2101From James Madison to Robert Smith, 9 June 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that the President has determined to send to the Dey of Algiers ten brass twenty-four pounders, and five brass eighteen pounders, with Carriages and the necessary apparatus complete. They are to be long guns fit for batteries. He also wishes the Cargo of the Ship Sally, lost off St. Lucar, be repeated and another Cargo to be shipped to the Dey to consist of plank...
2102From James Madison to Robert Smith, 6 March 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Robert Smith. 6 March 1806, Department of State. “The Secretary of State presents his respects to the Secretary of the Navy, and has the honor to enclose a copy of a letter, this day written to the Ambassador of Tunis, communicating the President’s determination respecting the restitution of the Xebeque and her two prizes captured from Tunisian subjects during the war with Tripoli. The...
2103From James Madison to Robert Smith, 8 April 1803 (Madison Papers)
In compliance with your request, I have the honor to enclose four lists, comprehending the Articles which it is expedient should be now forwarded to Algiers. It is necessary to remark that the timber should be of the best quality, to ensure to us a preference in sending such articles rather than others in future, if the commutation for money should not succeed, and because it will be returned...
2104From James Madison to Robert Smith, 29 November 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
29 November 1804, Department of State. “The Secretary of State, presents his respects to the Secretary of the Navy, and begs leave to express his opinion that the Naval Stores &c. which have been engaged for the Dey of Algiers, may be forwarded whenever they are prepared and the season admits.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, DL , vol. 14). 1 p.
2105From James Madison to Robert Smith, 30 March 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 March 1804, Department of State. “The Minister of His Majesty, the Emperor of Germany, at Madrid, having represented to Mr. Pinkney, that irregularities have taken place, with respect to the Imperial Polacre Paula, Capt. Radich, captured last year by the Naval Squadron of the U. States and carried to Malta, I request you to be pleased to furnish me with the report of the officers concerned...
2106From James Madison to Robert Smith, 12 April 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
12 April 1804, Department of State. “I have the honor to enclose a bill drawn upon me by Mr. Cathcart for five thousand two hundred & fifty dollars, which, from the accompanying letter of advice, appears to be intended to cover expenditures on account of the Navy Department. I shall refer the holder of the Bill to you for payment.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, DL , vol. 14). 1 p. See...
2107From James Madison to Samuel Smith, March 1807 (Madison Papers)
The treaty lately concluded between the American and British Commissioners being in a situation to admit of deliberation on its several articles, it is thought highly advisable to avail the Executive of such observations on those relating to commerce and navigation as your intelligence and experience on those subjects will enable you to afford. You will render an acceptable service therefore...
2108From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 22 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 20th. inst. to the Secretary of State has just been received at this Office. I have carefully looked over the files of Messrs. Monroe & Pinkney’s Communications, both the joint & seperate ones, and have not been fortunate enough to meet with the American Intercourse bill, to which you allude; nor have I found in the letters of these Gentlemen any intimation of their sending....
2109From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 25 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
I duly recd. your favor of the 14. and thank you for the candor of your remarks. The enclosed will inform you that it has been thought proper to ask your ideas as to the Commercial articles of the Treaty. The Contents of the Instrument are not precisely such as you suppose; as to the E. Inda. trade particularly. As to impressments also, the question here is understood to turn not on form, but...
2110From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 7 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
The list of the vessels detained by embargo at Bourdeaux to which you allude was originally received from Mr. Skipwith, who of course has access to the materials from which it was drawn up, and being the public Agent will doubtless make every use of it, which may be necessary: but it seems proper to suggest that the documents which might have been sufficient for the purpose to which the list...
2111From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 15 June 1808 (Madison Papers)
A search has been made for the paper alluded to in your letter of the 13th. instant, which is just received, and it is not to be found in this Office. Indeed, it is not recollected that such a paper was left here by Genl. Smith. I am &c. DNA : RG 59—DL—Domestic Letters.
2112From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 30 October 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 27th. and inclose the letters as you request. My conversation with Captn: Barney was intentionally as general as I could make it. It had in view to satisfy him that requests such as his could not, according to a general & necessary rule, be complied with, to divert his conjectures from any particular source of the information recd. and to leave him under an...
2113From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 27 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 20th. has been forwarded to me from the office of State, whence an imperfect answer was given. The Amn. intercourse act was never recd. from London; nor did I ever get a sight of it. There is much confusion, and some contradiction in the accts. relating to our affairs as republished from British papers. Having for a long time been without official information, I am unable to...
2114From James Madison to Samuel Smith (Abstract), 25 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
25 March 1805, Department of State . “As the name of Genl. W. Stewart does not appear in the list of decisions by the Commissioners at Paris, it is probable that the claims on his behalf appear in that of some Agent, who cannot be ascertained here.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, DL , vol. 14). 2 pp. Gen. Walter Stewart (ca. 1756–1796), known as the “Irish Beauty,” fought throughout the...
2115From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 12 April 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have received & thank you for your very valuable observations on the commercial articles of the depending treaty inclosed my letter of . On a close attention to the Article relating to the trade with enemy Colonies, so many points affecting the commerce of the U. S. appear to be involved, that I take the liberty of enclosing a copy of that article also, and of asking your ideas with respect...
2116From James Madison to Samuel Smith, February 1807 to March 1807 (Madison Papers)
...The Treaty lately concluded between the American and British Commissioners being in a situation to admit of deliberation on its several articles, it is thought highly advisable to avail the Executive of such observations on those relating to commerce and navigation as your intelligence and experience...will enable you to afford...particularly: 1st to the actual operation of the...
2117From James Madison to Samuel Smith, 25 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
The Treaty lately concluded between the American and British Commissioners being in a situation to admit of deliberation on its several articles, it is thought highly advisable to avail the Executive of such observations on those relating to commerce and navigation as your intelligence and experience on those subjects will enable you to afford. You will render an acceptable service therefore...
2118From James Madison to William Loughton Smith, 1 June 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 June 1801, Department of State. Recalls Smith for reasons of economy; requests him to assure Portuguese government of American friendly sentiments. Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, IC , vol. 1). 2 pp. Virtually a copy of JM’s letter of the same day to William Vans Murray.
2119From James Madison to Snell, Stagg & Company (Abstract), 23 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
23 March 1805, Department of State . “I have duly recd: your letter of the 18th. inst. with the protest it enclosed respecting the capture, last year, of the Brig Hound, for a pretended breach of Blockade. I make no doubt that you have taken the usual measures for prosecuting an appeal from the sentence which has been passed: in the mean time the protest will remain in this Office among others...
2120From James Madison to Charles Snowden, 19 January 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
19 January 1804, Department of State. “With your letter of the 4th. ult. [not found] I have received Mr. Sasporta’s documents respecting two boxes of money taken out of the Schooner Lydia of Charleston, and which was his property, by the British privateer General Bowger of Halifax. It has not been usual to ask the interference of the Executive in cases circumstanced like the present, until...
2121From James Madison to Samuel Snow, 1 July 1806 (Madison Papers)
The President of the United States having judged it expedient to supersede your commission as Consul for Canton; by issuing another to Mr. Edward Carrington, it is proper that you should be apprized of it, that the change may have a just influence upon your concerns. I am &c. Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, DL , vol. 15); addressed to Snow at Providence, R.I.
2122From James Madison to Richard Söderström, 13 June 1805 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 13 June 1805 . Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “enclosing an Exequatur &c &c” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1).
2123From James Madison to Richard Söderström, 6 May 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 May 1802, Department of State. “Messrs Warner and Leit of Saybrook have expressed an anxiety to this Department to know the fate of the representation which you were so good as to make some time ago to the Swedish Government, concerning their Brigantine Matilda, captured by the French near the Island of St Bartholonews [ sic ]. I ask the favor of you therefore to enable me to satisfy their...
2124From James Madison to Richard Söderström, 23 July 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 20th, requesting to know the determination of the Executive on the cases of three Danish vessels explained in your letter of the 10th ult. Should the Executive, on an investigation of those claims, be satisfied that compensation is due to the Danish subjects, on whose behalf they are made, it must be sanctioned by an appropriation of the Legislature....
2125From James Madison to Richard Söderström, [27 October] 1801 (Madison Papers)
In relation to the complaints you have preferred in several instances of capture and recapture of property alledged to be Danish, against the commanders of American public ships of War, it is my duty to inform you, that with the sincerest desire to avoid any thing which may procrastinate a decision, and under a just impression of the candor and liberality which your manner of acting would...
2126From James Madison to the Marqués de Someruelos, 29 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
It has been represented to the President of the United States, that the Schooner Beaver belonging to Alexander Richards, Merchant of the City of New York, sailed in the year 1802 from that port bound to Jamaica, that on her said Voyage, near the Bahama Banks, she fell in with two small boats having on board 24 persons who proved to be Spaniards belonging to a Spanish Ship wrecked the day...
2127From James Madison to the Marqués de Someruelos, 26 August 1801 (Madison Papers)
It has been represented to the American Government that the Schooner Nancy, laden with a valuable cargo, both belonging to citizens of the United States residing at Charleston, and bound from that port to Havana, was captured, about the 28th. day of June 1800, within sight of the City of Matanzas and within the protecting limits of the Island, by a privateer called La Fortunée bearing a French...
2128From James Madison to the Marqués de Someruelos, 19 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
Mr. William Cook a citizen of the United States who is a great sufferer by a decision of Mr. Viguri, late Intendant at Havana, has informed me from thence that he has expectations of obtaining relief thro’ a reversal of that Intendants proceedings by a Tribunal ordered by His Catholic Majesty to be organized with powers competent to review the decision complained of. Satisfied of the benefit...
2129From James Madison to the Marqués de Someruelos, 5 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
For some time past the commerce of the United States has been greatly harrassed by certain irregular cruizers, under the French Flag, who have made use of the ports of the Island over which your Excellency presides as stations from which to cruize, and places of safety for the reception and sale of their prizes. Among the complaints which the Citizens of the United States have addressed to...
2130From James Madison to Marquis de Someruelos, 14 July 1808 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor of addressing Your Excellency on the 21st. April 1806, to request that Mr. Nathaniel Fellows might be released in part from the obligation he gave to respond for the proceeds of the American Brigantine Minerva and her cargo, and I have now the honor to add, at the request of the parties interested, that he may be entirely released from this obligation. With Sentiments of great...