101To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 29 July 1807 (Madison Papers)
The President of the United States of America, To James Madison Esqr. of Orange County, in the State of Virginia, Greeting. You are hereby commanded to appear before the Judges of the Court of the United States for the 2nd. Circuit at the City of Hartford in the District of Connecticut, within Said circuit on the Seventeenth day of September, next to testify, and the truth, to Say on behalf of...
102To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 July 1806 (Madison Papers)
I left at Washington a great coat of which I shall have great need. Should this reach you before your departure I will thank you to bring it; and it will be in time if I recieve it when you come to Monticello yourself, as it will be on my return only that it will be wanting. I have written to mr. Lemaire to deliver it to you. The drought in this quarter is excessive. It begins about the...
103To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 25 September 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 September 1804, Monticello. “I intended to have been with you tomorrow evening, but it is rendered now improbable, partly by the weather, but more by the arrival of M. & Made. Yrujo last night. They are now here, and go back from hence to Washington. If they leave us tomorrow I shall be with you the next day. He has opened his budget which we have smoothed off. It must be the subject of...
104From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 7 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 4th. came to hand last night & I now return you the letters of Livingston, Bourne, Lee, Lynch, Villandry & mr King. Stewart’s is retained for communication with the P.M. Genl. I send also for your perusal the letter of a mr Farquhar of Malta. mr Livingston’s letters (two short ones excepted) being all press-copies & very bad ones, I can make nothing distinct of them. when...
105From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 27 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Unexpected delays in getting my carriage ready will render it impossible for me to leave this till Thursday or Friday, probably Friday: and as you will be gone or going by that time, and we shall meet so soon at Washington, I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you at your own house, but get on as far as the day will let me. mr Gallatin left N. York on the 21st. and expected to be at...
106From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 July 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of July 22. came to hand on the 25th. the day of my arrival here. I think the proposition to tender another 30,000. D. to Algiers a very judicious one, and have therefore written to mr Gallatin to take measures in conjunction with yourself to make the remittance by the General Greene. I have not yet written to the emperor of Marocco; because when one has nothing to write about it is...
107From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 3d. came to hand yesterday. I am content that the questions relative to Commissioners of bankruptcy and dockets should remain until we meet: altho’ I think there are reasons of weight for not leaving the latter for Congress to do, for that would be abandoning it. the repeal of that law has been unquestionably pleasing to the people generally; and having led Congress to it, we owe...
108From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 9 April 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote yesterday to Genl. Dearborne on the subject of intruders on the public lands in Louisiana, inclosing a note to each of the heads of department asking them to give me their opinions thereon separately. I did this by way of beginning the practice of separate consultation, which a host of considerations satisfy me is a very salutary & useful one to be resorted to occasionally. the...
109To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 20 September 1808 (Madison Papers)
I return you all your papers except Irvine’s which I have not yet entirely read. As far as I have gone they abate much of the hopes which Montgomery’s letter might have excited. It is true that Irvine’s Erving’s opinions must be influenced by the French versions at Madrid, & Montgomery’s by the popular rumors always afloat in such scenes. No answer surely shd. be given to Bollman, nor should...
110From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 8 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 4th. is recieved. I think the course which has been taken for sending MelliMeni home is the best: & I concur with you in the expediency of giving no answer to Turreau. indeed his letter does not seem to call for one. in the present state of our affairs it will certainly be better not to appoint a Consul at St. Thomas’s. we must not risk great things for small. a Consul merely to...
111From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 23 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his affectionate salutations to mr Madison and incloses him the extract of a letter from mr Granger, giving information of constant trespasses committing on a certain species of timber growing on the public lands on lake Erie, of great value, and which he presumes should be the subject of a charge from the Secretary of state to Governor Hull. he presumes the Governor...
112To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 30 April 1801 (Madison Papers)
I hasten the return of the bearer that he may meet you at Brown’s and convey you information as to the road. From Songster’s I tried the road by Ravensworth, which comes into the turnpike road 4½ miles below Fairfax courthouse. There are about 2 miles of it which I think cannot be passed by your carriage without oversetting; and consulting with Colo. Wren who knows both roads, he says there is...
113To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 September 1802 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 1st. was received yesterday. I now return the letters of Higginson, Davis &c. praying that a public vessel may be sent to demand their vessels of the Viceroy of La Plata, indemnity for the detention, & a full performance of existing contracts with the Spanish merchants of La Plata. It would certainly be the first instance of such a demand made by any government from a subordinate....
114From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 4 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
After writing to mr Smith my letter of yesterday by the post of the day, I recieved one from him now inclosed, and covering a letter from mr Crownenshield on the subject of notifying our E. India trade. to this I have written the answer herein, which I have left open for your perusal with Crownenshield’s letter, praying you will seal & forward them immediately with any considerations of your...
115From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you Pinckney’s letter the complection of which I like. If they repeal their orders we must repeal our embargo. if they make satisfaction for the Chesapeake, we must revoke our proclamation, and generalize it’s operation by a law. if they keep up impressments, we must adhere to non intercourse, manufactures & a navigation act. I inclose for your perusal a letter of mr Short’s. I inform...
116To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 June 1808 (Madison Papers)
Yours by yesterday’s mail is recieved & I now return Pinckney’s & Graham’s letters. I thought it best to forward the passport for Hill’s vessel to Mr. Graham direct lest it should lose a post by going in to Montpelier. With Mr. Grymes’s request of a vessel I can do nothing till further advised. The application is new, and I think unnecessary, as I presume the trade to N. O. is sufficiently...
117To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 23 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
Yesterday’s post brought me, as I suppose it did you, information of the Emperor of Marocco’s declaration of war against us, and of the capture of a merchant vessel of ours (the Franklin, Morris) off cape Palos, by a Tripoline as is said in a New York letter; but a Marraquin as I am in hopes from the place, & the improbability of a Tripoline being there. The letter to the Emperor, & the gun...
118To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 18 September 1807 (Madison Papers)
I returned here yesterday afternoon & found, as I might expect an immense mass of business. With the papers recieved from you I inclose you some others which will need no explanation. I am desired by the Secy. of the navy to say what must be the conduct of Com. Rogers at New-York on the late or any similar entry of that harbor by British armed vessels. I refer him to the orders to Decatur as...
119To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
In conversation with mr. Gallatin yesterday as to what might be deemed the result of our Tuesday’s conferences, he seemed to have understood the former opinion as not changed, to wit that for the Floridas East of Perdido might be given not only the 2. millions of dollars and a margin to remain unsettled, but an absolute relinquishment from the North river to the bay of St. Bernard and Colorado...
120From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 25 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours without date was recieved yesterday. about 3. or 4. days ago mr Nelson called on me with a letter from Genl. Lee informing me he was summoned in the case which is the subject of your letter, & expressing his difficulties. I had never had any information of the case, it’s parties or subject, except that I had read in the newspapers some time ago that a prosecution was commenced in...
121From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 14 September 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I now return you the several papers recieved by the last post, except those solliciting office, which as usual, are put into my bundle of like papers. I think it possible that Spain, recollecting our former eagerness for the island of N. Orleans, may imagine she can, by a free delivery of that, redeem the residue of Louisiana: and that she may withold the peaceable cession of it. in that case...
122To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 28 February 1806 (Madison Papers)
What would you think of raising a force for the defence of New Orleans in this manner? Give a bounty of 50 acres of land, to be delivered immediately, to every able bodied man who will immediately settle on it, & hold himself in readiness to perform 2 years military service (on the usual pay) if called on within the first seven years of his residence. The lands to be chosen by himself of any...
123To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, [13] August 1802 (Madison Papers)
The post having made it night before his arrival yesterday and my mail extraordinarily voluminous, I have been able to read & now return you the inclosed papers only. Mr. Livingston’s shall come by the next mail. I do not like this mistake of Capt. McNiel’s, and fear it will be very embarrassing. Other d⟨is⟩patches oblige me to close here with assurances of my affectiona⟨te⟩ esteem & respect....
124To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 September 1807 (Madison Papers)
I recd. last night or rather this morning yours of yesterday, and return the remarks of Genl. S. inclosed in it. They strengthen the opinion as to the extent of his information on certain important Subjects, and the vigor of his understanding. The late scraps of intelligence from England put together make it probable that something towards an arrangement had taken place early in July, and...
125To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 August 1802 (Madison Papers)
I now return you the letters of mr. Pichon, and of Jones; also those of Van Polanen & Thos. Sumter. The letter to be written to Van Polanen should be so friendly as to remove all doubt from the Batavian government that our suppression of that mission proceeds from any other motive than of domestic arrangement & e[c]onomy. I inclose you a draught of a letter to the emperor of Morocco, which...
126To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 November 1805 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed barbarous Italian would require more consideration to be perfectly understood than I have time to bestow on it. I believe Mr. Wagner reads Italian. If he does, a good translation should be made; and it sets up such serious pretensions as that I think we should give it to Eaton & desire him to make a statement of what passed between him & the Ex bashaw & such a one as we may...
127From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 20 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
my list tells me I signed commissions for the following persons, which being omitted in the list now recieved from the office, renders it desirable that the office be again examined to ascertain whether the error is in their list or mine. Mar. 9. Julien Poydrass of Orleans a member of the legislative council of Orleans. 20. Lemuel Trescott of Massach. Collectr. & Inspector of Machias. the...
128From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 27 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
will become able to regulate with effect their respective functions in these departments. the burthen of Quarentines is felt at home as well as abroad. their efficacy merit examination. although the health laws of the states should not at this moment be found to require a particular revisal by Congress. yet Commerce claims that their attention be ever awake to them. [Madison’s reply:] (a)...
129To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
Colo. Newton’s enquiries are easily solved I think by application of the principles we have assumed. 1. The interdicted ships are enemies. Should they be forced by stress of weather to run up into safer harbors, we are to act towards them as we would towards enemies in regular war in a like case. Permit no intercourse, no supplies, & if they land kill or capture them as enemies. If they lie...
130To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 October 1807 (Madison Papers)
I send you a letter from the Ex-basha of Tripoli. Had we not better be done with this man by giving him a plain answer stating the truth & sending him the extracts from our instructions, by which he will see that if our agent ingaged any thing beyond that he went beyond his powers, and could not bind us. Nothing short of this can clear us of his sollicitations. We might go further and promise...
131To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 August 1804 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you the S. Carolina ratification of the amendment to the constitution, & presume it possible that in a week more you may recieve that of Tennisee, after which I suppose no time should be lost in publishing officially the final ratification. Prevost accepts the office of judge of the Orleans territory, & Dickerson that of Attorney. But as J. T. M. declines the place of A. G. US. can...
132To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 1 May 1807 (Madison Papers)
I return you Monroe’, Armstrong’s, Harris’s & Anderson’s letters, & add a letter & act from Govr. Mc.Kean to be filed in your office. The proposition for separating the Western country mentioned by Armstrong to have been made at Paris is important. But what is the declaration he speaks of? For none accompanies his letter, unless he means Harry Grant’s proposition. I wish our ministers at...
133To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 5 May 1802 (Madison Papers)
I think it is dean Swift who says that a present should consist of something of little value, & which yet cannot be bought for money. I send you one strictly under both conditions. The drawing was made by Kosciusko for his own use, and the engraving also I believe. He sent me four copies, the only ones which have come to America. The others I give to my family, and ask yourself & mrs. Madison...
134From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 13 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you a letter of Short’s for perusal, & one of Edgar Patterson asking what is already I presume provided for. one of General Armstrong which I do not well understand because I do not recollect the particular letter which came by Haley. I presume the counsel he refers to is to take possession of the Floridas. this letter of June 15. is written after the cession by Carlos to Bonaparte of...
135To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 12 August 1808 (Madison Papers)
Your’s of the 10th. came to hand yesterday & I return you Foronda’s, Tufts, Soderstrom’s & Turreau’s letters. I think it is become necessary to let Turreau understand explicitly that the vessels we permit foreign ministers to send away are merely transports, for the conveyance of such of their subjects as were here at the time of the embargo, that the numbers must be proportioned to the...
136From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 26 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Newton’s enquiries are easily solved I think by application of the principles we have assumed. 1. the interdicted ships are enemies . should they be forced by stress of weather to run up into safer harbors, we are to act towards them as we would towards enemies in regular war in a like case. permit no intercourse, no supplies, & if they land kill or capture them as enemies. if they lie...
137To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1807 (Madison Papers)
I return you the papers recieved yesterday. Mr. Erskine complains of a want of communication between the British armed vessels in the Chesapeake or off the coast. If by off the coast he means those which being generally in our waters, go occasionally out of them to cruise or to acquire a title to communicate with their Consul it is too poor an evasion for him to expect us to be the dupes of....
138From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 11 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I pray you to peruse & consider the inclosed letter of Governor Cabell and my answer, and to exercise over the latter the same discretion I have confided to Genl. Dearborne, returning it to me for any material correction, or forwarding it to the General if you think it will do, and by the same post, as it goes so circuitously. I suspect your difficulty with the mail lock proceeded as it did at...
139To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 1 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 27th. is recieved. I put Lattimore’s letter into my bundle of Agenda to be acted on in due time. Monroe’s, Pinckney’s & Jarvis’s are now returned. I suspect that Pinckney gives us the true design of Gr.Br. to be to oust the French & Dutch from our quarter & leave the Spaniards & Portuguese. It is possible she would rather see these two last in possession of the Southern continent...
140To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 April 1807 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 13th. came to hand only yesterday & I now return you the letters of Turreau, Yrujo & Woodward, and Mr. Gallatin’s paper on foreign seamen. I retain Monroe & Pinckney’s letters to give them a more deliberate perusal than I can now before the departure of the post. By the next they shall be returned. I should think it best to answer Turreau at once, as he will ascribe delay to a...
141To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 February 1803 (Madison Papers)
I return you the report, and have prepared a message, tho’ I confess myself not satisfied on the main question, the responsibility of the government in this case, and with our taking wholly on ourselves the risk of the decision. For to enable Congress to judge for themselves the record must go; & the printing that would prevent it’s being taken up this session. If we do not send in the record...
142To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 27 September 1802 (Madison Papers)
Unexpected delays in getting my carriage ready will render it impossible for me to leave this till Thursday or Friday, probably Friday: and as you will be gone or going by that time, and we shall meet so soon at Washington, I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you at your own house, but get on as far as the day will let me. Mr. Gallatin left N. York on the 21st. and expected to be at...
143From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 16 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this day written to mr Wagner to send me the commissions for the Orleans territory with blanks for names & dates. the following is the arrangement, which I sketch for your consideration. Governor. Claiborne Secretary. James Brown. written to. Judges of Superr court. Pinkney. Kirby. written to Prevost. accepts District judge. Hall. written to. Attorney. Dickerson. if Pinkney should...
144From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the papers I recieved from you yesterday I have sent mr Graham’s letter (in favor of R. Brent as paymaster) to Genl. Dearborne, and that of the Lowries to mr Gallatin for information. all the rest are now returned. on some of them I will make short observations merely for your consideration and determination. Rademaker & Hills. I really think the good which may result from permitting...
145From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 14 April 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Rodney not being at Washington I send you the inclosed because it requires to be acted on immediately. I remember it was concluded that witnesses who should be brought from great distances, and carried from one scene of trial to another must have a reasonable allowance made for their expences & the money advanced. I expect it will be thought proper that the witnesses proving White’s...
146To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 11 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 5th. came to hand on the 8th. & I now return the papers it covered. Ferrand’s decree is serious & I have more hope of it’s being corrected by Tureau than by Buonaparte. I shall be with you by the middle of the next week, & therefore defer to verbal explanation every thing public. I shall leave my daughter in a state not immediately threatening nor yet clear of serious anxiety. A...
147From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 30 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 26th. came to hand yesterday. I now return you the letters recieved from you of Shrader, Bowdoin, Armstrong, Milner, Lee, Forbes, Merry, your’s to him, and Duplantier’s. I inclose a letter to me from Brudenhem to be filed & not otherwise noticed, and one from Vettenhort, in which we are bound by courtesy to do what can be done without inconvenience. In another package I inclose...
148From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 29 December 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
To compleat the roll of governmental officers on the plan inclosed will give the departments some serious trouble: however it is so important to present to the eye of all the constituted authorities, as well as of their constituents, & to keep under their eye, the true extent of the machine of government, that I cannot but recommend to the heads of departments to endeavor to fill up each,...
149To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 23 May 1806 (Madison Papers)
Your’s by the last post was recieved yesterday, and I now return Monroe’s letters. That Armstrong should be returning so suddenly & without notice is quite an impossibility. Any other hypothesis for his journey to Amsterdam would be more probable. I send you a letter from Pierpoint Edwards respecting Swartout: his testimony against him cannot be suspected, considering their mutual relation to...
150To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 17th. is recieved. I concur in your ideas that the request from the Bey of Tunis of a frigate of 36. guns should be complaisantly refused. I think the greatest dispatch should be used in sending either the gun carriages or money to Simpson for the emperor of Marocco, and the stores to Algiers; &, if you approve it, the powder on account : or perhaps it would be better to authorise...