1251From James Madison to George Washington, 14 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
The delay in providing for the commencement of the Government was terminated yesterday, by an acquiescence of the minor number, in the persevering demands of the major. The time for chusing the electors is the first wednesday in Jany. and for chusing the President the first wednesday in Feby. The meeting of the Govt is to be the first wednesday in March, and in the City of New York. The times...
1252From James Madison to James Monroe, 14 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 14 September 1788 . Acknowledged in Monroe to JM, 24 Sept. 1788 . Discusses the act of Congress establishing New York as the first seat of the new government.
1253From James Madison to Tench Coxe, ca. 20 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
To Tench Coxe. Letter not found. Ca. 20 September 1788 . Acknowledged in Coxe to JM, 26 Sept. 1788 . Discusses the views of the Antifederalists. Refuses Coxe’s request to confide the names of the authors of the individual numbers of The Federalist .
1254From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 21 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
Being informed of a circuitous opportunity of France I make use of it to forward the inclosures. By one of them you will find that Congress have been at length brought into the true policy which is demanded by the situation of the Western Country. An additional resolution on the secret journal puts an end to all negotiation with Spain referring the subject of a treaty after this assertion of...
1255From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 24 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have been favd. with yours of the 12th. instant. The picture it gives of the state of our Country is the more distressing as it seems to exceed all the known resources for immediate relief. Nothing in my opinion can give the desired facility to the discharge of debts, but a reestablishment of that confidence which will at once make the creditor more patient, and open to the solvent debtor...
1256From James Madison to John Brown, 26 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have been duly favored with yours of the 26th ulto from Pittsburg. I believe you are already pretty well acquainted with my ideas of government so far as they vary from the plan chalked out by Mr. Jefferson. But in compliance with your request on that subject I will take the first convenient occasion of explaining them in writing. The delay cannot, I presume, be material, as the formation of...
1257From James Madison to George Washington, 26 September 1788 (Madison Papers)
I subjoin two resolutions lately taken by Congress in relation the Mississippi, which I hope may have a critical and salutary effect on the temper of our western Brethren. On report of the Committee &c to whom was referred the Report of the Secy. for For. Affairs on a motion of the Delegates of North Carolina, stating the uneasiness produced by a Report “that Congress are disposed to treat...
1258From James Madison to George Lee Turberville, 3 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 3 October 1788 . Acknowledged in Turberville to JM, 24 Oct. 1788 . Reports inquiries he has made concerning the fate of Dr. Spence ( JM to Jefferson, 8 Oct. 1788 ).
1259From James Madison to Jacquelin Ambler, 4 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
Please to pay to the Honble. Edward Carrington or order two hundred and fifty dollars and charge the same against me as Delegate to Congress for the State of Virginia, computing from Ocr. 1st. 1788. RC ( Vi ). Docketed by John Pendleton (state auditor).
1260From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 8 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
Herewith inclosed are a letter for yourself forwarded to my hands from General Washington, and two others for the Marquis, one from the same quarter, the other from myself. I put both the last under cover to you, not knowing what regard may be due to Newspaper authority, that the Marquis is under the open displeasure of the Court, and may therefore be the less likely to receive letters thro’...
1261From James Madison to Philip Mazzei, 8 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have been favored with several letters from you since the date of my last; but some of them having been recd. in Virginia I am not able now to acknowledge all of them by their respective dates. The date of the last was in May. You ask me why I agreed to the Constitution proposed by the Convention at Philada.? I answer, because I thought it safe to the liberties of the people, and the best...
1262From James Madison to John Brown, 12 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I find by the act of your late Convention, that another is to take place in Nov. with power to propose a form of Government for Kentucky. In consequence of this information I shall forewith execute the request contained in your letter from Fort Pitt, and forward the remarks on Mr. Jefferson’s draft by the next mail. I am sorry it is not in my power to do it by this. The delay proceeded from...
1263Observations on Jefferson’s Draft of a Constitution for Virginia, [ca. 15 October] 1788 (Madison Papers)
During the 1780s JM twice communicated lengthy expositions of his constitutional ideas to friends in Kentucky who had solicited his advice in anticipation of that district’s separation from Virginia. The first commentary went to Caleb Wallace in the summer of 1785 ( PJM William T. Hutchinson et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (vols. 1–10, Chicago, 1962–77; vols. 11—, Charlottesville,...
1264From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 17 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have written a number of letters to you since my return here, and shall add this by another casual opportunity just notified to me by Mr St. John. Your favor of July 31. came to hand the day before yesterday. The pamphlets of the Marquis Condorcet & Mr. Dupont referred to in it have also been received. Your other letters inclosed to the Delegation have been and will be disposed of as you...
1265From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 17 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
Inclosed are 4 letters from Mazzei & one from Mr. Jefferson which you will be good eno’ to dispose of. I have a letter from the former in which he begs me to add my importunities to you & Mr. Blair, for speedy succour if possible. I have one also from the latter, but it contains nothing of much consequence. His public letters to which it refers have not yet been communicated from the Office of...
1266From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 20 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I acknowledge with much pleasure your favor of the 6th. instant. The “balmy” nature of the resolutions concerning the Mississippi will I hope have the effect you suggest; though the wounds given to some & the pretext given to others by the proceedings which rendered them necessary, will not I fear be radically removed. The light in which the temporary seat of the new Government is viewed &...
1267From James Madison to George Washington, 21 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I send you the inclosed paper chiefly for the sake of the Edict which fixes on May for the meeting of the States general in France. Letters from Mr. Jefferson authenticate this document. They mention also the disgrace as it is called of the Marquis. The struggle at present in that Kingdom seems to lie entirely between the Monarchy & aristocracy, and the hopes of the people merely in the...
1268From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 28 October 1788 (Madison Papers)
I inclose herewith two pamphlets on the questions agitated in France. They are written by the Marquis Condorcet, and contain more correct information than has been communicated to the public through any other channel. I inclose also a Gazette containing observations on Manufactures by our acquaintance Mr. T. Coxe. You will probably think them worth handing to the Printer for republication....
1269From James Madison to Eliza House Trist, [29 October] 1788 (Madison Papers)
… I expected by this time to have been in Philada. My plan has been impeded by several circumstances. The only insuperable one has been a continued indisposition which has at length terminated in a complaint which has been promoted by my sedentary life, and which incapacitates me for travelling. I am at present having medical relief, and shall leave this as soon as I can. I calculate on some...
1270Replies to the Queries of Moustier, [30 October] 1788 (Madison Papers)
1. Quelle est l’opinion des habitans les plus instruits de la Virginie, sur le Contrat de la ferme avec Mons. Rob. Morris; et quel est le systeme qu’ils voudroient y substituer? 1. It is not easy to give a precise answer to this question; many of the best informed not having been led to communicate their opinions, and others having been directly or indirectly interested on one side or the...
1271From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 2 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
I recd. yesterday your favor of the 23d. Ult. The first countenance of the Assembly corresponds with the picture which my imagination had formed of it. The views of the greater part of the opposition to the fœderal Government, and particularly of its principal leader, have ever since the Convention, been regarded by me as permanently hostile, and likely to produce every effort that might...
1272From James Madison to George Lee Turberville, 2 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 20th. Ult: not having got into my hands in time to be acknowledged by the last mail, I have now the additional pleasure of acknowledging along with it your favor of the 24. which I recd. yesterday. You wish to know my sentiments on the project of another general Convention as suggested by New York. I shall give them to you with great frankness, though I am aware they may not...
1273From James Madison to James Monroe, 5 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have your favor of the 26. Ult. The reflection you make on the Resolutions concerning the Mississipi is not an unnatural one under the impressions left on your mind by the former proceedings on that subject. The Resolutions were certainly & bona fide, meant however to counteract the tendency of those proceedings, and hand over the subject to the new Government under favorable circumstances....
1274From James Madison to George Washington, 5 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed memorandum was put into my hands by Mr. St. John the French Consul. He is a very worthy man & entitled by his philanthropy and zealous patronage of whatever he deems useful, to much esteem and regard. You will therefore oblige me by putting it in my power to afford him the little gratification he asks. I have another request to trouble you with, which concerns myself. Col. H. Lee...
1275From James Madison to Alexander Hamilton, 20 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 20 November 1788. Acknowledged in Hamilton to JM, 23 Nov. 1788 . Mentioned in Duer to JM, ca. 25 Nov. 1788 . Clinton may be a candidate for vice-president. The political prospects in Virginia are not favorable for JM’s election to the new Congress.
1276From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 23 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
Your two favors of the 5th. & 10th instant have been duly recd. The appointments for the Senate communicated in the latter, answer to the calculations I had formed, notwithstanding the contrary appearances on which the former was founded. My only surprize is that in the present temper and disproportionate number of the antifederal part of the Assembly, my name should have been honored with so...
1277From James Madison to Crèvecoeur, 30 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. the answer from General Washington on the subject of your memorandum to me, which I cannot so well communicate as in his own words—“With respect to the Sulla —before I attempt to give an account of the cultivation of it, and of the result, I must request the favor of you to apologize for me to Mr. St. John for not having acknowledged the receipt of it. The truth is, that until I...
1278From James Madison to Henry Lee, 30 November 1788 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 29th Ult: was received in N. York—the pleasing one of the 19th Inst. found me in this City, whither I had come with a veiw either to return to N. York or proceed to Virginia as circumstances might determine. I have not sooner acknowledged your first favor, because it intimated that the Subject of it admitted of delay, and I did not wish to precipitate a determination on...
1279Account with the Commonwealth of Virginia, [ca. December] 1788 (Madison Papers)
The Commonwealth of Virginia to James Madison Jr. Dr. Dollars 1788. To balance on account made out & transmitted—to March 23 –88. 5 ⅓ To travelling to & service in Congress from July 1st. to Novr. 3, being 125 days 750. To returning from Congress—11 days 66 821 ⅓ Drs 802 19 ⅓d. Credit By one Quarters advance July 1. –88. 552 By draught dated Ocr. 4. & presented by Col. Carrington 250 Dollrs
1280Account with the Commonwealth of Virginia, [ca. December] 1788 (Madison Papers)
1787. The Commonwealth of Virginia to James Madison Jr. Dr. £. S. D To attendance in Convention & Congress from July 20. to Octr. 20. being 92 days at 6 dollars per day 165.12.— Copy sent Aug: 2d. to Auditor 1787. The Commonwealth of Virginia to James Madison Jr. Dr. To attendance as a member of Congress from Octr. 20. to Jany. 20. being 92 days at 6 dollars per day } £165.12 — Credt. By...