1From James Madison to William Pinkney, 11 February 1809 (Madison Papers)
My official letter by this conveyance leaves little of importance to be added to its contents. You will see with regret the difficulty experienced in collecting the mind of Congress to some proper focus. On no occasion were the ideas so mutable and so scattered. The most to be hoped for at present is that a respectable majority will finally concur in taking a course not essentially dishonoring...
2From James Madison to William Pinkney, 10 February 1809 (Madison Papers)
I forward by the British Packet about to sail from New York, the printed proceedings of Congress continued from my last communications which bore date on the 3d. January. From these and the antecedent indications, you will deduce the general spirit which actuates the Legislative Councils, under the perplexities incident to the unexampled state of things forced on the United States by the...
3From James Madison to William Pinkney, 3 January 1809 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you lately by way of N. Brunswick, under Mr. Erskines Cover. Inclosed is a duplicate of it. You will see by my Official letter & the proceedings of Congress, that if no change takes place on your side the Atlantic, the last resort of injured Nations will probably not be a great while longer delayed by this. Submission being disclaimed by all, and a protracted abandonment of our rights...
4From James Madison to William Pinkney, 20 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
Understanding from Mr. Erskine, that he is about to forward despatches to New Brunswick in Nova Scotia, whence a conveyance offers for England, I avail myself of the opportunity to inclose you the final proceedings of the House of Representatives on the Resolutions reported by the committee on foreign relations. You will observe that the resolution on the subject of non-intercourse does not...
5From James Madison to William Pinkney, 9 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
The October Packet having arrived before the sailing of the one bound from New York, Mr. Erskine has detained the latter a few days on that account. It enables me to add the gazettes containing a report of the debates &c. in Congs. subsequent to the dates already forwarded to N. York. Questions have not yet been taken in the House on the Resolutions which were agreed to in the Committee. It...
6From James Madison to William Pinkney, 5 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
My two last letters were of Novr. 9. & 25. The first went by a British Packet from New York; the second by a vessel which has sailed or is about sailing from Boston. This will be forwarded to New York to be conveyed by a Packet which is to sail on the 8th. It is accompanied by a continuation of the debates and proceedings of Congress as far as they have yet appeared in print. You will find...
7From James Madison to William Pinkney, 5 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
I have little to add to the printed information accompanying my official letter of this date. Congs. seemed to be sufficiently determined, as you will observe, to resist the unjust and insulting Edicts of the Belligerents; and differ only as to the mode best suited to the case. The disposition to prefer war to the course hitherto pursued, is rather gaining than losing ground, and is even...
8From James Madison to William Pinkney, 25 November 1808 (Madison Papers)
I forwarded to you by the British Packet which sailed from New York on the 17th. instant, the message of the President, with such of the documents communicated to congress as had then been printed. I now add, by a vessel which is to sail from Boston to Liverpool, such of the debates and proceedings of Congress as have since taken place. Among these will be found a very interesting report made...
9From James Madison to William Pinkney, 25 November 1808 (Madison Papers)
I wrote two short private letters by the British Packet, which sailed from N. York on the 17th. They were accompanied by sundry printed documents and newspapers. You will now receive a continuation of them with a few additional copies of the Documents. Among the papers now forwarded are a number of copies of a Report on our foreign Relations made to the H. of Reps. by a Committee on that...
10From James Madison to William Pinkney, 10 November 1808 (Madison Papers)
Finding that Mr. Erskine detains the packet a day longer, I add a line to my private letter of yesterday. The communications made to Congs. have it would seem, kindled all the indignation which was to be expected. The paternal solicitude of H. B. M. for the sufferings of the people here under the Embargo, was recd. with ridicule & contempt. The repetition of the paragraph was called for with a...