401From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 29 March 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 21st. your’s of the 12th. therein acknoleged is the last recd. the measure I suggested in mine of adjourning for consultation with their constituents was not brought forward; but on Tuesday 3. resolutions were moved which you will see in the public papers . they were offered in committee to prevent their being suppressed by the previous question, & in the commee on the...
402From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 20 May 1798 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 3d. was acknowledged in my last. I am now to thank you for that of the 10th. You must ascribe my inaccuracy as to the locks & hinges partly to myself, & partly to my workman. Four of the doors will be thick eno’ for mortise locks which I accordingly prefer, and of the quality which you think best. Three of the doors will be about 1¼ inch thick only. If this thickness be...
403From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 3 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you last on the 26th. since which yours of the 22d. of April is recieved acknowleging mine of the 12th. so that all appear to have been recieved to that date. the spirit kindled up in the towns is wonderful. these and N. Jersey are pouring in their addresses offering life & fortune . even these addresses are not the worst things. for indiscreet declarations and expressions of passion...
404From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 25 December 1797 (Madison Papers)
I have let Col. Monroe know that you was furnished with a draught on a House in Philada. for 250 drs. & finding that it would be convenient to him, have authorised him to draw on you for that sum. I have also given him a draught on Genl. Moylan, of which the inclosed is a letter of advice. I reserve the note of Bailey towards covering the advance made by you, unless it should be otherwise...
405To James Madison from Stevens Thomson Mason, 23 April 1800 (Madison Papers)
The presedential election bill of the Senate labours in the house of Reps. A motion to postpone it till next Session was on Friday last lost 52 to 48 many who voted agt the postponement declare themselves opposed to the bill and that they will not vote for it in any thing like its present form. It is now in the hands of a select committee and a new project is I am told agreed on. I have not...
406To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, [18 or 19 February 1798] (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last I have recd. yours of Feby. 8. with a continuation of the Gazettes down to that date, with the exception only mentioned already, of the gazette of Jany. 23. I am glad to find the public opinion to be taking the turn you describe on the subject of arming. For the public opinion alone can now save us from the rash measures of our hot-heated Executive; it being evident from some...
407From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1 June [1797] (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 18th. of May. The address of the Senate was soon after that. The first draught was responsive to the speech and higher toned. Mr. Henry arrived the day it was reported. The addressers had not as yet their strength around them. They listened therefore to his objections, recommitted the paper added him and Tazewell to the committee, and it was reported with considerable...
408To James Madison from Charles Pinckney, 16 May 1799 (Madison Papers)
I have no doubt you have recieved my communications at large from Mr Nicholas. I prefered speaking to him & Mr Venable to writing, as many of my letters have been intercepted. I was glad to find, whether in consequence of those or not, that you have again appeared in the State Legislature. Be assured I cannot think you were ever right to leave public life—in times like the present I can never...
409To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 15 April 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last answered yours of the 21. since which I recd. on friday last your three favors of the 29 Ult. of Apl. 5 & 6. I have no reason to suspect that any of your letters have miscarried, or been opened by the way. I am less able to say whether mine have all reached you, as I have generally written them in haste, & neglected to keep a note of their dates. I will thank you to mention in your...
410From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 4 March 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I have never written to you since my arrival here for reasons which were explained. your’s of Dec. 29. Jan. 4. 9. 12. 18. & Feb. 14. have therefore remained unacknoleged. I have at different times inclosed to you such papers as seemed interesting. to-day I forward Bingham’s amendment to the election bill formerly inclosed you, mr Pinkney’s proposed amendmt. to the constn , & the report of the...
411To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 February 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 25th. Ult. since which yours of the 21st. has been recieved. Bache had put 500. copies of Monroe’s book on board a vessel, which was stopped by the early & unexpected freezing of the river. He then tried in vain to get them sent on by fifties at a time by the stage. The river is now open here, the vessels have fallen down and if they can get through the ice below, the...
412From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 24 May 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was of the 17th. since which yours of the 13th. is recieved. the Alien bill of the Senate still hangs before them. some of it’s features have been moderated, which has so much disgusted it’s warmest friends that some of them have declared they will vote against it, so that I think it possible they may reject it. they appear to be waiting for one from the house of repr. worse I think...
413To James Madison from George Jackson, 5 February 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have directed some Letters to my son John, to the post office in Orange County. If he should not be there will you be so obliging as to inclose them back to me at this place, where I expect to be untill the third of March next. Congress progresses very slow in business and I expect they will continue so till this Day week, and then too if no President is chosing. I have no Doubt but very...
414Virginia Resolutions, 21 December 1798 (Madison Papers)
JM’s writing of the Virginia Resolutions should be seen in the light of a long series of actions JM undertook to stop the progress of what he considered to be the wrongful interpretation of the Constitution he had done so much to create and have adopted. In JM’s mind, the abuse of the “necessary and proper” clause in the Constitution had led to the expansion of federal government power well...
415Foreign Influence, [23 January] 1799 (Madison Papers)
The public attention has been much employed for some time, on the danger of foreign influence, and of divisions between the government and the people. The jealousy which has been awakened on these subjects, has however, been exclusively directed towards one foreign nation. To be honorable to our character, and adequate to our safety, it ought to be pointed to every quarter where danger lurks,...
416Account with George Watson, [23 January] 1800 (Madison Papers)
Decr 1th Col James Madison Dr 5 Club in Wine porter 3—2 6 do – do 3—5 7 do – do 3—9 9 pearel Barley 1—6 10 To 2 Dinners for Ladys 6—0 One Botle porter
417Political Reflections, [23 February] 1799 (Madison Papers)
There was never a time when it was more requisite for the public to be truly acquainted with foreign transactions than at the present; nor one at which this information was more difficult. With every thing that regards the French Republic, it is of peculiar importance that it should be accurately and fully understood, because that is the Foreign Power, with which our relations have become more...
418Toasts for an American Dinner, [4 July] 1798 (Madison Papers)
1. The people. May every arm be raised agst Foreign invaders, & every voice agst domestic Usurpers. 2. The Union. May it find an everlasting Cement in the spirit of the Revolution, & the sacredness of the Constitution. 3. The Constitution. May its Authors be its protectors, & its disorganizers its victims. 4. The P. & V. P. may the former never feel the passions of J. A. nor the latter be...
419Death of George Washington, [18 December] 1799 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Madison addressed the speaker as follows: Death has robbed our country of its most distinguished ornament, and the world of one of its greatest benefactors. George Washington, the Hero of Liberty, the father of his Country, and the friend of man is no more. The General Assembly of his native state were ever the first to render him, living, the honors due to his virtues. They will not be...
420Motion on the Virginia Resolutions of 1798, [23 December] 1799 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Madison moved, that the committee of the whole should be discharged from further proceedings upon certain answers from several of the states, relative to the communications made by the Virginia legislature at their last session; and that the same should be referred to a special committee of seven. Richmond Va. Argus , 27 Dec. 1799. The House appointed a committee made up of JM, John...
421Memorandum from an Unidentified Correspondent, [ca. 2 January] 1800 (Madison Papers)
I admit that the word states is used in the constitution, in all the senses which have been ascribed to it, by the paper which I have seen; that the state-governments neither created nor can abrogate the fœderal compact, and that the people of the states did create, and may abrogate it. But none of these considerations settle the question. The true enquiry is, in what sense the resolution of...
422The Report of 1800, [7 January] 1800 (Madison Papers)
When JM yielded to the entreaties of Virginia Republicans to stand as a delegate to the Virginia General Assembly in the spring of 1799, it was for the immediate purpose of combating the influence of Patrick Henry, who, it was feared, if left unopposed, would succeed in overcoming Virginia’s “resistance to monarchical measures.” But Henry’s death in June 1799 removed the chief obstacle to...
423Edmund Randolph’s Notes on the Common Law, [ca. September] 1799 (Madison Papers)
Among the materials JM drew on for his Report of 1800 were some notes written by Edmund Randolph for a projected essay on the question of whether there was a federal common law of crimes. Although the editors have found no evidence that JM commented on this paper to anyone, its presence in JM’s papers points to its use by the author of the report. The idea that the entire body of English...
424Circular Letter from the Chairman of the General Committee of Correspondence, 30 January 1800 (Madison Papers)
The Legislature of this State, at their last Session, deemed it expedient to prescribe a mode of choosing Electors, to vote for a President, and Vice-President, of the United States, calculated to give to Virginia, the weight to which she is entitled in the Union, and at the same time to afford, the greatest possible support to those Republican principles, which form the basis of our...
425Affidavit on Kentucky Lands, [25 September] 1799 (Madison Papers)
The separate answer of James Madison to the bill of complaint exhibited against him and Nelly Madison in the court of quarter Session for Jefferson county in the state Kentucky by William Croghan Complnt. This defendant saving every benefit of excepting to the manifold errors and imperfections in the complainants bill contained for answer thereto sayeth—That he was jointly interested with the...
426Circular Letter from John Dawson, 20 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
After fourteen days delay, on yesterday the President sent to us the inclosed important, intemperate, and unconstitutional Message, which is referred to a Committee of the whole on the State of the Union. Circumstances prove clearly to my mind, that the fixed policy of our Administration will involve us in the war on the part of Great-Britain—an event which I very much dread, but which I fear...
427Circular Letter from the Governor of Virginia, 28 March 1800 (Madison Papers)
You will receive herewith pamphlets, the proportion allotted to the County of containing the report of a select Committee of the House of Delegates, made at the last Session of the General Assembly, on the answers of Several States, with copies of those Answers, to certain resolutions of the General Assembly of the 21st. December, 1798. on the Alien and sedition laws of the United States,...
428Notes on an American Dinner, [ca. 4 July?] 1798 (Madison Papers)
Among the celebrations of the last anniversary of the birthday of our National independance, which have found their way to the press, it wd. be surprizing that the following shd. have so long been kept back, if true patriotism, were not often as much distinguished by its modesty as by its merit. Havg. lately recd from a person present an exact acct. of the festive transaction I hope it will be...
429Circular Letter from John Dawson, 19 July 1798 (Madison Papers)
After a session of somewhat more than eight months, congress adjourned on Monday last, to meet on the first Monday in December. The senate was detained on Executive business; and have adjourned to day. Many laws have been past, a list of which I enclose to you, and send a copy of those which are printed to your court for the use of the county—Some of these are highly important, and claim your...
430Memorandum from Edmund Randolph, [ca. December] 1799 (Madison Papers)
These “hasty notes” were most probably replies to queries (not found) that JM had posed to Edmund Randolph sometime during the early days of the Virginia General Assembly session in 1799. In his research for that part of the Report of 1800 that dealt with the common law, JM no doubt surveyed the handful of important court decisions that supported the doctrine that the English common law was...
431Estimate of Virginia Government Expenses and Resources, ca. 14 December 1799 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
Ca. 14 December 1799. Lists the estimated expenses of the state government for the year 30 Sept. 1799 to 1 Oct. 1800, totaling $444,660.00, and the “Resources to meet this estimate,” in the amount of $481,496.96. Followed by the committee’s explanation of several items, which concludes “that the taxes as they now stand, will be sufficient to defray the public exigencies.” Ms ( Vi : House of...
432Receipt from Joseph Jones, 3 June 1797 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 June 1797. Acknowledges receipt of $557.83 from JM for James Monroe, of which $250 was received from Benjamin F. Bache and the balance from James Yard. RC ( DLC ). 1 p. In JM’s hand, signed by Jones. For Monroe’s instructions about this money, see Joseph Jones to JM, 8 Mar. 1797 ( PJM Robert J. Brugger et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison: Secretary of State Series (1 vol. to date;...
433Fine for Ignoring Jury Summons, 30 May 1799 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 May 1799. JM and two others are fined eight dollars each “for not attending as Jurymen when summond.” Ms ( Vi : Orange County Courthouse Records). Entry in minutes of Orange County Court session.
434Enclosure: Extracts on Relations Between United States and France, 28 September 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Extract of a letter from Taleyrand to Pichon, chargé d’affaires of France at the Hague, dated [Paris] Sep. 28. 98. ‘I am thoroughly convinced that should explanations take place with confidence between the two cabinets, irritation would cease, a crowd of misunderstandings would disappear & the ties of friendship would be more strongly united as each party would discover the hand which sought...