1To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 22 November 1806 (Madison Papers)
I had the Honor of receiving your letter on the subject of some seamen Citizens of the U. S. stated to have been impressed by some of the ships of his Britannic Majesty’s Squadron at Halifax. I beg leave to inform you that I will immediately forward the Depositions concerning them to the Admiral of that station who I have no doubt will pay the proper attention to their Cases. With the Highest...
2To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 15 December 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have this day forwarded the deposition concerning Richard Dickings, which you did me the Honor to enclose to me the Day before Yesterday, to Captain Douglas commanding His Majesty’s Ship Bellona and I have requested him to discharge the Man should the Facts stated of his being an American Seaman and having been impressed prove correct. I have the Honor to enclose to you the Copy of a Letter...
3To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 17 December 1806 (Madison Papers)
Since I had the Honor of seeing you this morning, I have referred to a letter from His Majesty’s Consul at Norfolk, which I found announced the arrival of His Majesty’s Ship The Cambrian in Hampton Roads on the 29th. of last month having sprung her Bowsprit. This circumstance will I hope account satisfactorily for the Cambrian having enter’d one of the Ports of the U. S. after the Proclamation...
4To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 19 December 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose a Copy of a Note addressed to the Ministers of Friendly and Neutral Powers, resident in London, by Lord Howick His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, notifying the Cessation of the Blockade from the River Elbe to the River Ems, both inclusive. I avail myself of this Opportunity of informing you, that His Majesty’s Ship the Cambrian sailed on...
5From James Madison to David Montagu Erskine, January 1807 (Madison Papers)
From the supplement to your letter of the 4th. instant, and the papers enclosed in it, I learn that Captn. Douglas of H. B. Majestys Ship of War Bellona now in Hampton Roads, has failed to discharge an American Citizen named Richard Dickins now on board that ship; alledging that he entered voluntarily on board another British Ship of War, whence he was sent on Board the Bellona, where on the...
6To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 4 January 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to lay before you a short Statement of the Facts respecting certain British Seamen who have been guilty of Mutiny, Piracy, and an Attempt to murder their Officers, and have taken Shelter in the United States. His Majesty’s Ship Bermuda having on the 12th. of September last, detained the American Brig Cincinnatus and put a Prize Master and some Sailors on board, with orders to...
7From James Madison to David Montagu Erskine, 7 January 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your letter of the 4th. instant, stating that certain British Seamen charged with mutiny, piracy and an attempt to murder their Officers on board an American vessel which had been detained by a British ship, and was then proceeding to a British Port under the care of a prize master, had taken refuge in the U. S. and requesting that the Government would cause...
8To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 10 January 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 7th. & 9th. inst. in answer to mine of the 4th. respecting "Certain British Seamen who have been guilty of mutiny & piracy", and have taken shelter in the United States. I am very sorry to find that the Government of the U. S. does not conceive that it would be justified by the existing Laws in causing the British Seamen to be...
9To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 18 February 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowlidge the receipt of your letter of the th Inst. respecting John White, who is stated to be an American Citizen, now detained on board His Majesty’s Ship E lephant, & about to undergo a Trial b y Court Martial for Desertion. I will immediately fo rward an application to the admiral on the Jamaica Station, to suspend thi s trial until the facts stated can be...
10To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 24 February 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have had the Honor of receiving your Letter of the 21st. Instant with the Documents it inclosed, respecting William Cox stated to be an American Citizen, detained on board His Majesty’s Ship Caesar, or in the Hospital at Halifax. I will immediately forward to the Admiral on that Station an Application for his Discharge grounded on the Facts stated concerning him, which, I have no Doubt will...
11To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 8 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter of the 6th: Instant, relative to Christian Ast, who is supposed to be detained on board His Majesty’s Ship L’Observateur, on the Halifax Station. I will immediately forward to the Admiral on that Station, the Documents concerning him and I have no Doubt that prompt and due Attention will be paid to his Case. With the highest Respect...
12To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 10 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 9th. Inst. together with the Documents it enclosed respecting John Taylor stated to be an American Citizen detained on board His Majesty’s Ships on the Halifax Station. In Compliance with your Request I yesterday forwarded an Application to His Majesty’s Admiral on that Station for his Release. I have the Honor to be, with great...
13To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 12 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
I am charged by His Majesty to express to the Government of the United States His Majesty’s perfect Confidence in their good Sense and Firmness in resisting the unjust Pretensions contained in the Decree issued by the French government at Berlin on the 21st: of November, which if suffered to take Effect, must prove so destructive to the Commerce of all Neutral Nations. His Majesty has learnt...
14To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 19 March 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 15th: Instant relative to the Schooner Morning Star of Providence, as also a Protest made by the Master and other Persons formerly belonging to the above mentioned Schooner. I have forwarded those Documents to the Admiral commanding His Majesty’s Ships on the Halifax Station, and will have the Honor of communicating to you such...
15To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 27 May 1807 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to thank you for your obliging letter of the 20th. Inst., but as the Packet of next month will sail soon from this place, I will not trouble you with any Letters to go by the Wasp I am still in the dark as to the real state of things in England; but I expect the April Packet every hour. It seems certain that Buonaparte has met with more resistance than he expected, tho’ his...
16To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 23 February 1808 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to transmit to you the Copies of certain Orders of Council which His Majesty has thought proper to issue in Consequence of the hostile Conduct of France towards the Navigation and Commerce of Great Britain and of Neutral States. His Majesty has been induced hitherto to forbear recurring to Measures of this Nature by the Expectation that the Governments of the Neutral States,...
17To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 10 April 1808 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to lay before the Government of the United States by His Majesty’s Commands a Copy of a Memorial which has been presented to Mr. Canning, His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State For Foreign Affairs, by several British Subjects Proprietors of Lands in His Majesty’s late Province of West Florida. As I have already had the Honor of explaining to you the well founded Claims...
18To James Madison from David Montagu Erskine, 4 July 1808 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 29th. Inst. in Answer to mine of the 21st. upon the Subject of the Detention by the Collector at Niagara, of certain Boats belonging to the Canadian Merchants, engaged in the Indian Trade, as also a Copy of the Instructions which have been recently given by Mr. Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury, to the Collector for the United...
19From James Madison to David Montagu Erskine, 1 August 1808 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to submit to Your Attention a Copy of a Letter of June 4th: of the current Year from William Reeves, stiling himself an Officer in the Naval Service of His Brittannic Majesty, and acting as Prize Master to a Spanish Vessel captured by the British Frigate Hebe, to Governor Claiborne of the Orleans Territory. I cannot doubt, Sir, that this fresh Instance of insulting Address...