To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 22 September 1804
From James Madison
Sep. 22. 1804
Dear Sir
I inclose the letter alluded to in my last from Mr. Merry to Mr. Wagner; also a letter from Barney & one from L. Harris. I have authorized Mr. W. to forward any more information relating to Barney’s claims, to Mr Skipwith, reminding him that no further interposition could be made, unless you should so decide. A patronage of individual claims, besides its interference with the functions of the Board of Comrs, is the more delicate as a favorable decision in one case, might be rendered, by the limitation of the sum to be dispensed, injurious in others. As to the Citizenship of Barney, it is probably sound, and can therefore be shewn by himself. How far it may have been suspended quoad certain purposes by his temporary relations or special transactions, is a question more proper for judicial than Executive enquiry, and therefore falls naturally within that of the Board. When it appeared that the Board was leaning to an opinion that a foreign partnership in one business, disqualified a claimant on the score of another altogether distinct, the subject was with others committed to Mr. Livingston, for arrangement with the French Govt. The letter from Harris is a further proof of the kindness of the Emperor Alexander. I wish however that with this obliging temper, there may not be blended some little view of drawing the U.S. into the politics of Russia. Considering the jealousy of other powers of Russia, and the possibility that Russia may get into the war, any formal connection of the U.S. with the Porte, under the auspices too of Russia, is a step suggesting much caution. The letter written last to our Consul will I hope put an end to his enterprizing patriotism. I inclose Pinkney’s last communications which you have already seen, that they may be at hand, if wanted during your talk with Yrujo.
The diameter of the Boxes for my pipes is three inches & a half: the breadth of the ring 3 inches, admitting an entrance of 1½ inches into the ends of the logs, where they make a good joint. I omitted to mention before I left you, that Dr. Winston on learning that you wd. want laborers promised to decide as soon as he reached Hanover whither he was bound, whether he could spare any & how many, and write to me immediately on the subject.
Yrs. always with respectful attachmt
James Madison
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received from the State Department on 25 Sep. and so recorded in SJL with notation “Russia. Barney. *boxes of waterpipes.” Enclosure: Levett Harris to Madison, St. Petersburg, 29 June, detailing recent intercessions by Russia with the Ottoman Porte on behalf of the United States to ameliorate the condition of the American prisoners at Tripoli and to open the Black Sea to American ships (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:396-7). For other enclosures, see below.
my last: if Madison had called to TJ’s attention correspondence between Anthony Merry and Jacob Wagner, he apparently did so in person, during the visit to Monticello mentioned in his letter of 8 Sep. Writing to Madison on 28 Aug., Merry had requested clarification as to whether Wagner was authorized to correspond directly with the British minister during the secretary of state’s absence from Washington. Merry later wrote a private letter to Wagner, explaining that he did not intend his letter to Madison to convey a lack of respect for Wagner nor to question his authority. Merry’s object, according to Wagner, was instead “to notice the omission to mention me to him, as a part of the system which he supposes to have been adopted by the administration of withholding from Foreign Ministers the attentions due to them, and in which he has not yet been instructed by his Court to acquiesce.” Wagner forwarded the letter, which has not been found, to Madison on 18 Sep. (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:649-50; 8:54, 65, 78n).
The recent letter from Joshua Barney has not been found (same, 8:78n).
letter written last to our Consul: Madison wrote to Levett Harris on 26 June regarding Harris’s having asked the Russian government to intervene in the matter of the Philadelphia’s crew. While acknowledging Harris’s “laudable intentions” and “zeal,” Madison noted that “the means of conducting our affairs with Tripoli, are amply sufficient,” and therefore precluded “the necessity of a resort to the interposition of foreign Nations.” Harris should confine his activities to those of “the Consular Office” (same, 7:374-5).
Pinkney’s last communications: see Madison to TJ, 28 Aug.
Dr. Isaac Winston of Hanover County, Virginia, was a cousin of Dolley Madison (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 8:78n).