1To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 6 September 1814 (Madison Papers)
Assured that any suggestions tending to promote the public good will not be unacceptable, I venture at this crisis, to offer some. There can exist little doubt of there having been force sufficient on our side, to have prevented the enemy from reaching Washington, or to have defeated & destroyed the greater part of those who did reach it. The true use of the two different descriptions of the...
2To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 4 August 1813 (Madison Papers)
I hope & trust I shall not be regarded as an obtrusive correspondent, having no other motive, as must now be manifest, than the public good. The present position of the British fleet, & the gradual withdrawal of every ship which can be spared from the blockade of N. York & N. London to strengthen their force in the Chesapeak, induce me to believe that they contemplate some important expedition...
3To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 14 July 1813 (Madison Papers)
There are few, very few indeed, to whom the intelligence of your recovery from a late dangerous illness, has afforded a more sincere & heartfelt pleasure, as well from considerations purely personal, as those which regard our beloved country’s welfare and tranquillity. I almost tremble, sir, when I think of the contentions, divisions & disasters, to which your sudden removal at this critical...
4To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 26 May 1813 (Madison Papers)
The military operations pursuing this year, are so similar to those recommended by me last year, (anonymously, it is true, but not concealedly) that I have felt less apprehension than I otherwise should, as to their issue. The project of cutting the snake in two, or of compressing so closely & strictly in the middle, all it’s channells of circulation as to occasion the perishing of the upper...
5To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 30 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
Anxious that our military operations in the ensuing campaign should be every where successful, I hasten to communicate, in consequence of the permission, so flatteringly given me, a few hints, in relation to those about to be conducted against the two Canadas. If the views of our Government be limited to the acquiring of the command of the two lakes Ontario & Erie, & the reduction of the whole...
6To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 19 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have been honoured with the receipt of your esteemed favour of the 5th. Inst. Entertaining no anxious desire of abandoning my domestic ease, & entering again upon the fatigues, risks & privations ever attendant upon military service, I feel neither dissatisfaction nor dissappointment, that the proffer made by me, tho’ favorably received, & flatteringly acknowledged, could not consistently be...
7To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 9 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
Considerations of duty, of respect & attachment impel me to address you upon a subject, highly interesting to the whole American people, and certainly not less so, to yourself. There is reason to apprehend, that, without some sufficient precautionary measures on your part, a bold attempt may possibly be made to seize your person & papers, & convey you to the fleet below. This apprehension...
8To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 29 March 1813 (Madison Papers)
When I retired from public life in the year 1806, after five & twenty years service in the Armies & Councils of my country, I had taken a resolution never again to accept an employment or office of any kind which should draw me from my domestic retirement. It was not indeed then foreseen, that the integrity of our happy Union would be so soon threatened & jeopardized, the prosperity & harmony...
9To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, [16 January] 1813 (Madison Papers)
I took the liberty of writing to you lately on the subject of our affairs, & will now trouble you once more, for my anxiety is extreme. The contemplated plan of raising 20,000 men for one year is a most erroneous one. By the time they are made good soldiers they must be disbanded, another army enlisted. Your troops would always be raw, the expenses enormous—the delays incalculable. Besides the...
10To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, [ca. 14 January 1813] (Madison Papers)
I took the liberty of writing to you lately on the subject of our affairs, & will now trouble you once more, for my anxiety is extreme. The contemplated plan of raising 20,000 men for one year is a most erroneous one. By the time they are made good soldiers they must be disbanded—another army enlisted—your troops would always be raw—the expenses enormous—the delays incalculable. Besides the...
11To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, [ca. 28 December] 1812 (Madison Papers)
Letters of congratulation are not the object of the writer, altho’ no one more sincerely rejoices at the defeat of your enemies. No one more deeply laments that the military arrangements, movements & disasters of the late summer campaigns, improperly imputed to the Head of the Governmt. had, for a moment shaken the confidence, or alienated the affections of some portions of the community. The...
12To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 23 September 1812 (Madison Papers)
The writer of this did not intend to follow up the late communication with any other, until he learned thro’ the channell he had pointed out, whether they were acceptable, but considerations, not only personal to yourself, but important to the welfare of our country have impelled him so far to change his intention. The Assembly of the Notables (as they are ludicrously called) convened lately...
13To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, [ca. 17 September] 1812 (Madison Papers)
Your political enemies are taking every possible advantage of our unaccountable disasters at Detroit, to render your Presidency unpopular, & your cabinet Council odious & contemptible. This is not doing by Federalists alone, but with equal zeal, tho’ greater caution by “the Democratic Republicans .” The great object of the former is to remove the Chief magistracy, not from you only, but from...
14To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 21 March 1812 (Madison Papers)
I received yesterday by mail, a letter without signature, which, from it’s general & particular character, it’s tenour, & it’s allusions, must be presumed to have come from the President of the United States. The letters therein alluded to, & stated to have been addressed to the Secretary of State, & to the President successively in 1808 & 1809 were never sent by me. It would seem however,...
15To James Madison from “Cyrus” [Jonathan Dayton], [29 May] 1809 (Madison Papers)
For the President, in the most perfect confidence. Never were any men more completely confounded, than were a certain description of politicians, to whom I have heretofore alluded, upon the appearance of the Proclamation, for restoring the intercourse between the U. States & Territories of Britain. The commerce, the honor, & the prosperity of their country were with them, at best, but...
16To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 9 December 1808 (Madison Papers)
The subject on which I addressed you some time ago anonymously, involved in it some personal, as well as political and national considerations, but the course which the elections have taken in several States, especially in your own, will defeat by a silent operation the secret machinations & intrigues alluded to. That event will now indisputably terminate happily. Another project originating...
17To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 26 October 1808 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed pamphlet is sent you by a Federalist, who sincerely desires your election to the Chief Magistracy. He has no views to office, for there is none which he would accept. He has nothing to ask for his friends. They, with but few exceptions, differ from him in his choice. His motives in writing to you are purely disinterested, unless indeed his interest in the prosperity of his...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Jonathan Dayton, 6 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Learning that the President of the U. States is at Monticelli I venture to intrude upon his retirement with the assurances of my highest respect, & to solicit from his humanity and goodness the single favor of his intimating by a line to the Atty. Genl. his approbation of my being admitted to bail. I am confident that the Government have no desire to treat me with unnecessary rigor—I believe...
19To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 5 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have been informed since my arrival in this place that the assent of Government is necessary before I can be admitted to bail, & I flatter myself with the hope that it will freely be granted to me. In almost every feature my case is variant from that of every person standing under a similar accusation. For eighteen months past, I had not been within three hundred miles of the Ohio river, nor...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Jonathan Dayton, 15 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of transmitting the enclosed two letters lately received from N. Orleans upon the subject of the office, vacated, or about to be vacated, of Surgeon & Physician of the troops & hospital at New Orleans. The approach of the sickly season, rendering it important that such a vacancy should be immediately filled, the desire & expectation of Doctr. Spencer & his friends that I...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Jonathan Dayton, 27 December 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of presenting to you the usual compliments & best wishes of this season of festivity & joy, and particularly of expressing my congratulations upon the happy event of the peaceable delivery of possession of one of the Forts in the city of New Orleans at the demand of the Prefect, to a company of our countrymen embodied under Mr. Clark. This may be regarded as a sure pledge...
22To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Lawrence and Jonathan Dayton, 4 March 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, March 4, 1803. “The foregoing are Copies of our letters to Meeker Denman & Co on the subject of Insurance.…” AL , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Lawrence and Dayton were partners in a mercantile firm at 94 Greenwich Street, New York City. Copies, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. This letter and its enclosures, which concern the case of Lawrence and Dayton v Columbian...
23To James Madison from Jonathan Dayton, 25 May 1802 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 25 May 1802. Acknowledged in Daniel Brent to Dayton, 29 May 1802 (DNA: RG 59, DL, vol. 14). Requests a copy of the acts of the second session of the Seventh Congress and a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and Georgia. Brent replied that “when the printing is compleated which is to form the first part of the 6th. Volume of the laws of the United States, and to comp[r]ise...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Jonathan Dayton and Aaron Ogden, 6 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The Judges of the Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey, informed of Mr. Stockton’s resignation of the office of the U. States Attorney for that district, have drawn up & unanimously signed the enclosed certificate in favor of Isaac H. Williamson Esq. with the hope that it might promote his nomination to fill the vacancy. Prior to it’s rect. the late President had nominated Mr....
25To John Adams from Jonathan Dayton, 16 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
We have the honor to address you on the subject of the appointment to an office, created by an Act lately passed for the establishment of a general Stamp-office, & to recommend Mr. James Greenleaf for the same. As an accurate Accountant, no one can be better qualified to discharge the duties of this office, and as a man of probity, we have good reason to believe, & indeed have seen very...
26To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Dayton, 21 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I write to you in confidence, & altho’ in the language, yet not in the temper of complaint. A practice has prevailed with some of the Regts. in your Division of drawing mony & rations on acct. without regular rolls & returns. This, I am sure, needs only to be known by you in order to be reprobated & corrected, for it’s tendency is most pernicious not only in encouraging indolence, inattention...
27To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Dayton, 20 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Pursuant to your request I have subjoined a list of articles which will be wanted for the 11th. 12th. & 13th. United States Regts. to enable them to erect huts & provide fuel for the ensuing winter. This estimate is the result not merely of my own reflections, but of a conversation with the Commanding officers of two of the Regts. upon the subject; and I am persuaded that any supply short of...
28To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Dayton, 22 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Acquainted with Capt. Joel Davis of your State, I take the liberty of recommending him to you for the command of a compy. in the eventual army. He is active, temperate and, I believe, in every respect well qualified for that charge and station. His zeal in support of our Government & it’s Administration knows no bounds and furnishes a sure ground of reliance upon him in any critical emergency....
29To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Dayton, [April 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
I intended to have crossed to N York this morning in compy. with Colo: Ogden for the purpose of suggesting to you some alterations very important to the military service both in the arrangements of the relative ranks of the Company officers, & of the recruiting districts. Indisposition has prevented me, but the Colonel persists in the intention. We have perfectly concurred in the alterations...
30To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Dayton, 22 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Elizabethtown [ New Jersey ] March 22, 1799 . “Your letter addressed to Major Ford reached the Post office in Newark a few minutes after the mail for Morris was sent off.… I was compelled to hire an express for 3 & ½ Dollars who delivered the letter to the Major this morng & brought back from him the enclosed to you.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. For background to this letter,...