To James Madison from Thomas Mann Randolph, 11 December 1813
From Thomas Mann Randolph
Crawfords George town Dec. 11. 1813
Sir,
My promise to my Wife forces me to accept the favor your goodness has offerred.1 Before I parted with her I assured her that I would do any thing rather than continue to live separate from her for any length of time. To assist in the conquest of Canada has been long a favorite object with me, and the risk, suffering, and toils of another attempt would be born with pleasure. But the pain of distressing her, added to that of being remote from her, induced me to make that engagement. If the place in the collection of the direct taxes should become a void one by the assumption of the Legislature, I shall suffer great mortification at losing my post in the army.2 I am consoled by the belief that the report made of me by those under whom I have served, and those whom I have commanded, would give me a chance of being reinstated. With unfeigned devotion your most obedt. Servt.
Th: M. Randolph
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. See JM to Randolph, 11 Nov. 1813, and n. 1.
2. Randolph referred to the possibility that the Virginia General Assembly might eliminate the immediate need for assessors and collectors by assuming payment of the state’s portion of the direct tax of 1813, an option provided by the seventh section of “An Act to lay and collect a direct tax within the United States,” 2 Aug. 1813 ( 3:53–72). Early in January 1814, the legislature voted to assume the direct tax; Randolph nevertheless resigned his army commission on 13 Mar. 1814 (Alexandria Herald, 14 Jan. 1814; 1:815).