51From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [15 October] 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York Public Library). Undated, but Pendleton’s docket reads, “James Madison jr. Sepr. 12. 1782.” This obviously refers not to the date of the letter but to the date of the dispatch quoted by JM in the letter. In it JM duplicated in a considerable degree his letter of 15 October 1782 to Edmund Randolph ( q.v. ). Extract of a letter from Sr. Guy Carlton to Genl Washington dated Sepr....
52From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 22 October 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York Public Library). Docketed by Pendleton, “James Madison jr. Octr. 22d. 1782.” The address of your favor of the 14th. instant to me coincides with the order which Mr. Jones & myself had settled. It would have been the more inconvenient too for him to have had his turn this week, as the dregs of his late indisposition are working themselves off to his no small disturbance. His lady...
53From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 29 October 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York Public Library). Unsigned but in JM’s hand. Cover missing. Docketed by Pendleton, “James Madison jr. Octr. 29. 1782.” A continuance of Mr. Jones’s indisposition has procured me the office of answering yours of the 21st. instant. His relapse has been more severe than I was aware, and will keep him a prisoner in his room for some time to come. His disorder is at present rather...
54From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [5] November 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York Public Library). Cover missing. Docketed by Pendleton, “James Madison Esqr. Nov. 4. 1782.” JM misdated the letter. His textual references to “yesterdays mail” (which could not have been that of 3 November, a Sunday), to “Yesterday” as the date of Elias Boudinot’s election to the presidency of Congress ( Notes on Debates, 4 November ), and to “my letter of this date to Mr....
55From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [28 July] 1783 (Madison Papers)
Printed excerpts (William Cabell Rives, History of the Life and Times of James Madison [3 vols.; Boston, 1859–68], I, 490–91). These excerpts, except for differences in punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations, and one minor instance of phraseology, are identical with the passage on the same topic in the manuscript of JM’s letter to Edmund Randolph on the same date ( q.v. ). If little weight...
56From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 8 September 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC (Manuscript Division, the New York Public Library: Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations). Docketed by Pendleton, “James Madison jr. Sepr. 8. 1783.” Your favor of the 1st. found me here whither Mr. Jones & myself had been called by some private business for a day or two. I thank you for your remarks on the jurisdiction necessary for Congress within the limits which may be ceded for their...
57From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 30 November 1786 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 19th. inclosing a bill for amending a defective law gave me particular pleasure as it involved a proof of more health than report had allowed you. I anxiously wish that a blessing the smallest degree of which in your hands is always producing good to your Country may in the fullest manner be re-established. You are not wrong in supposing apprehensions in many of danger from...
58From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 9 January 1787 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. Ult. has been so long on hand unanswered that I can not now acknowledged it without observing in apology for the delay that I waited for some measures of which I wished to communicate the event. The district bill of which I formerly made mention, was finally thrown into a very curious situation, and lost by a single voice. I refer you for its history to Col. Pendleton,...
59From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 24 February 1787 (Madison Papers)
If the contents of the Newspapers of this place find their way into the gazettes of Richmond you will have learnt that the expedition of Genl: Lincoln against the insurgents has effectually dispersed the main body of them. It appears however that there are still some detachments which remain to be subdued. & that the Government of Massts. consider very strong precautions as necessary agst....
60From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 22 April 1787 (Madison Papers)
The period since my last has afforded such scanty materials for a letter that I have postponed it, till I have now to thank you for yours of 7th. inst: which came to hand two days ago. I always feel pleasure in hearing from you, but particularly when my concern for your doubtful health is relieved by such an evidence in its favor. At the same time I must repeat my wishes to forego this...
61From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 27 May 1787 (Madison Papers)
I have put off from day to day writing to my friends from this place in hopes of being able to say something of the Convention. Contrary to every previous calculation the bare quorum of seven States was not made up till the day before yesterday. The States composing it are N York, N. Jersey, Pena. Delaware, Virga. N. Carolina & S. Carolina. Individual members are here from Massts. Maryland &...
62From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 20 September 1787 (Madison Papers)
The privilege of franking having ceased with the Convention, I have waited for this opportunity of inclosing you a copy of the proposed Constitution for the U. States. I forbear to make any observations on it; either on the side of its merits or its faults. The best Judges of both will be those who can combine with a knowledge of the collective & permanent interest of America, a freedom from...
63From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 28 October 1787 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. and acknowledge with great pleasure your favor of the 8th. instt. The remarks which you make on the Act of the Convention appear to me to be in general extremely well founded. Your criticism on the clause exempting vessels bound to or from a State from being obliged to enter &c in another is particularly so. This provision was dictated by the jealousy of some particular States,...
64From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 February 1788 (Madison Papers)
The receipt of your favor of the 29th Ult: which did not come to hand till a few days ago was rendered particularly agreeable to me by the prospect it gives of a thorough reestablishment of your health. I indulge the reflection and the hope that it denotes a remaining energy in the Constitution, which will long defend it against the gradual waste of time. Your representation of the politics of...
65From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 3 March 1788 (Madison Papers)
The Convention of N. Hampshire have disappointed much the general expectation. Instead of adopting the Constitution they have adjourned without any final decision until June; this expedient being found necessary to prevent a rejection. It seems that a majority of 3 or 4 members would have voted in the negative, but in this majority were a number who had been proselyted by the discussions, but...
66From 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 &...
67From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 8 April 1789 (Madison Papers)
You will not learn without some surprize that the sixth of this month arrived before a quorum was made up in both branches of the New Legislature, and the first of the month, before a Quorum was attained in either. The first & only joint step taken by the Congress was the examination of the ballots for President & vice president. The votes were found, as was expected, to be unanimously given...
68From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 19 April 1789 (Madison Papers)
My last was committed to Majr. Rogers of your County who embarked some days ago from this place for Virginia. I have been since favored with yours of the 7th. instant; and am much & truly gratified with the proof it contains of your good health. We have not yet either the President or Vice President on the ground. The former is expected in a few days. The latter we are told will certainly come...
69From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 17 May 1789 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 3d. instant was not recd. till two days ago. It is not certain however that the post office is chargeable with the delay, the date of its receipt stamped at Fredg. being the 16th. of the month. The progress of our revenue system continues to be slow. The bill rating the duties is still with the Senate. It is said that many alterations will be proposed, consisting of...
70From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 June 1789 (Madison Papers)
The last favor for which I am to thank you is of June 9th. For some time past I have been obliged to content myself with inclosing you the Newspapers. In general they give, tho’ frequently erroneous and sometimes perverted, yet on the whole, fuller accounts of what is going forward than could be put into a letter. The papers now covered contain a sketch of a very interesting discussion which...
71From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 15 July 1789 (Madison Papers)
I am particularly obliged by your favor of the 3d. which incloses your remarks on the Judiciary bill. It came to hand yesterday only, and I have not had time to compare your suggestions with the plan of the Senate. Nor do I know the alterations which may have taken place in it since it has been under discussion. In many points, even supposing the outline a good one, which I have always viewed...
72From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
The last 8 or 10 days have been spent on the subject of amendts. The work has been extremely difficult and fatiguing, as well on account of the dilatory artifices of which some of the antifederal members are suspected, as of the diversity of opinions & fancies inseparable from such an Assembly as Congress. At present there is a prospect of finishing to day, the plan so far as it lies with the...
73From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 14 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
I was favd. on saturday with yours of the 2d. instant. The Judiciary is now under consideration. I view it as you do, as defective both in its general structure, and many of its particular regulations. The attachment of the Eastern members, the difficulty of substituting another plan, with the consent of those who agree in disliking the bill, the defect of time &c. will however prevent any...
74From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 23 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
The pressure of unfinished business has suspended the adjournment of Congs. till saturday next. Among other articles which required it was the plan of amendments, on which the two Houses so far disagreed as to require conferences. It will be impossible I find to prevail on the Senate to concur in the limitation on the value of appeals to the Supreme Court, which they say is unnecessary, and...
75From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 4 March 1790 (Madison Papers)
Your recommendation of Docr. Morrow was handed me some time ago. I need not tell you that I shall always rely on your vouchers for merit, or that I shall equally be pleased with opportunities of forwarding your wishes. The only act of much consequence which the present Session has yet produced, is one for enumerating the Inhabitants as the basis of a reapportionment of the Representation. The...
76From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 4 April 1790 (Madison Papers)
You will see by the papers herewith covered that the proposed assumption of the State debts continues to employ the deliberations of the House of Reps. The question seems now to be near its decision, and unfortunately, tho’ so momentous a one, is likely to turn on a very small majority, possibly on a single vote. The measure is not only liable to many objections of a general cast, but in its...
77From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 13 April 1790 (Madison Papers)
I thank you for your favor of the 2d. instant. From the sentiments expressed in it you will hear with pleasure that the proposed assumption of the State debts, was yesterday negatived, after many days deliberation, by 31 vs 29. We hoped that this vote would have been mortal to the project. It seems however that it is not yet to be abandoned. The other part of the Secretary’s Report has been...
78From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 2 May 1790 (Madison Papers)
I thank you very sincerely for the readiness with which you have complied with my troublesome request on the subject of the Stamp-Act. I made it on a supposition that you had been present at the proceedings of the Virga. Assembly, which I find was not the case. But, knowing the accuracy & extent of your intelligence on all such interresting occurrences, I consider the particulars with which...
79From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 22 June 1790 (Madison Papers)
The pressure of business as the session approaches its term, the earlier hour at which the House of Representatives has for some time met, and the necessity of devoting a part of the interval to exercise, after so long a confinement, have obliged me to deny myself the pleasure of communicating regularly with my friends. I regret much that this violation of my wishes has unavoidably extended...
80From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 2 January 1791 (Madison Papers)
Previous to my leaving N. Y. I recd. a letter from you which was not then answered, because the subject of it required more consideration than could then be spared and because an answer was not prompted by any thing agitated or proposed on the subject, in Congress. I am afraid that notwithstanding the interval which has passed I am still not sufficiently prepared to do justice to your queries,...
81From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 13 February 1791 (Madison Papers)
Since the receipt of your favor of the 15 Jany. I have had the further pleasure of seeing your valuable observations on the Bank, more at length, in your communications to Mr. White. The subject has been decided, contrary to your opinion as well as my own, by large majorities in both Houses, and is now before the President. The power of incorporating can not by any process of safe reasoning,...
82From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 18 December 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of afforded me much pleasure by the information it gave of the return of such flourishing health, and has laid me under great obligation by the valuable state it inclosed, of the great question lately argued in the federal Court at Richmond. We are all anxious to learn the decision of the Judges, though there is a report, that they decline giving their opinions, & were that not so,...
83From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 January 1792 (Madison Papers)
I have delayed for some time writing in the daily expectation that I should be able to resume the subject of the Representation-bill the progress & fate of which were mentioned in my last. A motion for reviving it in another form has been some days on the table and is now the order of the day, but has been kept back partly by a general torpor resulting from the critical loss of the bill and...
84From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 February 1792 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 8th. did not come to hand till this afternoon. I thank you for the very just & interesting observations contained in it. I have not yet met with an oppy. of forwarding the Report on Manufactures; nor has that subject been yet regularly taken up. The constitutional doctrine however advanced in the Report has been anticipated on another occasion, by its zealous friends; and I...
85From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 25 March 1792 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 14th. came to hand yesterday. You were right in saying “that the Northern Cocks are true game” but have erred in adding “that they die hard on the Representation bill.” Their perseverance has gained them a final victory. The bill passed on friday last in the form in which it was sent from the Senate; that is with the distribution of 120 members among the States, and the...
86From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 9 April 1792 (Madison Papers)
You will find by the inclosed papers that the President’s Negative has saved us from the unconstitutional allotment of 120 Reps. proposed by the Bill on that subject. The contest is now to be between a ratio of 1 for 30, and 1 for 33 thousand. If the next bill should begin with the former, I think it most likely to end in the latter, this being most favorable to the Northern part of the Union,...
87From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 16 November 1792 (Madison Papers)
I make use of the opportunity afforded by the return of Col. Hoomes to inclose a parcel of the late newspapers, which may contain some things not in the other papers you get. You will find in them all the particulars known here concerning the affairs of France; and sketches of the business as yet brought before Congress. The Presidents Speech & the two answers are I believe also in the...
88From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 6 December 1792 (Madison Papers)
I am just favored with yours of the 28th. Ult. I wish I could remove your anxiety for the French. The last accounts are so imperfect & contradictory that it is difficult to make any thing of them. They come also thro’ the Brussels & English channels, which increases the uncertainty. It appears on the whole that the combination agst. the revolution, and particularly agst. their new republic, is...
89From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [10 December] 1792 (Madison Papers)
As you find an amusement in our Newspapers I inclose two of the last; which however contain little of consequence, except a new report from the Treasury Dept. The Mover of the reference which gave birth to it declared he did not mean to authorize a proposition of new taxes, and it appeared that some at least voted for the Motion on that idea. You will find however that a different construction...
90From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 23 February 1793 (Madison Papers)
Since we had the pleasure of Col: Taylor’s arrival I have left in his better hands the trust of keeping you supplied with whatever communications might interest or amuse you. As the political scene here, is however soon to be suspended, I can not refuse myself the last opportunity I shall have before a dispersion of the dramatis personæ takes place, of enjoying the pleasure I always feel in...
91From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 8 January 1795 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 30 Ult: and am joined by my partner in the sincerest returns for your kind congratulations and friendly wishes. I hope this will find you in more confirmed health, and enjoying the commencement of a new year with every prospect that can make it a happy one. One of the papers inclosed gives you the latest news from Europe. It is to be hoped that the dawn of peace...
92From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 7 February 1796 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of Jany. 6., owing to failures of the Mail South of Baltimore, did not come to hand within the usual time; and subsequent delays in the communication consultation & decision of Mr. Giles & myself, on the manner of publishing & applying your observations on the carriage tax, have brought down the return of my thanks for your favor to the present date. I read with real pleasure the...
93From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 27 August 1782 (Madison Papers)
I have examined into the law of this State relating to slaves coming into it from other States, and find an exception for the case of fugitives which will secure your nephew agst. danger from that source. As the French army however is at this time but beginning to move from Baltimore, I hope the Messenger will recover the slave before he reaches this place. Should it happen otherwise my...
94From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 10 September 1782 (Madison Papers)
I am extremely sorry for the ill luck which your favr. of the 2d. instant informs me attended the endeavors to regain Mr. Pendletons fugitive negro; and the more so, as his hopes from my pursuit of him will be equally disappointed. I shall write immediately to Col: Jameson on the subject & enclose your description of the negro, and the request of Mr. Pendleton as to the sale of him. As it is...