1The Board of War to George Washington, 21 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Congress having thought proper to appoint us to the Board of War and Ordinance, we do ourselves the Honour to transmit you the foregoing Extracts from their Proceedings establishing a War Office for the more speedy and effectual Dispatch of military Business. You will percieve, on Perusal of the Extracts, that it will be necessary for you forthwith to furnish the Board with an exact State...
2To George Washington from Supreme Court Justices, 8 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
We have considered the previous Question stated in a Letter written to us by your Direction, by the Secretary of State, on the 18th of last month. The Lines of Separation drawn by the Constitution between the three Departments of Government—their being in certain Respects checks on each other—and our being Judges of a court in the last Resort—are Considerations which afford strong arguments...
3Virginia and Pennsylvania Delegates in Congress to the Inhabitants West of Laurel Hill, 25 July 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
It gives us much concern to find that disturbances have arisen and still continue among you concerning the boundaries of our colonies. In the character in which we now address you, it is unnecessary to enquire into the origin of those unhappy disputes, and it would be improper for us to express our approbation or censure on either side: But as representatives of two of the colonies united,...
4Franklin and James Wilson to Jasper Yeates, 4 July 1776: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania <Philadelphia, July 4, 1776: The Congress has appointed you a commissioner of Indian affairs in the middle department, and asked us so to inform you. A conference will be held at Pittsburgh on July 20, which Congress hopes you will attend. Although this may be inconvenient, we know that your regard for the public will outweigh any consideration of your...
5Franklin and James Wilson to John Montgomery, 5 July 1776: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Chicago Historical Society <The letter, dated Philadelphia, July 5, 1776 is identical in wording with that to Jasper Yeates above, July 4, 1776.> A signer of the letter from the Carlisle committee above, Jan. 26.
6Constitutional Convention. Second of a Motion by James Wilson and Remarks Thereon, 4 June 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, June 4, 1787. James Wilson on this date made a motion, which Hamilton seconded, that a motion by Elbridge Gerry stating “that the National Executive shall have a right to negative any Legislative act which shall not be afterwards passed by parts of each branch of the national Legislature” be replaced by a provision “so as to give the Executive an absolute negative on the laws....
7To George Washington from the Supreme Court Justices, 20 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
We have taken into consideration the Letter written to us by your Direction, on the 18th Instant, by the Secretary of State. The Question “whether the public may with propriety be availed of the advice of the Judges, on the Questions alluded to?[”] appears to us to be of much Difficulty as well as Importance—as it affects the judicial Department, we feel a Reluctance to decide it, without the...
8II. Arguments by James Wilson and William Samuel Johnson before the Court of Commissioners, [14–23 December 1782] (Jefferson Papers)
We have the pleasure to meet your honors upon a very important Contest. You are now to decide a territorial controversy, which with other nations would have been decided by the sword. This being a court of the first impression in any part of the Globe and the present subject of litigation being of considerable value, I hope the honorable Court will pardon the tedious discussion I am now to...
9To James Madison from James Wilson and Daniel McMillan, 28 August 1812 (Madison Papers)
Being publickly notified from the department of state in the public prints that all British subjects within the United States are required forthwith to report to the marshals &c. concerning themselves and the various circumstances attaching to them we the undersigned seeing the propriety of such a measure in the present important crisis have accordingly given in our report of this date to the...
10To George Washington from James Wilson, 11 March 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from James Wilson, 11 Mar. 1788. On 4 April GW thanked Wilson for his “favr of the 11 Ulto.”