101Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 29 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your very obliging & kind letter was received by Mrs. Latrobe yesterday, & I had also your commands on business which I beg leave to answer concisely today & to write more at large tomorrow. Your directions as to the liveries shall be obeyed. The patterns of colors on Glass met with an accident. They were broken & shall be sent on, repainted , tomorrow. The sketch of the Chariot in my letter...
102Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 21 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 19th. has just been received. Permit me in the first place to thank You for the excellent political News which concludes it. The interruption of the friendly intercourse thus restored, has cost you individually many an odd dollar extraordinary. For instance: I could not find in the whole city among the merchants a Yard of cloth fit to line your carriage, & have at last been...
103Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 7 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I am here & expected to have been tomorrow in Washington. It is however necessary, I find that I should see Mr Finlay, who is making the Chairs & Sofas for your Drawing room in his Shop, & therefore I shall stay tomorrow & arrive in the city on Tuesday. Your Chariot is in great forwardness, & will be one of the handsomest things Philadelphia has produced. The Coachee has its last Coat of paint...
104To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
The expenditure of the office of the Surveyor of the Public buildings prior to the death of the late clerk of the works were as follows: Salary of the Clerk of the Works, Pr Annum $1.400 Office and house rent, from 150 to 250, say 200 A Subordinate clerk appointed at the commencement of the Year 1808 being found absolutely necessary at 1.25 pr Day, say 300 days in each Year } 375 Total...
105To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 29 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to lay before you an account of the expenditure of 5.000$, advanced to me on account of the furniture of the President’s house. It will appear from the account itself that some of the payment have been made only on account of Claims. The Vouchers therefore being incomplete, untill the whole accounts shall have been liquidated, it has not be[en] possible to settle thus far the...
106Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 4 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
I am more mortified than I can express at the conduct of the Coach-maker, I have had the misfortune to employ in your service, in furnishing to you a Carriage, which even before it has been used is discovered to be so extremely faulty. I am the more irritated and disappointed, as he has in every other instance in which I have employed or recommended him, done himself so much credit, as to have...
107To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg the favor of your instructions on the enclosed letter from the Seedsman of whom I procured your Seeds. I will wait upon you tomorrow to receive them. The appropriations of last Session for the objects committed to my care, are 15.000$ — for finishing & furnishing the Senate Chamber. 1.600$ . for discharging sundry accts. & fitting up the temporary Chamber 16.600 On both these appropns....
108To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having been for the last four days in Baltimore I did not receive the enclosed letters till my return. In answer I have written to Mr. Harvie, that, you certainly could not now take the Chariot , but that I should more fully explain myself to him in a few days. Mr. Patton’s letter I have merely acknowledged, and supposed that he would hear from yourself in a short time. In my last letter to...
109Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 28 August 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have packed up & sent to Richmond to be forwarded to Monticello a box containing the Model of the Capital of the Columns of the lower Vestibule of the Senatorial apartments of the North Wing of the Capitol; which is composed of Ears of Maize. On a short frustum raising it about 4 feet from the Ground it may serve for a Dial stand, and should you appropriate it to that use I will forward to...
110To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of reporting to you the present State of the public buildings, a practice which I conceived it to be my duty to pursue, once a month, during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, & which you will, I doubt not, receive as a proof of my respect, & attention to the trust you have committed to me. During your very short visit to this city, I did myself twice the honor of waiting upon...
111Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
Immediately after your departure I went to the President’s house in order to forward every part of the work which it was necessary to compleat before your return. I was however stopped in my intentions untill it could be ascertained whether the building fund would afford to pay for these operations. After this was ascertained, in order to strengthen the fund, I bought the two Chimney pieces...
112To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to submit to you the following sketch of expenditures on the furniture of the President’s house. The detail of the principal articles comprised in the first item, has been submitted to You, & I do not therefore occupy your time by repeating the same. Amount of payments on accts. fully settled, 8.575.59 Monies placed in the hands of Mr Deblois & expended for minor articles of...
113To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 December 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 December 1809, Washington. Gives details on construction and repairs of the Capitol wings, President’s House, and adjacent roads. Progress on the south wing of the Capitol has been steady, with two capitals finished in the House of Representatives chamber and eight more in advanced stages of completion. A severe hailstorm in June broke “almost all the glass on the south front,” and...
114To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
The alterations which you have been pleased to make in the report submitted to you by me, will be attended to, and fair copies one for the Senate, another for the House of Representatives will be transmitted to You on Monday morning. These copies it has been usual with the late President to send to the house of Congress by a Message. In respect to the more detailed Specification of the...
115To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 January 1810 (Madison Papers)
In the original design of the senate chamber submitted to and approved by the late President, it was intended to place a range of seats along the semicircular wall of the room for the accomodation of members of the house of Representatives. This design was in the progress of execution during the summer session, and was observed and remarked upon by several members of the Senate. The result of...
116To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 July 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 July 1810, Washington. Expresses views about that part of the law appropriating $20,000 for public buildings which relates to the “fireproofs” to be erected in the public building west of the President’s House. Observes that the only security that can be attained in safeguarding records from fire is against “fire from without,” since it is evident that in the case of “persons using the...
117To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1810 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 24 July 1810. Calendared as a two-page letter in the lists probably kept by Peter Force (DLC, series 7, container 2).
118To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 September 1810 (Madison Papers)
It is my duty to take up so much of your time, as is necessary to inform you of the progress of the public business under my charge. By the arrangements made by Mr. Munroe, & the sale of useless materials, of which we have a very large stock on hand, I have been able to continue the work of the sculptors on the capitals of the Hall of Representatives, & when congress meet, there will be only...
119To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 5 October 1810 (Madison Papers)
I have been unfortunate in the construction of the fireproof. Depending on the old Walls, which ought to have been amply sufficient to carry the light Vault I placed upon them, had they been tolerably well built, I lowered the center. Finding that the arch settled I examined the Walls, & perceived that they were ⟨much⟩ cracked; but it appearing that the cracks were not new, being very black,...
120To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 December 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
31 December 1810, Washington. Encloses a copy of his report on the public buildings. Will call on JM in a few days to see if any part of the report appears improper to lay before Congress or requires further information. FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks). 1 p. Latrobe apparently enclosed a draft of his 28 Dec. report, the final version of which was enclosed in his 11 Jan. 1811 letter to JM .
121To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to your directions that I should furnish to You all the information on the subject of the expenditure of the appropriation of May 1t. 1810, in my possession, I have to report to you as follows: In my report d. Decr. 11th. 1809, I stated, that although the estimate submitted by me on Decr. 1st. 1808, of the sum requisite for the court room and Library has not been considered in the...
122To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herein enclose the letter you did me the favor to write on the 29h. septr. 1809. The point which I wished to impress by quoting it is only that of the Jury boxes, to preoccupy the ground of objection to the manner of fitting up the court room. With high respect RC ( DLC ); FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks). Letter not found.
123To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herewith transmit to you two reports. The first my annual report of the public Building the other that called for by a resolution of the House of representatives. I am sorry that I have not found it possible to send them sooner, especially as the friends to the completion of the buildings, in congress have pressed me on the subject. With high respect Yrs. FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks)....
124To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to your directions conveyed to me by Mr Munroe, & contained in the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 14h. of January transmitted to me, I shall without Loss of time comply with that part of it which relates to the outstanding Claims. But to make an estimate of the sum necessary to finish the Capitol, it is impossible for me to proceed without Assistance especially...
125To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe and George Murray, 27 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
The Society of Artists of the United States established at Philadelphia, have committed the immediate management of the institution to a President, & four Vice-presidents. But for that Patronage which shall give to it, in its very infancy, the character of public usefulness, and secure to it public encouragement, the Society look up to You: to You, who while your life has been devoted to the...
126To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herewith transmit to you the account of monies expended on the furniture of the presidents house since March 1809. The original Account and Vouchers have been lodged with the Accounting Officers of the Treasury. Besides the Sums put down in this account, I have disbursed others for which I have not yet obtained proper Vouchers the principal part of them being for the minor utensils of...
127Receipt from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 February 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 February 1811. “Recd. of the President of the U. States his letter to the Secretary of the Treasury U.S. [not found] directing a Warrant for 1.000 on account of the fund for furnishing the President house to be issued in my favor.” Ms ( DLC ). 1 p. In Latrobe’s hand.
128To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
I saw Mr. Bacon this morning who informed me that the letter I mentioned to you is now in possession of the Committee. I entreated him to transmit it to You, which he appeared to think would not be improper as one or two expressions might be considered as equivocal and authorize a communication to You by the members as individual members of the Legislature. Whatever those expressions may be,...
129To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 February 1811, Washington. Submits at JM’s direction a list of outstanding claims against the public buildings. “The two first items arise from engagements which have subsisted for some years, and have not been closed. The latter exhibits the amount of the demands against the public for Labor & for materials delivered: the certified vouchers of which are deposited with the Superintendent of...
130To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 19 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
In order to furnish some apology for the writer of the anonymous letter, I enclose a letter [ illegible ] written in 1797. A Member of the committee informs me that all the equivocal passages are underlined, ⟨& that⟩ if they were not so that they could make no impression. With high respect I am &c Copy ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks). In Latrobe’s hand; written on the verso of a copy of Latrobe...