1To James Madison from Richard Rush, 3 February 1812 (Madison Papers)
While the military nominations are under consideration, I have ventured to think that it would not be unwelcome to the executive to receive, from every source, information in regard to characters in our country who may have pretensions in this line. Under this impression I took the liberty, a few days ago, to hand to the secretary of war a paper of which the enclosed is a copy. It is with his...
2To James Madison from Richard Rush, 8 April 1812 (Madison Papers)
In an accidental conversation I had with Mr Gallatin in the course of the last week upon the subject of men in Pennsylvania fitted for the higher posts of the army, the name of General Thomas Craig, of Northampton county, was mentioned. Without any personal acquaintance, I could only speak of him through his long reputation as a soldier and patriot. His advanced age was adverted to, as well as...
3To James Madison from Richard Rush, 17 July 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
17 July 1812. Requests that JM “accept a copy of the discourse the delivery of which, on the 4th of July, he was so obliging as to witness.” RC ( PHi ). 1 p. Enclosure not found, but see n. 1. On 8 July 1812 the National Intelligencer reported that JM, along with his family and the heads of departments, had been escorted to the Capitol on 4 July to hear Rush’s address. Afterward, JM’s party...
4To James Madison from Richard Rush, 4 September 1812 (Madison Papers)
The extraordinary juncture of publick affairs emboldens me to trouble you with this letter, and while I do so with great diffidence I must seek the apology in the motive and proceed to its immediate subject with no other claim to indulgence beyond that which the subject, coupled with the most ardent desires for our countrys welfare, can beget. The shock given to the publick hopes in the...
5To James Madison from Richard Rush, 1 January 1813 (Madison Papers)
Mr Ingersoll has sent me on the enclosed letter from Philadelphia, which, for the sake of the sentence it contains about impressment, I venture to enclose for your eye. Mr Ingersoll is not, as Mr King supposes, engaged in any publication upon this subject. He is investigating it, with others, preparatory to his congressional career, which I please myself with the hope will be prominent and...
6To James Madison from Richard Rush, 3 October 1813 (Madison Papers)
Understanding, yesterday, from the secretary of the treasury that many of the applications for office under the late tax laws have been transmitted to Orange for your consideration, an arrangement in regard to them of which I was not aware until Mr Jones was kind enough to inform me, I take the liberty to state that a few have been sent on, from Pennsylvania, to my care, and are still in my...
7To James Madison from Richard Rush, 5 February 1814 (letter not found) (Madison Papers)
¶ From Richard Rush. Letter not found. 5 February 1814. Described as an eight-page letter, enclosing extracts of a confidential letter from [Alexander James] Dallas suggesting war measures, in the lists probably made by Peter Force ( DLC , series 7, container 2).
8To James Madison from Richard Rush, 12 February 1814 (Madison Papers)
Having received the commission of attorney general of the United states which you have been pleased to confer upon me, I have the honor to signify, respectfully, my acceptance of it. Amidst the sensibilities I feel at so signal a mark of confidence at your hands I can only say, that I am enabled to sustain the sense of responsibility it implies by nothing else than a consciousness of the good...
9To James Madison from Richard Rush, 2 July 1814 (Madison Papers)
The attorney general has the honor to return to the President the papers put into his hands yesterday relative to the case of Colonel Dennis. On examining them the attorney general is of opinion, that, whatever equity they hold out, the executive authority is not competent to afford relief against the hardship stated, congress alone having powers adequate to that effect. RC and enclosures (...
10To James Madison from Richard Rush, 6 July 1814 (Madison Papers)
Respectfully enclosed for the eye of the President by R. Rush; who ventures to believe that, in times like these, the contributions of every patriotic and intelligent mind, will, when prudently obtained, be acceptable. RC and enclosure ( PHi : Richard Rush Papers). Docketed by JM . For enclosure, see n. 1. Rush enclosed an extract of a 3 July 1814 letter to him from Alexander J. Dallas (7...
11To James Madison from Richard Rush, 13 July 1814 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed letter came under cover to me by this day’s mail, with a request that I would deliver it into your hands. Having been informed of what it relates to, I feel very reluctant at being thus the instrument of obtruding upon your notice a subject of merely local concern at a time when I so well know that your mind is anxiously occupied upon matters of so much more deep and general...
12To James Madison from Richard Rush, 3 December 1814 (Madison Papers)
R. Rush has the honor to enclose to the President, 1. A letter from the governor of Louisiana recommending, in relation to the pirates of Barataria, that a few of the more hardened offenders only should be prosecuted, and the conduct of the rest overlooked. 2. Another letter from the same, recommending Mr Duplessis as collector of New Orleans, in the room of Mr Dubourg, whose resignation is...
13To James Madison from Richard Rush, 4 December 1814 (Madison Papers)
In considering the case submitted to him yesterday by the President, the attorney general has the honor to report; that, in his opinion, the holding a commission and rank as captain in the navy would be incompatible under the laws with holding, at the same time, the office of secretary of the department of the navy. RC ( DLC ). See JM to John Rodgers, 4 Dec. 1814 .
14To James Madison from Richard Rush, 16 January 1815 (Madison Papers)
Having been favoured with the perusal of a letter of this date, address’d to you by the Secretary of the Treasury, recommending James Martin Esqr as one of the commissioners for settling the Yazoo claims, should an act of Congress pass vesting such an appointment in the hands of the executive, I take the liberty most cordially to unite my voice to that of Mr Dallas, in favor of Mr Martins...
15To James Madison from Richard Rush, 15 February 1815 (Madison Papers)
I cannot refrain from the expression of my most hearty congratulations to you on the auspicious news of peace. It comes, indeed, at a most happy point of time for our interests and our fame. I must be allowed to say, how largely I participate in the just and grateful joy it must bring to all your publick feelings. Your anxious moments, sir, will now be fewer; your labors abridged; your...
16To James Madison from Richard Rush, 16 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I do myself the pleasure to enclose you two letters from Mr Adams, which I venture to persuade myself you will look over with interest, as well from the writer as the subject. Having adopted the opinion that we had lost none of our former rights or liberties in the fisheries, I felt some desire to know his, and he has been kind enough to gratify me. The venerable patriot writes with an...
17To James Madison from Richard Rush, 12 August 1815 (Madison Papers)
As the last Edinburgh review may not yet have fallen into your hands, I do myself the pleasure to send it to you. It belongs to Mr Serurier, who I am sure will be gratified when he hears the use I have put it to. There are some pieces in it which it may afford you a momentary relaxation to cast your eye over. The article upon France has not lost all its interest by the intervening events, and...
18To James Madison from Richard Rush, 2 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th of last month enclosing the one from Mr James Miller, at New Iberia, to the secretary of state. In reply to the several points embraced in the one which preceded it a few days, I now beg leave to state. First, as regards the letter from Commodore Patterson. I have furnished Mr Homans with some directions, which, in connexion with...
19To James Madison from Richard Rush, 3 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
The Edinburgh review reached me safely. I had read the article on the corn laws, but confess the explanation of the puzzle did not strike me. In the pencil marks it looks very simple. I suspect the reviewers took their theory from no less an authority than Smith; not that I have particularly searched this time to ascertain, but that I have observed in all their disquisitions which touch...
20To James Madison from Richard Rush, 6 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Employing myself during the past month in arranging papers, I laid my hands upon the enclosed, written at the time it bears date. I am induced to send it for the mere sake of what it contains about Bonaparte; not, indeed, that we can subscribe to all it says, but that as his character seems to go on evolving new anomolies, its confident assertions about him as far back as the days of...
21To James Madison from Richard Rush, 10 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
The several measures indicated in your letter of the 5th of this month, have been carried into effect, or are in train to be so. I hesitated whether a certified copy of the proclamation should be transmitted from the department of state to Mr onis. Nothing had been said about it, and I know the peculiarity under which he exercises his functions. I should greatly have prefered an intimation of...
22To James Madison from Richard Rush, 13 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have just been favored with your confidential letter of the 11th instant, and will lose not a moment in adopting every possible precaution calculated to give effect to its just wishes. I am astonished at the gross indiscretion that could have dictated or permitted the measure, and you may confidently trust to its being defeated. With very cordial respect &c RC ( PHi : Richard Rush Papers).
23To James Madison from Richard Rush, 13 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Since my letter dated at 8. in the morning, it occurred to me that there might be an advantage in meeting the travellers at Baltimore if possible, in which Mr Graham and Mr Cutts both concurred. We therefore selected Mr Edward Duvall, of the navy office, who went off an hour ago in a hack with a letter from me to commodore Lewis of which the enclosed is a copy. We imagined that we might in all...
24To James Madison from Richard Rush, 14 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Nothing has transpired since I last wrote, except the arrival of Commodore Rodgers from Baltimore yesterday afternoon. He mentions that the travelling party reached that city on tuesday evening, in the steam boat he believes. They took up their abode at Barneys. He adds, that Lucien Bonaparte is known to possess stock in some of the institutions of Baltimore, and that it was conjectured Joseph...
25To James Madison from Richard Rush, 15 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Owing to the weather Mr Duvall did not reach Baltimore until a very late hour on wednesday night. He found that the party had all gone out in hacks to Ellicotts-mills early in the evening, with a view to join the stage yesterday morning and come on here. He followed and fell in with them there. He delivered my letter, no doubt, to Commodore Lewis, who perceiving that the ulterior purpose in...
26To James Madison from Richard Rush, 17 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Mr Duvall returned yesterday, but too late to drop a line by the mail. He brings however nothing material in addition to what my last letter stated. The party after returning to Baltimore, all went off by the way of York and Lancaster, and Commodore Lewis speaks of this as in part their first intention. The return from the mills he ascribed to having there first learned with certainty that not...
27To James Madison from Richard Rush, 21 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have complied with the requests contained in your letter of the 17th. instant. To Mr Dick I wrote yesterday. As regards the French letter from Rhode Island, the former one, to which it refers, does not appear to be in either of the departments mentioned. I have, however, enclosed the one you transmitted, to Mr Dallas, with some further though slight explanation of the transaction derived...
28To James Madison from Richard Rush, 24 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
Since the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant I have dropped a line to Mr Yates, and been with Mr Graham upon the subject of it. The case is, I hope, placed in a way to be satisfactorily adjusted. I enclose another letter from Mr. Dick. The accompanying documents to which he alludes, I have not thought it necessary to trouble you with. It does appear to me, that his sensibility has been...
29To James Madison from Richard Rush, 30 September 1815 (Madison Papers)
As a little exercise of the pen, I have just been throwing out a small pamphlet, of a copy of which I beg your acceptance. While at the bar, I had often occasion to perceive and lament the existence of a spirit too dependent and colonial. This little tract aims, as far as it goes, at showing that it is not justifiable. I was happy to hear from Mr Monroe a day or two ago, that his health is...
30To James Madison from Richard Rush, 29 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
I well remember the law to which Mr Wirt alludes. Indeed, I drew it. It was deemed necessary from antecedent evils of a most embarrassing kind, which, I believe, it has, to a great degree, cured every where but in Virginia. I have thrown a few remarks upon the enclosed sheet, to be read as an addendum to Mr Wirts letter, and designed to meet its main object. This I have done in compliance with...
31To James Madison from Richard Rush, 14 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I had before observed, in the newspapers, some account of the affair of which Judge Tucker’s letter speaks more particularly. I doubt, from the state of the facts which he exhibits, if the case can be reached with any effect unless under the act of June 5. 1794. There may be difficulties even under this act. The pamphlet which I beg leave to enclose, will serve to show the footing upon which...
32To James Madison from Richard Rush, 23 July 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have sent on to Philadelphia the papers which accompanied your favor of the 20th instant. I had not been unmindful of the request intimated in your previous favor of the 12th, upon the same subject, and was upon the point of drawing up a few remarks in relation to it when that of the 20th arrived. In any other event I should have had great pleasure in rendering any little assistance in my...
33To James Madison from Richard Rush, 17 September 1816 (Madison Papers)
Mr Dallas, Mr Crawford and myself met yesterday upon the business relative to the capitol. It struck us, that, under the act of congress of the 29th of April last, the executive possesses authority to sanction the encroachment upon the centre building, to give room for the stair-way contemplated by Mr. Latrobe. Touching the expediency of such a measure, we found a resolution of the senate of...
34To James Madison from Richard Rush, 18 April 1817 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to send you, enclosed, a few English newspapers. I have not been able to look over them myself, but perhaps you may be able to glean an hours amusement from them. They are the latest we have in the office. I shall have great pleasure in sending you others that arrive. Our last letters from Mr Adams are to the 29th of January. He takes no notice of the report of 19 ships of war...
35To James Madison from Richard Rush, 18 June 1817 (Madison Papers)
When it became my lot to superintend for a short time, the business of the department of state, I little imagined, that among the foreign ministers, the Abbe Correa was the one with whom my official relations were to be the least smooth. Having imbibed a veneration for his character and genius, struck with the engaging simplicity of his manners and liberality of his principles, I had, on the...
36To James Madison from Richard Rush, 20 June 1817 (Madison Papers)
We have latterly had no papers from abroad. Mr Adams seems to have ceased sending them, probably from his preparations to come home. His last letter to the department stated his expectation to embark before the first of June. As to the French papers they come to us but seldom, and amount to but little when they do come. With Russia, France and Spain, our relations continue, I believe, just as...
37To James Madison from Richard Rush, 6 September 1817 (Madison Papers)
Considering the struggle that is now going on in Pennsylvania, as not wholly local, I have been led to dip my pen in it. A month ago I threw together some remarks for one of the newspapers. They unexpectedly came back to me a few days since in the form of a two-penny pamphlet. I venture to enclose you one of them for the amusement of a leisure moment. Although no official promulgation has yet...
38To James Madison from Richard Rush, 14 January 1818 (Madison Papers)
I have great pleasure in sending you by a conveyance, which I hope will prove a safe one, Eustace’s tour and Malthus on population. In place of the most approved answer to the latter work, which, as yet, I have not been able to ascertain, I send the 34th number of the Quarterly review, which you will find to contain a more full notice of its doctrines than, I believe, has heretofore been taken...
39To James Madison from Richard Rush, 2 May 1818 (Madison Papers)
I received through Mr Brent, in January, the favor of your few lines, accompanied by the letter for Mr Keilsall which was forwarded to my care. I am sorry to say that all my efforts to find him out, have, thus far, proved fruitless. I will not give them over, and hope that this instance of ill success in the beginning will not deter you from calling on me again whenever you have occasion. Your...
40To James Madison from Richard Rush, 13 December 1818 (Madison Papers)
Your esteemed favor of the 24th of July came safely to hand, with the bill which it enclosed, the amount of which was obtained from the Mess: Barings. I send by this conveyance the anecdotes of the life of bishop Watson in two volumes, and a little posthumous work of Horace Walpoles, which has lately come out. These two books, coupled with Doddington’s diary, (to which I remember you first...
41To James Madison from Richard Rush, 8 September 1819 (Madison Papers)
I beg to offer my best thanks for your acceptable favor of the tenth of May and the very interesting views which it held up of our home affairs. The enormous abuses of the banking system, seem at last to have roused our people to a just sense of the resulting dangers, and we shall henceforth, it is to be hoped, not witness so excessive a multiplication of these institutions, whilst those which...
42To James Madison from Richard Rush, 30 August 1820 (Madison Papers)
The Mr Keilsall to whom the enclosed letter is addressed, I have not, by all the inquiries which it has been in my power to make since I came to London, been able to find out. I therefore return it, not without regret at my disappointment, which however is lessened by the excuse which the act of returning it affords me of writing to you. The last time I had that pleasure, was, if I recollect...
43To James Madison from Richard Rush, 15 November 1820 (Madison Papers)
Your acceptable favor of the 12th of August, reached me about a month ago. I fear that this government will continue deaf to every expostulation that can be addressed to it on the subject of the West India trade. In the negociation of 1818, when Mr Gallatin was here, we made the attempt with all earnestness to prevail upon them to give up their narrow doctrines, but to no effect; whilst...
44To James Madison from Richard Rush, 15 March 1821 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the fourth of December came safely to hand, and with it the letter for Mr Joy, and one for Miss Wright, both of which have been delivered. Mr Smith into whose hands I put the latter, informs me that there was no difficulty in forwarding it to its destination. I have to beg, dear Sir, that you will without scruple commit to my care whatever letters you may have occasion to write...
45To James Madison from Richard Rush, 25 June 1821 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 21st of April reached me a few days ago, and I have great pleasure in sending you herewith, a copy of Hones new testament, which I hope will be in time for the return of the packet. I have no account of the price, it having been just left at my house without a bill. It is but a trifle, and can be thought of at a future day. There is no other account between us. I have also to...
46To James Madison from Richard Rush, 25 September 1821 (Madison Papers)
The last number of the Edinburgh Review having just come out, I have great pleasure, whilst making up my despatches for the October packet, in sending it to you. It may probably be the means of putting you in possession of it rather sooner than you would otherwise see it, and I know the interest you will take in casting your eye over the article on Godwin’s work. These great northern criticks,...
47To James Madison from Richard Rush, 6 March 1822 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 20th of November got to hand in January. The letters which it enclosed for Mr Keilsall and Mr Joy, were both delivered, no difficulty having occurred this time in finding the former. I had equal pleasure in procuring his book, which was sent to Liverpool in January with directions to be forwarded in the regular packet from that port on the 1st of February. I hope it will have...
48To James Madison from Richard Rush, 28 June 1823 (Madison Papers)
Not for the value of the article, but as a little token of remembrance, I beg you will allow me to ask your acceptance of, (sent by the vessel in which this letter goes,) an English cheese. Joining my wife in kind compliments to Mrs Madison, I remain, dear sir, with unalterable attachment and respect your devoted friend and servant RC ( PHi ). Enclosed in James Maury to JM , 3 July 1823 . Here...
49To James Madison from Richard Rush, [10 September 1823] (Madison Papers)
particularly proposals for abolishing all private war upon the ocean. And 6th. the Russian ukase of September 1821, relative to the North West coast of America. It is not yet ascertained if this government will consent to embark in negociation on all these points; and still less dare I promise, that she is prepared to come into our liberal views respecting them. It is with much hesitation that...
50To James Madison from Richard Rush, 28 December 1823 (Madison Papers)
Your very acceptable favor of the 13th of November reached me yesterday. I am not able at this time to do more than barely acknowledge its safe arrival, but this I do with my grateful thanks. It will be, under many views, extremely valuable to me. I remain dear sir with devoted attachment and respect Your obliged and affectionate friend P. S. Your kind acknowledgement of the cheese I also...