From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 11 August 1802
To Thomas Jefferson
Orange Aug. 11. 1802
Dear Sir
I reached home just before dark this evening, after the most fatiguing journey I ever encountered, having made the tour I proposed over the mountains, and met with every difficulty which bad roads & bad weather could inflict.1 As this must be at the Court House early in the morning, I have only time to inclose you some despatches from Mr. Livingston which I recd. the night before I left Washington, and decyphered on the journey,2 with some others which I found here on my arrival & have but slightly run over. The inclosed patent may [be] sent with your signature to the Office without returning thro’ my hands.3 Your favor of the 30th. Ult: I also found here on my arrival. Yrs. with respectful attachment
James Madison
RC (DLC: Jefferson Papers). Docketed by Jefferson as received 12 Aug.
1. It is more than likely that this trip was a family visit to George Steptoe and Lucy Washington’s estate, Harewood, near Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia). Lucy was Dolley Madison’s sister, and despite the “painful journey” Dolley described to a friend, the Madisons “spent three happy days” there (Ketcham, James Madison, p. 381; Anna Maria Thornton to Dolley Madison, 24 Aug. 1802 [ViU]).
2. These were probably Robert R. Livingston to JM, 27 Mar. and 10 (two letters), 12, and 20 May 1802.
3. The sole surviving record of a patent issued during this period was for Jacob Idler’s cotton press, which was patented on 24 Sept. 1802 (DNA: RG 241, Restored Patents, vol. 1).