1From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 11 November 1816 (Madison Papers)
The approaching meeting of Congress requires that I should be making preparation for the event. The paragraph relating to the Finances will be a very important, and happily a very pleasing one. Persuaded that your peculiar familiarity with the subject is as yet little impaired, I am tempted by your experienced kindness, to intrude so far on moments belonging to other objects, as to request...
2From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 15 October 1816 (Madison Papers)
It being finally arranged that Mr. Crawford will enter the Treasury Department on Monday next, I lose no time in apprizing you of the day, on which the requisition on your kind and protracted attention to its duties, will be at an end. The letter offering the War Department to Mr. Lowndes, having been sent to N. York missed of him altogether; and it unluckily happened, that he set out, after...
3From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, [ca. 3 October 1816] (Madison Papers)
I have just recd. yours of the 1st. inst: and anxiously hope that this will find you perfectly recovered from your indisposition, and in the bosom of your family in Philada. I repeat my thanks for the kind attention you offer to the routine of the Treasury business, from which I calculate on your being speedily released. ⟨I ha⟩ve written to Mr. Lowndes on the vacancy approaching ⟨in th⟩e War...
4From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, [ca. 30 September 1816] (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 27th. Finding that you have been detained at Washington, I regret the more my detention here. I dropped you a few lines on the supposition that you had proceeded to Philada. addressing at the same your Reported view of our finances to Washington, and passing it thro’ the hands of Mr. Crawford as preparing him for his new and arduous trust. Mr. Monroe has not yet...
5From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 27 September 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. with your two letters of the 20 & 21. the General Sketch of the Finances to which they refer. That of the 25th. has also just come to hand. I return the Sketch under an Address to Washington, passing it thro’ the hands of Mr. Crawford with a request that he would hasten it to the department. The document embraces all the points occurring to me as requisite to be touched, and...
6From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 15 September 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have duly recd. yours of the 11th. The difficulty which gave rise to the letter from the Treasurer is much to be regretted, and the regret is increased by the cause of it. The condition at which you glance would have been justly imposed on Mr. Sheldon. His nomination to the Senate was postponed to what was considered as the latest date, with reference in part at least to a protraction of his...
7From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 6 September 1816 (Madison Papers)
I return the answers of the Banks to the Treasury proposition. Some of them, I observe, are sore at the idea of their yielding to the temptation of gain, in prolonging the refusal to resume specie payments. The best mode of repelling the suspicion would be to dispose of their public stock, and thus reduce their dividends. Whilst they refuse to co-operate with the Treasury, that circumstance...
8From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 25 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
Since the rect. of your several letters relating to the Treasury proposition, and the decision of Bank Deputies at Philadelphia, my thoughts have been duly turned to the important and perplexing subject. Altho’ there may be no propriety in recalling the proposition, it seems now certain that it will fail of its effect. Should the Banks not represented at Philada. come into the measure, the...
9From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, [ca. 22 August 1816] (Madison Papers)
The translation of the Dey of Algiers’ letter, after a curious display of Oriental Bombast, presents the alternative of re-establishing the Old Treaty, instead of the late one as annulled by our breach of it, or a withdrawal of our Consul which means a commencement of war by him. The answer concludes with the declaration that as peace is better than war, war is better than tribute. Letters...
10From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, [post–17 August 1816] (Madison Papers)
If Mr. Dallas, taking into view with this the other circumstances of the case known to him, thinks relief ought to be granted, he will send the papers to the Dept of State with an intimation that a pardon be forwarded for my signature. RC ( DNA : RG 59, Petitions for Pardon and Related Briefs). Undated; conjectured date assigned based on a 17 Aug. 1816 note to James Monroe written by Dallas on...
11From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 10 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 6th. inst: I have approved the contemplated purchase of a Custom House in N.Y. as I do your proposed instructions to the Bank Commissioners, on the subject of preparatory arrangements. It is to be hoped that Judge Hall will have taken the course you allude to. Should he have failed even to ascertain the offers to subscribe within the prescribed period, the delay may...
12From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 7 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
Col: McCobb has just handed me yours of the 3d. inst. The recommendations of him for the vacant office he seeks, appear to be decisive. I have referred him however to you for a communication of the result. That there may be no unncessary [ sic ] delay, I write by the present oppy. to the Dept. of State, to forward to you immediately a blank commission to you, if there be one on hand already...
13From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 27 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 23d. inclosing a letter from Mr. Baker, with the draft of an answer; and a letter from Wm. Js. Sears of Bermuda. The subject of Mr. Bakers letter, regularly belongs to the Dept. of State: But whether addressed to the Treasury Dept: or to that, ought to have proceeded from the Minister, & not from the Consul otherwise than thro’ the Minister. From courtesy, which as...
14From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 26 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the and return the N. York Memorial inclosed in it. Interpositions for relief in such cases are of a delicate nature when proceeding from the Legislative the most competent authority. When claimed from the Executive, they are peculiarly delicate. The only ground on which the latter can proceed, seems to be that of increasing the security of the revenue, by suspending a...
15From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 21 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 16th. inclosing the propositions of Mr. Hassler, the Report of the Collector of Philada. and the letter from Mr Irving. The importance of the object, and the peculiar fitness of Mr. Hassler for it, prescribe an acquiescence in his terms. Will it not be better to throw his paper into the form of instructions and explanations accompanying his appointment, than to let it...
16From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 18 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have just recd. yours of the inclosing Mr. Hasslers letter on the subject of the Observatory. I had previously recd. one from Col: Lane, informing me of the selection made by Mr. H. for its site. Altho’ I had no doubt of the fitness of any spot preferred by Mr. H. taken in the abstract, it occurred that as the whole square would be required, the expence to the public might be very...
17From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 15 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your several letters of the 5. 7. 8. & 11th. Your Statement in the case of Mr. Hassler, was sanctioned & sent to the Treasy; as was the proposed purchase of a Custom-House at Boston. Be so good as to have issued a Commission for Mr. Plumer, as Loan Officer for N.H. The recommendations of Mr. Wentworth are very weighty; but being local, justify the preference of Mr. P. who is...
18From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 4 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have received yours of the 29th of June, with the several papers sent with it. Under the difficult circumstances of the currency, and the obligation to attempt a remedy or at least an alleviation of them, the place you have in view is entitled to a fair experiment. You do right however in reserving a discretion to judge of the sufficientcy of accessions by the State Banks. Should there be a...
19From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 30 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
I return the papers inclosed in yours of the 27th. Concurring in the opinion of the Comptroller founded on his statement of the Case of the Schooner Mary, Stiles, I do not think a pardon proper. I am not sure that it would be correct to decide the question of a remission under the Act of Congs. which I believe submits it exclusively to the Treasury Dept. The case may therefore lie over for...
20From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 16 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
I return your communications of the 12th. inst. with my approbation of what you propose in relation to the Cumberland Road. Perplexing as this business is, it will become more so I fear, if Mr. Shriver should withdraw from it. He has, notwithstanding the impatience of some, more of the public confidence than will probably be enjoyed by a successor. And if a distrust of the Agent be added to...
21From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 8 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. & thank you for the letters for Hamburg & Bremen, which will be transmitted from the Dept. of State. We ended our journey last evening. With the exception of a short pelting shower on the day we set out, the weather & the roads were peculiarly favorable. I found the prospects of the farmers generally far better than I had expected; The Wheat fields much better, untill I reached my...
22From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 3 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
In pursuance of the authority vested in the President of the United States by the Act of Congress, passed the 3d: day of March 1809, entitled “An Act further to amend the several acts for the establishment and regulation of the Treasury, War, and Navy Departments,” I do hereby direct, that out of the balance of the appropriation for “building floating batteries” there be applied the sum of...
23From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 23 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have just recd. yours of the 19th. enclosing a letter from Mr. Baring. As the choice between the two modes of providing for our pecuniary wants in Europe, depends essentially on a comparison of the rate of exchange here, & the price of Stock abroad, it must be determined by the information possessed as to the State & prospects of each. My letter of yesterday made a reserve accordingly for...
24From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 22 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 18th. has just reached me, enclosing two letters from Mr. Adams which are returned. Our engagements in Europe must be fulfilled both with a view to justice and to the public credit. In doing this there are so many reasons for preferring the purchase of bills to the sale of Stock abroad, where there is an approach to equality of loss, that I concur in your opinion in favor of the...
25From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 15 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 11th. has just come to hand. I return the papers from the Comr. of the Gen: L. office, with an acquiescence in the survey ordered in Missouri. I think the condition attached to it the least that will suffice to justify the measure. I have recd. a letter from Mr. Gallatin, from which as well as from his reserve to you, I infer that he has not made up his mind on his appt. to...
26From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 8 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
The commercial Convention with G.B. has just reached me. It abolishes the discriminating and countervailing duties, and establishes the rule of the most favored nation, between the U.S. & the B. Dominions in Europe. The equality of the vessels of the two Countries extends to the cases of bounties & drawbacks, as well as of duties, with a reservation to the parties of a right, to regulate &...
27From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 2 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
I recd. this morning yours of the 29. Aug. covering a copy of the circular complying with Mr. Daschkoff’s request, which is pre[c]isely what it ought to be; and a newspaper containing the late news from Europe. The political annihilation at least of Napoleon, will give play to many springs in the Allied powers which a fear of him had kept in an inert state; and very important scenes are...
28From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 13 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 7th. inst: on the subject of the Seamen returning in distress. It is incumbent on the Executive to do every thing within its province for their relief. Your answer to the Mayor of N.Y. was entirely proper. He may be assured of the favorable dispositions of the Executive, and that a reimbursement of the advances of the Corporation will be recommended to Congress. The...
29From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 10 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your several favors of the 29. & 31. July & of the 1st. 3d. & 6th. instant. I have delayed acknowledging them, in the daily expectation of receiving something from London which would supply the defect of information at Philada. relative to our affairs & functionaries there. A letter from Mr. Crawford recd. this morning, contains the agreeable information that he will become a...
30From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 31 July 1815 (Madison Papers)
It is very desirable to promote the wishes of Governor Tompkins, and the interest of the State of New York; but there are national views of the subject which must be combined with them. All transactions with the Indians relative to their lands are more or less delicate; a removal of them from one region to another is particularly so as relates to the effect on the Indians themselves and on the...