by their worthy friends, Dr. Price and Dr. Priestley, to deliver to him their publications, they have left the books and letters at Passy, where they propose...
3To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones, 28 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Jones presents his best respects to Dr. Franklin. Since I had the honour of seeing you last, I amused myself with the enclosed translation of a curious fragment of Polybius; which, as it may possibly afford you also some little amusement, I take the liberty of sending to you. It will be both an honour and pleasure to Mr. Paradise and myself to be charged...
4To Benjamin Franklin from John Paradise and William Jones, 1 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Paradise and Mr. Jones present their best respects to Dr. Franklin. Being informed that the King’s passport was absolutely necessary for them to go out of France, they sent to Versailles for that purpose, and have just received the enclosed answer. May they trouble his Excellency to insert in his passport what they seem to want namely, that Mr. Paradise...
5To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones, 17 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Do me the honour to accept the enclosed pieces of poetry, the fruit of a few idle hours: they contain sentiments, which, I trust, you will approve. Your excellent notes on Foster I received, and give you my warmest thanks for them. A few weeks ago I wrote a long letter to you, enclosing one from an amiable young lady, whose venerable father and agreeable...
6To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones, 5 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I had the pleasure yesterday of receiving your message contained in your letter to an amiable young lady. The translation, which you mention, I will do my best to procure, and will send it by the first opportunity. By the word repeat , which you use, I fear you had honoured me with a letter, which I have not received: this I should think a heavy loss, as...
7To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones and John Paradise, 15 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library Mr. Paradise and Mr. Jones present their grateful respects to their inestimable friend Dr. Franklin, and beg leave to trouble him with the enclosed letter for Aleppo by the way of Marseilles, requesting him at the same time, if he has not had leisure to write the letters, with which he kindly intended to favour them, to send them by the post directed to...
8To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones, 5 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We have been here above a fortnight, but I am sorry to find that there will not be a good opportunity of embarking for America till the beginning of next month, if so soon. I have been on board all the ships here, that are bound for the land of virtue and liberty , and have given the preference in my own mind to the Annette , which will sail in about 5...
9To Benjamin Franklin from William Jones, 15 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I should have hastened, if an earlier opportunity had presented itself, to impart to you a piece of intelligence, which, I flatter myself, will give you pleasure. My profile will, I hope, have the honour of being hung up in your apartment with those of a family, whom you love and revere, and by whom you are loved and revered with the greatest cordiality. My...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Cain, Mark Collins, and William Jones, 9 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: American Philosophical Society; copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine We take The Liberty To address your Excellency on a Subject extremely interesting to us & many other persons concern’d in The Trade between This kingdom & The united states of america, The extention or diminution of which we will venture To Say depends...
11To James Madison from William Jones, 2 May 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
2 May 1801, Philadelphia. In compliance with request of the subscribers to enclosed recommendation, adds his endorsement of William E. Hũlings for consulate at New Orleans. Hũlings is qualified by experience, political views, “and his mercantile and moral character … for the appointment.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, LAR , 1801–9). Docketed by JM: “Hulings Wm. E. recomd. for Consul at New Orleans by Wm....
12To James Madison from William Jones, 9 May 1801 (Madison Papers)
Jacob Mayer Esquire late Consul at Cape Francois for whom I have now the pleasure of addressing you, will visit the seat of government for the purpose of communicating with the administration on the subject of our affairs in that quarter. His long residence and intimate knowledge of the official transactions in that Island will enable him to develope the measures which have been pursued and to...
13To James Madison from William Jones, 6 July 1801 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 6 July 1801. Acknowledged in JM to Jones, 13 July 1801 . Encloses memorial from Mr. Torey on appointing a consul at St. Petersburg.
14To James Madison from William Jones, 22 July 1801 (Madison Papers)
Mr Chandler Price a respectable merchant of this City, with whom a friendly intercourse of many years has matured my particular esteem, has occasion to address you on the subject of the lawless depredations of British Cruizers on his property, by which he has sustained material loss and injury. Mr Price has requested a letter from me to accompany his communication, and I can assure you he is...
15To James Madison from William Jones, 6 October 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 October 1801, Philadelphia. Introduces Robert Ritchie, U.S. consul at Port Républicain, whose private concerns have caused him to return briefly to Philadelphia. RC ( ViU ). 1 p. Cover marked by Jones: “Mr. Ritchie.”
16To James Madison from William Jones, 22 April 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 April 1802, Philadelphia. Writes on behalf of some of his mercantile friends of Philadelphia who wish to recommend Isaac Cushing, “a citizen of the United States and resident merchant and partner in a very respectable House in Marseilles,” for the office of commercial agent at that city. Notes that because Cathalan is a French citizen, his “holding of the office of a foreign Consulate … is...
17To James Madison from William Jones, 23 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed letter I received in Augt. last and intending to visit the seat of government before my departure again for Canton I reserved its contents for the subject of a personal communication, and during my short stay at Washington called twice at the office of the department for the purpose, but your momentary absence and my private engagements deprived me of the pleasure of an interview....
18To James Madison from William Jones, January 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ From William Jones. January 1806. “The value and importance of the commerce of the united states with the port of Canton in China—the casualties to which our countrymen navigating those remote regions are frequently exposed, and the deep interest we have in that trade, we trust will sanction the representation we are about to mak⟨e⟩ on the subject of the commercial agency of our Government...
19To James Madison from William Jones, 11 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed circular is I believe the only one of the kind received here this day and as none of our papers have published it although it was here before noon, I deemed it of some importance to put it in your possession as soon as possible. I know not whether the translation be correct, but it appears to me necessary to enclose in a parenthesis the words “the vessels taken or detained before...
20To James Madison from William Jones, 21 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
As information from respectable private sources may in the absence of Official intelligence serve to throw some light upon the equivocal policy of france in her professed cessation from the violation of our neutral commerce, I take the liberty of enclosing an extract from a letter recd by a gentleman in this city, by the Osmin lately arrived here from Rochelle, which letter was not delivered...
21To James Madison from William Jones and Others, 30 April 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 April 1812, Philadelphia. Recommend John Dayton, merchant of Philadelphia, for the position of consul at a “Port in South America.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, LAR , 1809–17, filed under “Dayton”). 1 p. Signed by Jones and twenty others, including Clement Biddle, George Latimer, Henry Pratt, and Robert Patton.
22To James Madison from William Jones, 22 May 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 May 1812, Philadelphia. Transmits the proceedings of a meeting of the citizens of the first congressional district of Pennsylvania held in the statehouse square on 20 May. Assures JM that the “enclosed address and resolutions were adopted with the utmost unanimity zeal and determination.” 20 May 1812, Philadelphia. “The friends of the United States and of their Constituted authorities, …...
23To James Madison from William Jones, 22 July 1812 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a Resolution of the General Assembly of this State pass’d on the 8th Inst and in conformity therewith permit me to request your Excellency to give orders to the proper officer to furnish me with two thousand stand of arms & six pair of Field peices vizt two pair of six pounders & four pair of four pounders with such quantities of ammunition &c for...
24To James Madison from William Jones, 22 August 1812 (Madison Papers)
Upon a presumption that my letter of July 22d must have miscarried I now do myself the honor to forward you a Copy thereof, observing to your Excellency that a supply of Arms &c &c as a part for which an Annual appropriation was made by Act of Congress April 2d 1808 is highly necessary, the reception of which would be highly gratifying to the State & very pleasing to me. I have the honor to be...
25To James Madison from William Jones, 28 September 1812 (Madison Papers)
As it is possible my letters of July 22d & of August 22d may not have reached your Excellency, I am advised by the Council of War of this State to forward a triplicate & to inform your Excellency that in consequence of an Alarm by the appearance of three British Frigates near point Judith on the 13th Inst the Citezens of the Island of Rhode Island with a promptness that does them very great...
26To James Madison from William Jones, 14 January 1813 (Madison Papers)
I am honored with your letter of the 12th Inst enclosing my Commission as Secretary of the Navy for which mark of your confidence I pray you to accept my sencere acknowledgements. Having seen my nomination in the public prints I had given to the subject the consideration due to so weighty and important a trust, and although I feel the full force of the responsibility proposed to be vested in...
27To James Madison from William Jones, 10 February 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to lay before You, the proceedings of a Court Martial, held at Fort Norfolk, on the 1. aug: 1812—with the sentence of Death, pronounced by said Court, upon George Allen, a private of marines. And a reference to a similar sentence, by another Court Martial upon … Potts a private of Marines the proceedings of which, are not to be found, either in the War or Navy Departments; but...
28To James Madison from William Jones, 19 February 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have this instant received a hand Bill from the press of the Wilmington Del. Watchman enclosed to me by the Collector of that place announcing circumstantially the capture and destruction of the Java (a British Frigate Mounting 49 Guns) by the Constitution Commodore Bainbridge off the coast of Brazil. The Java was bound out to Bombay with Lieutenant Genl Hislop and other officers onboard. 60...
29To James Madison from William Jones, 26 February 1813 (Madison Papers)
The existing instructions from this Department rendering the Naval Commanders on certain stations subordinate and obedient to the Military Commanders is in my judgement fraught with consequences extremely injurious to the service and to the public interest. The first direct effect is that officers of talent character and spirit will not submit to the degradation and will decline or resign. The...
30To James Madison from William Jones, 27 March 1813 (Madison Papers)
You will perceive by the enclosed letters that the note you sent for my perusal was written under a mistaken idea that the firing of the British Barges on the schooners captured in the mouth of James River was an action between our Gun Boats & the enemy Frigate. I am satisfied that the object of an attempt to ascend James River is solely with a view to draw the Gun Boats from Norfolk. I shall...