1To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 31 August 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
No new Occurrence at Cambridge can justify an Intrusion on the well-employ’d Moments of a Delegate. I must, however, urge you, to assign a Reason for the Supineness of Virginia, amidst the Robberies, and other Violations of private Property, said to have been committed by Lord Dunmore. He plunders Custom-Houses, and reviews his Body-Guard at Gosport, unarrested. What is the Conclusion from...
2To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 26 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been endeavouring to collect the Journal, and Ordinances of our last Convention, which rose last Saturday, in order to transmit them to your Excellency. But Purdie is backward in publishing them: so that I could do no more, than get a Promise from him to send them by next Post. Last Sunday a small Skirmish happened below: the Event of which, as it is said, was favourable to us, we...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 23 June 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
Gilmer, not being able to attend the Convention the other Day, when the Delegates were chosen, sent a Memo. to me, to press your Non-election. I urged it in decent Terms: but stirred up a Swarm of Wasps about my Ears, who seemed suspicious, that I designed to prejudice you. However, fortunately for my Credit, your Letter to the President was yesterday read to the House, confirming, What I had...
4To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 11 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
I congratulate your Excellency, as a Friend to the Reputation of Virginia, and the Interests of the Continent, that Colo. Harrison is again restored to the Councils of America. During his Absence at the Northward, he had been appointed one of our privy Council, but refused to qualify, as such. This afforded him an Opportunity, to vindicate himself from those malicious Insinuations, which first...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 22 February 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
The council board has been so much crouded with business of late, that I could not procure an order for the removal of Goodrich to Albemarle, ‘till this morning. I should not have delayed to comply with the resolution of Assembly so long, had it not been necessary to examine him in the county, in which it is supposed he committed the crime. The order for his removal went by express to day to...
6To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 21 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
It may perhaps be some entertainment to you, to be informed of the proceedings of the present Assembly. After choosing Colo. Harrison Speaker by a great majority, they seemed to be determined against every act of legislation, which did not in some measure tend to the security of Independence. The sense of the house was taken, as to their inclination to proceed upon the report of the revisers...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 13 November 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Carrington, who is a defendant in the suit, brought by your Relation Jefferson vs. Reade’s administrators , obtained an order at the last court, that he, as being nonresident, should give security for costs at the next Term. Will you be so good, as to inform him of this, if he is within the circle of your correspondence? Be pleased to add, that dismission is the penalty on non compliance...
8To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 24 July 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Edmund Randolph, 24 July 1779. GW wrote Randolph on 1 Aug.: “I recd with pleasure & thank you for your obliging favor of the 24th Ult.” ( DLC:GW ).
9To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 27 July 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Philadelphia, 27 July 1779 . Detailed account of Wayne’s capture of Stony Point on the Hudson, 15 July. Postscript reads: “You will oblige me much, by suggesting to me such reflections, as occur to you on the subject of peace: not on the propriety of making it, if possible, but on terms, necessary for America to insist on.” RC ( DLC ); 1 p. Printed in part: Conway, Edmund Randolph , p. 39–40.
10To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 13 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor of returning to your Excellency the papers referred to me, respecting the Portuguese snow captured by Captain Cunningham while Commander of the privateer Phœnix. The resolutions, entered into by Congress upon this Subject on the 21st. day of July 1779, call for public punishment, as well as private reparation; the former of which can be sought for upon no other principle...
11To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 1 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Richmond , [ 1 Dec. 1780 ]. Randolph replies to GW’s “favor of the 12th of April” later than anticipated because of “an expectation of hearing from you soon after” regarding the settlement of disputes among those holding mortgages on George Mercer’s lands in Virginia. Randolph explains that the confused state of public records “rendered it difficult to lay our hands upon all the documents in...
12To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, with a Memorandum by Jefferson, 9 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
As your excellency and the council probably have not access to Vattel, on whose doctrines this hasty answer is founded, I shall inclose the paragraph from his work, which treats of the right of soldiery to booty. They seem to amount to this: that booty does in strictness belong to the commonwealth; but that late usage has divided it among the captors, military stores excepted. Now I believe,...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 9 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Reflecting upon what I wrote this morning respecting the capture, made by the unarmed countrymen, I am inclined to think, that I was inaccurate. As well as I recollect, Vattel was said to be against their claim; but that daily usage was in favor of it. So far perhaps he is right. But if they have title to what they take; it is certainly wrong to affirm, that military stores are to be excepted....
14To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to remind your excellency of the situation of John Dean, a supposed fugitive from the lead mines, in defiance of the condition of his pardon. It is probable, that the actual abandonment of the place of labour will not be fixed upon him: ‘tho’ nothing can be more satisfactory, than that he had made preparations for flight. I say this upon the information of Colo. Lynch. Now I refer...
15To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 22 March 1781 [1782] (Madison Papers)
The roads have been hitherto so bad, that we have been able to accomplish no more of our journey, than about 80 miles. Tomorrow we shall see Baltimore; and unless my arrangements miscarry, I shall revisit Richmond on Sunday se’ennight. For a few minutes this afternoon I thumbed the body of Maryland laws. In the preface to Bacon’s edition of them, I found a recital of an act of the Lords...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 7 September 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
By the last post I suggested to you that our European affairs would probably bear greater delay than you apprehended. What you call your temporary disability will be removed early enough, to allow you to reach France by January. From Colo. Laurens’s account I am induced to believe, that Great Britain will never admit an American plenipotentiary into the congress, before which a general...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 9 October 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I was much distressed on the receipt of your late favor by Mrs. Randolph, to find your irrevocable purpose of sequestering yourself from public life. If you can justify this resolution to yourself, I am confident, that you cannot to the world. There remains now no alternative, but either to consign southern interests wholly to the management of our present ministers, or to interdict them from...
18Proposals to Furnish Delegates Copies of Papers to Be Debated, [ca. 28 December] 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 23, fol. 79). Docketed: “Report of Comee. on Motion of Mr. Middleton Decr. 28. 1781 Mr. Middleton Mr. Clymer Mr. Clark for furnishing the members of Congress with printed Reports before debated.” The first of the proposals shown below is in Edmund Randolph’s hand, the second in JM’s. Resolved, that the secretary upon application to him made for that purpose furnish a copy...
19To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 8 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
Your excellency will, I hope, readily believe, that I most cheerfully obey the commands of my brethren in the delegation, to transmit to you the vote of the Virginia assembly, expressing their sentiments of your conduct and exertions at York. We cannot pass by this favorable opportunity of declaring to your excellency the thorough coincidence of our feelings with theirs. Shall we beg the favor...
20To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 15 January 1782—Misdated (Madison Papers)
Letter misdated. 15 January 1782[3]. The contents of this manuscript in the Madison Papers of the Library of Congress make certain that Randolph inadvertently dated it one year before he wrote it.
21To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 11–13 April 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Docketed, “Apl. 11th. 1782,” by JM. The cover is missing, and the letter is unsigned. The handwriting of the letter is Randolph’s, and its contents permit no doubt that JM was the recipient. We announced to you from Bush-town the difficulties, which we had encountered on our journey. Whether the roads were really better, as we advanced southwardly, or seemed so from...
22To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 19 April 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I derive the sincerest pleasure from the prospect, which your punctuality of correspondence presents. I could not begin my part of our intercourse by letter until the last week: but the obstacles must be invincible, which shall prevent me from a weekly return in future. Our maritime code requires a small alteration. From the deference, which we paid to the...
23To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 26 April 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned, but in Randolph’s hand. Addressed to “The honble James Madison jr. of Congress Philadelphia.” The principle of “timeo Danaos et dona ferentes” has so powerful an effect upon the minds of our executive, that they seem fearful, lest the proposal of Pennsylvania to run a temporary line should contain an ambuscade. It offers the extension of Mason and Dixon’s...
24To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 5 May 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The letter is not signed, but it is in Randolph’s hand. Addressed to “The honble James Madison jr. of congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “May 5. 1782.” Your flattering urgency for my return, contained in your favor of the 23. Ulto. was answered by anticipation in my letter of last week. I still adhere to the same inclination to revisit you. By the next post, I...
25To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 10 May 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Addressed to “The honble James Madison jr. of congress Philadelphia,” but unsigned. The handwriting and contents of the letter permit no doubt that Randolph wrote it. Words encoded by him in the official cipher are here italicized. Yesterday I received your favor of the 1st. instant, and took Dr. Lee by the hand at almost the same moment. His brother Richard Henry...
26To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 16–17 May 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Words encoded by Randolph in the official cipher are italicized. The letter lacks both cover and docket. Mr. F. Webb, who left this place yesterday for Phila., is the bearer of a bill for 20 £ Penna. currency. I have requested him to deliver it to you. As it was not put into my hands, after it was drawn, I wish you may not meet with some impediment in the negotiation...
27To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 21–24 May 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). This four-page letter lacks a cover and a complimentary close. In its original form the letter may have had at least one more page. The handwriting and contents permit no doubt that Randolph wrote the letter. He encoded in the official cipher the words italicized in the present copy. The information, contained in my two last letters, has appeared within these two...
28To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 1 June 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Addressed to “The honble. James Madison jr. esqr. of congress Philadelphia.” Unsigned letter, docketed by JM, “June 1st. 1782.” The senate have amended the resolution of the house of delegates, which I inclosed to you by the last post, respecting passports for the transportation of tobacco to New-York, so as to destroy its force. The delegates disagreed to their...
29To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 15 June 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). This letter, in Randolph’s hand, lacks a cover, complimentary close, signature, and docket. Even though the final paragraph suggests that Randolph had completed his message when he reached the bottom of a single sheet of paper, the letter may have included an additional page. Mr. F. Webb, who returned yesterday, informs me, that he is the bearer of another instance...
30To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 20 June 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned letter, in Randolph’s hand, addressed to “The honble James Madison jr. of congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “June 20. 1782.” To the left of this date and at a right angle to it, he also wrote “Rept. on Instruction.” This jotting apparently bears no relation to the contents of the letter. The italicized words are those written by Randolph in the...