1To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 13 September 1783 (first) (Madison Papers)
RC (Harvard College Library: Dearborn Papers). Addressed in the hand of a clerk, probably George Hay, “To James Madison. Sept 13th: 1783,” and almost certainly enclosed by Randolph in his longer letter of the same date to JM ( q.v. ). If your attention to congressional business, and your cramped situation will allow you to shew civilities to a new acquaintance, I must consign Mr. Francis...
2To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 13 September 1783 (second) (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned, but in Randolph’s hand. Cover addressed by him to “The honble James Madison jr. esq of Congress Princeton.” Docketed by JM, “Sepr. 13. 1783 E.R.” The bracketed letters are those excised from the manuscript by an overly close cropping, especially along the right margin of the second folio. Norfolk and its neighbourhood are I fear, doomed to perpetual...
3To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 27 January 1784 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Cover missing. Docketed by JM, “Randolph. Edmd. Jany. 27. 1784.” Altho’ your return from congress has brought you nearer in point of distance, it has fixed a wider gulph between us in point of communication by letter. But I do not mean to suffer the danger of miscarrage, to which even a private opportunity is exposed, whensoever any thing, worthy of notice, occurs....
4To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 30 January 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Your friendly overture of a correspondence; altho’ written on the 31st. Ulto. , did not reach me before the last evening. I pledge myself for furnishing all the intelligence, which the barrenness of this place can supply, fit for your attention. But for a late occurrence, the executive would languish for employment. A Mr. Geo. Hancock, a citizen of this commonwealth, assaulted and beat a Mr....
5To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 19 February 1784 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 10th instant, which I this day received, is not the first information concerning Lord Tankerville’s power of attorney. I was written to by Lady Tankerville and his Lordship, as early as November last: and immediately desired Colo. Hooe to state to me the particulars of this new office. He answered me, that he was ignorant of the duty, expected from us, and must remain so,...
6To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have forborne to answer your late letter on the subject of the petitions, until I took the steps, which the case seemed to recommend. It is a point, on which the lawyers themselves are divided, whether a new petition can be now brought for a forfeiture before the 29th of Sepr 1775. Altho’ I should not conceive such a petition very formidable, yet as there is a doubt, capable of being...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 24 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been forbidden by an unusual sensation in my head for some time past, to write a line, which the duties of my profession did not extort from me. This circumstance alone has hitherto prevented an answer to your last favor. The elections for this year have proved the readiness of the citizens to incorporate the military with the civil. I have heard of the success of seven military...
8To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 15 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you will receive a letter, which fell into my hands from a gentleman, lately arrived from England. Colo. Bassett is here, and I shall prepare a deed to be executed for the whole of the lands, adjudged to him against you. I was not satisfied, that the proof, which you sent me of improvements, was agreeable to law, tho’ the fact would certainly have acquitted some of the land: and...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 15 May 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Your mission to Europe reached us the day before yesterday, and made me doubt whether you will not have sailed before my answer to your friendly letter by the last post shall get to hand. I had begun to transcribe for you the manuscript defence of our claim to western territory. I shall pursue the task, and forward it by some opportunity across the Atlantic. It is probable, that you will have...
10To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 28 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is the rough draught of a deed, prepared to be executed by Colo. Bassett. I send it to you for your satisfaction, with an assurance that I shall not fail to accomplish the business at the next general court. I am Dear Sir with the greatest truth yr obliged and affte friend ALS , ViMtvL . See Randolph to GW, 15 May 1784 , and the references in note 2 of that document . See also...
11To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 27 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
The deed, of which I inclosed you the rough draught, has been duly executed and recorded. The register of the land-ofice has undertaken to have other patents made out in your name by the next week. I shall not however send them by the stage, which will be the first opportunity; but I shall defer it until the post. I am dear sir with the sincerest respect & esteem yr obliged & affte humble...
12To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 3 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
The register is now engaged in renewing your grants. They would have been prepared for this post, if the form had been the same, as that, which has been hitherto practised. I trust, that there is little doubt of their being forwarded by the next. I am Dear sir yr obliged & affte friend ALS , MH : Jared Sparks Collection. The correspondence between Randolph and GW regarding the grants to GW...
13To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 17 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
I received your favor of the 10th of July by the last post. You will excuse me, I hope, from accepting fees for any business, which I may execute for you in the line of my profession. It is indeed a poor mode of acknowledging the repeated acts of friendship, which I have experienced from your hands: but I beg to be gratified in this, the usual way, in which lawyers give some small testimony of...
14To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 20 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
Since my letter of the last week, I have inquired into the fruit of your chances in Colo. Byrd’s lottery, from Mr James Buchanan, of this town, the only person, on whose information I can depend for such a subject. No. 265, the prize of the ticket 4965 is a lot in Manchester; the value of which is unknown, and is therefore in all probability as yet of scarcely any. No’s. 270, 138, 237, 257,...
15To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 12 February 1785 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed letters were forwarded by the president to my care. Learning from him, that a package, in which they were covered, contained some fresh literary information, I took the liberty of opening it; especially as it was suggested, and the event shewed, that it contained two other letters, one for Mr. Page, the other for Mr. Madison himself. The executive are at last persuaded of their...
16To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 19th Ulto was put into my hands this evening for the first time. I accordingly opened the inclosed letter to Mr Bushrod Washington, which has remained with me to the present moment. It would give me the sincerest satisfaction to execute, what you there confided to him. But I believe it is too notorious, that Mr Ryan has quitted Virginia, utterly incompetent to discharge his...
17To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 4 June 1785 (Washington Papers)
I entered upon the execution of my promise to Major Washington without delay; but the paper being lengthy cannot be compleated for this post. You will be so good as not to expect it, until the next week. I shall fortify it with as many authentications, as the situation of our public records will permit. I am Dear sir yr obliged and affectionate friend & servant ALS , DLC:GW . GW’s...
18To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 9 July 1785 (Washington Papers)
With this you will receive a copy of the proclamation, authenticated by the register’s seal. I was indeed hopeful to add the testimonials of the state: but the lieutenant governor, not being in town nor expected until the departure of the post, I thought it adviseable rather to send the inclosed, than delay you. I believe that this will answer your purpose; but for fear of cavil, I will...
19To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 17 July 1785 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed certificate will, I believe, authenticate the acts of Mr Harvie in his official character, to the fullest extent. This is the earliest moment, in which I could procure it. I am Dear sir with great truth yr affectionate friend & serv. ALS , NhD . The certificate has not been found, but see Randolph to GW, 9 July .
20To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 17 July 1785 (Madison Papers)
By some inexplicable mystery, the inclosed letter from Mr. Jones, and my intended answer to your last epistolary favor, have still remained in my possession. Being engaged when the gentleman, who brought your friendly attention to me, I doubt whether I gave him an intelligible reply to his question, if my answer was ready. Our apparent disobedience to the appointment of the assembly must be...
21To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 29 July 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 23d instant came duly to hand. But I am sorry to be unable to execute the request contained in it. The council-books are destroyed. The general restriction of settlement on the western waters does, I acknowledge, extend to military rights, as well others. But it continues only, until the King’s further pleasure should be known. The patent in your hands is abundant evidence,...
22To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 8 August 1785 (Washington Papers)
Being so near you, as I understand myself to be, I should certainly have endeavoured to pay my respects to you today in person, were it not for the fatigue, which I have lately undergone in travelling hither. A business, similar to that, in which you are now engaged, will oblige me to return to Richmond by the 20th instant. The subscribers to the opening of James river are then to meet. I was...
23To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 2 September 1785 (Washington Papers)
I accomplished my purpose of being present at the meeting of the subscribers to the James river company. Those books alone, which were opened here, were laid before us. By them it appeared, that the whole number of shares was nearly compleated; but it was thought adviseable to postpone the admission of other subscribers, until the success of the upper books should be known. This step was very...
24To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 3 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
The post-offices have not been in fault in every respect; altho’ I did not receive from the one here your favor of the 5th Ulto until last night, notwithstanding my application for letters. Your inclosures of the proceedings of the Potowmack company were duly received by me: and the business of the general court pressing very urgently upon me, the answer to your favor was undertaken by the...
25To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 1 March 1786 (Madison Papers)
I am much indebted to you for Bayle and the Confessional. I delivered the treatises on air, with the history of their journey from hence to Orange, to Dr. Currie. He put them into the hands of McClurg who reports in strong terms of approbation the work of Scheele, as being most learned in Chymistry. The circular letters have been dispatched, with an authentication of our commercial Character...
26To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 2 March 1786 (Washington Papers)
The delay, which has hitherto occurred in transmitting to you the inclosed proceedings, will be ascribed, I hope, to its true causes; one of which will be found in my last letter, and the other in the daily expectation of Mr Ross’s visit to Mount-Vernon, in pursuance of our resolution of the 8th of december 1785. You may possibly be surprized, that a work, which has already expended a...
27To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 12 June 1786 (Madison Papers)
When Major Moore came to town, I was under the severe regimen of blisters and purges, produced by four violent colds, which I caught at four different courts and for the management of which I could not find the least leisure. Even now I am as hoarse as a raven, but free from fever or pain. Indeed my past fevers were slight and my pain, except from the blisters, of no account. I have never...
28To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 7 July 1786 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edmund Randolph, 7 July 1786. On 12 July GW wrote Randolph : “Your letter of the 7th is this instant come to hand.”
29To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 12 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Many unforeseen accidents, and particularly a long indisposition have occasioned the delay, which has occurred in the acknowledgment of your friendly attention in the present of books. Since the receipt of them, your favor concerning the capitol came to hand; after the most painful anxiety at the tardy movement of the plan to Virginia. We are at length relieved by its arrival. A council of...
30To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 24 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
I am sensibly affected by your friendly congratulations. You will readily, I hope, believe, that I class them among the auspicious events of my life. But in truth more difficulties are in prospect, than prudence ought to have prompted me to encounter. The nerves of government seem unstrung, both in energy and money, and the fashion of the day is to calumniate the best services, if...