101To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 17 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I am anxious to hear from you, since missing that pleasure last week, I fear the General sickness of the Citizens has reached you. I shall be happy to learn it proceed from any other cause. The story we have of Gen. Arnold’s corruption is indeed shocking to humanity & I wish much to know the utmost consequences of the discovery, as far as they are manifest &...
102To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 23 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Since my last I have not only received yr favr. of the 10th but that of the 3d, when I supposed you had not written, also reached me after a Circuitous trip to Richmond, & removed my fears for yr want of health. I have no particulars of the Affair at Charlotte, mentioned in my former, but its authenticity seems confirm’d, & as our recruits are March’d that way, I...
103From James Madison to Joseph Jones, [24] October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). JM neglected to include the day of the month in the date line of this letter. The first paragraph, however, makes it almost certain that he was writing on 24 October. Many years later he or a member of his family bracketed the second, fourth, and fifth paragraphs with a view to their publication. Your favor of the 9th. which ought to have come on Monday last did not...
104To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 24 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I very sincerely thank you for your Friendly and regular Correspondence. when I am in Richmond which I am in hopes to be the last of this week (being sufficiently recovered from my late indisposition as to be able to take the Bark) I will endeavour to make you amends by a communication from time to time of our proceedings in Assembly and such southern intelligence as...
105From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [24] October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). In its present state the original letter lacks its last line. In the copy below, this line is taken from Madison, Writings (Hunt ed.) Gaillard Hunt, ed., The Writings of James Madison (9 vols.; New York, 1900–1910). , I, 75. At the head of the letter, JM left a space between “Octr” and “1780” without filling in the date of the month. In view of what he states in the...
106To James Madison from David Jameson, 25 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). I recd. your favour without date inclosing the paper of the 10th. You will see by the paper inclosed that we are invaded, since the paper went to press we are certainly informed that the Enemy have landed Men on both sides Elizabeth River. they landed with the greatest confidence—did not fire a Gun—were within speech of the people on shore. What...
107Arthur Lee to Committee of Congress, 27 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
FC (Harvard University Library). The remainder of the Furniture, of which you ask the particulars, consists of Knives, Forks Spoons, plates & table Linnen, with two Iron travelling bedsteds, Mattresses & Sheets. The exact quantity of these things I do not know, but they cannot be of much value; being broken Setts, & having been usd for upwards of three years. I have the honor to be with the...
108To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 30 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Since my last yr favr of the 17th has come to hand & we have a Visit from the Troops imbarked at New York. My accounts of them are very Imperfect, but they seem to have divided themselves, landing 1000 Infantry & 100 horse at Hampton & another body at Portsmouth. We have just heard that they have re-imbarked from Hampton after taking about 500 head of cattle, but...
109From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 31 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Your favor of the 23. came to hand yesterday. We received notice of the invasion of Virga. yesterday morning and more fully last evening. I am sensible of the great difficulties you will have to contend with and that no practicable exertions can save the State from much injury whilst the Enemy have a total command of the Bay & rivers. The meeting of the Legislature...
110To James Madison from David Jameson, 4 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). I was not favoured with any letter from you by this weeks post. the post from the Northward now comes in on thursday & goes out on this day which is the reason Dixon & Co have altered their day for publishing the paper. Clarkson has not sent me a paper for two or three weeks past nor is it material whether he ever does, it is so trifling Since my...
111To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 5 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I thank you for your two last Letters the first I received at Home the last (Octr. 24th.) found me in this place where I have been since the 31st. ult. waiting with abt. 64 others members of the House of Delegates to make a House to proceed upon Business, but as yet we are eight or ten short and I see no likelihood of the number speedily increasing as it has not...
112To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 6 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). My friend Mr Griffin left me this Morning by whom I sent you my best Wishes for yr health which he told me was low. I hope the Approaching Cold Season may brace up yr Nerves. I judged from yr Account of the number of the Enemy embarked from New York, that they were in pursuit of something to eat; we now hear they have pick’d up a quantum suffici[en]t to load their...
113From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 7 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Your favor of the 30 of last month came by yesterday’s post, and explained a report which had amused us here for several days. It was said that some movements of the French to the Southward, had alarmed the enemy to such a degree that they had suddenly re-embarked their troops and were leaving Virginia. The re-embarkation of the detachment which had taken possession...
114To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 10 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favour by the last Post. We have had a House since Monday and in Com: of the whole this day have voted the raising the deficiency of our continental Troops for the War and to recruit them by a bounty which I expect will be very high but the Members in general seem to prefer that method to any other let the expences be what it will What may be the ultimate...
115To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 13 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I have yr favr of the 31st past & am pleased to hear the former Account of the Arrival of the Cork fleet proved premature, since we are so bad Christians as to be gratified with the distress of our Enemies. It was probably the transports with their new levies which were mis taken for the others. The Enemy here have collected a handsome recruit of Provisions, but...
116From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 14 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I am glad to find by your favor of the 5th. inst: recd. yesterday that your health & that of your family have admitted of your going to Richmond. The tardiness of other members is very unfortunate and inexcusable at the present critical moment. I wish when they do meet the vigor & wisdom of their measures may make amends for it. I do not learn that any of the States...
117From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 14 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Yr. favor of the 6th. inst: came to hand yesterday. Mr. Griffin by whom you appear also to have written has not yet arrived. It gives me great pleasure to find that the Enemy’s numbers are so much less formidable that [than] was at first computed, but the information from N. York makes it not improbable that the blank in the computation may shortly be filled up. Genl...
118Certification to a Committee of Congress, [16–17 November] 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( NA : PCC , No. 62, fol. 435). [At] the request of the Honble. T. Matlack Esqr. I received the enclosed papers from him Octr. 27. and have since had them in my care. The two certificates of faithful “each”[?] entry, on the margin of two[?] of the sheets by Mr. Walker were signed in my presence at the time I received them. Mr. Walker was not desired to certify the like with regard to the...
119To James Madison from David Jameson, 18–19 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). By Post this week I recd your favour of the 7th. and can offer nothing in excuse for my not enlarging on the subject of the Invasion but that I could only have said something similar to what you had from the Govr. or in Dixons paper We have had nothing worth notice from below for several days past, indeed we are not likely to know what the Enemy...
120To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 18 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favour by the last Post and very sincerely wish the Statia news may prove true but I cannot yet believe the Dutchmen will go to War. The Generals Greene and Steuben are here on their way to the Southward. from that quarter we are destitute of intelligence and from the Army to the Eastward in this State we have nothing material to mention. The Enemy still...
121To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 20 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (University of Virginia Library). This is apparently the only one of the many letters written by which still exists in original manuscript form ( Pendleton to JM, 27 August 1780 , headnote). How it alone survived is problematical. Perhaps the neatly printed “To James Madison Nov: 20th: 1780.” near its bottom margin was added by an autograph collector to whom JM gave the letter. The letter...
122From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 21 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Your favor of the 10th. came by yesterday’s post. I am glad to find you have at last got a house [of Delegates] and have made so auspicious a beginning, as a unanimous vote to fill up our line for the war. This is a measure which all the States ought to have begun with. I wish there may not be some that will not be prevailed on even to end with it. It is much to be...
123From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Your favor of the 13th. came safe yesterday. The past week has brought forth very little of consequence, except the disagreeable and I fear certain information of the arrival of the Corke fleet. Our last account of the embarkation at N. york was that the Ships had fallen down to the Hook, that the number of troops was quite unknown, as well as their destination,...
124To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 24 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Jones’s dating of this letter is so indistinct that it could be either the “24th” or “25th.” References in his text to specific actions taken by the legislature on particular days make certain that he was writing on the 24th, even though JM acknowledged the letter as of 25 November. I have yours of the 14th: and from my soul wish I could inform you we proceed with...
125To James Madison from David Jameson, 25 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). I duely recd. your favour of the 14t. and am much obliged to you for forwarding my letters to my Nephew. I have desired him to trouble you with his letters to me and must beg the favour of you to send them as opportunities may offer—I suppose it will not be right to frank them by Post It appears by the proceedings of a Court Martial held in...
126From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 25 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Probably at the time that JM recovered this letter from Jones’s nephew, James Monroe ( JM to Jones, 19 September 1780 , headnote), he wrote on the last page, parallel to its right hand margin, “Georgia & S. C.—uti possidetis.” On 8 January 1822 JM sent a copy of the letter, together with copies of other letters relating to the same issue, to Hezekiah Niles, who...
127To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 27 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). My last Account of the Enemy was the 18th. when they were all embarked, but whether with a design to leave the State or to make an impression on some other part of it was doubtful. There was something Mysterious in their leaving their Slaves on shore & some Captur’d Vessels in the harbour at Portsmouth, & indicated their having designs of further Hostility—unless...
128From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 28 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Yrs. of the 18th. came yesterday. I am glad to find the legislature persist in their resolution to recruit their line of the army for the war, though without deciding on the expediency of the mode under their consideration, would it not be as well to liberate and make soldiers at once of the blacks themselves as to make them instruments for enlisting white Soldiers?...
129To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, 30 November 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The cover sheet is addressed to “Honble: James [Mad]ison Esqre. Member of C[o]ngress from Virginia.” Below the address are several unintelligible words and also “Nantes March 20. 1781 Received & forwarded by Sir Your very obt sr[?]. Jona. Williams Jr.” Along the opposite margin appears “p[er] the Luzerne Capt Bell. for Philadelphia Q [?]. D. C.” Captain Thomas Bell...
130To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 2 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have no Letter from you by this weeks Post although I expect you sent one as Mr. Griffin informs me what News there was worth communicating, especially the contents of Mr. Adams’s Letter, you had mentioned. I have been much indisposed the greatest part of this week and not able to give much assistence in the business upon hand which are chiefly the Bills for...
131To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 4 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Since my last I am indebted for yr two favrs of the 14th & 21st past. Every thing wears the Appearance of confirming the Intention of the Enemy to make a Winter campaign to the Southward; The Fleet who lately left us it is said divided off the Capes part steering Eastward the Others to the South. if those & the late Embarkation from New York should meet at Charles...
132From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 5 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I had yours of the 25th. Ulto. by yesterdays post. I congratulate you, on the deliverance of our Country from the distresses of actual invasion. If any unusual forbearance has been shewn by the British Commanders, it has proceeded rather I presume from a possibility that they may some time or other in the course of the war repossess what they have now abandoned than...
133From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 5 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favor of the 27th. ulto. and congratulate you on the deliverance of our Country from the distresses of actual invasion. The spirit it has shewn on this occasion will I hope in some degree protect it from a second visit. Congress yesterday received letters from Mr. Jay & Mr. Carmichael as late as the 4 & 9th of Sepr. The general tenor of them is that we...
134To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, [7 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Water stains have entirely eliminated the last four lines of this letter and largely blotted out what appears to have been the first eight lines. [Questa serv?]irà di supp[lemento alla pr?]ecedente d[el 30 del passato?] unicamente [un’aneddoto che potrebbe causare una revoluzione?] della Regina [d’Ungheria] della guerra [al me questo?] ultimo [L’Imperatore è tutto...
135Motion on Instructions to John Jay, [8 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 36, I, 115). The manuscript, in JM’s hand, is endorsed, “Motion from the Delegates of Virginia, Decemr 8th: 1780 postponed.” Whereas the propositions moved by the Delegates from Georgia and taken into consideration on the 5th. instant: do essentially affect the claims of Virginia as defined & recognized by Congress in their instructions both to their Minister Plenipo: for...
136To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 8 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have yours of November the 28th. by the Post and wish I could inform you the assembly had yet fixed the plan of recruiting our quota of Continentals but such various opinions and modes are proposed that great delay has been the consequence. The present proposition is a bounty of 5000 for the War 2500 for three years if it comes to a draft for that period—the whole...
137To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 11 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I take up the Pen merely to ask you how you do? Having nothing foreign or domestic to entertain you with; I have not even heard a word from the Assembly this two weeks; Yes I have one very unlucky circumstance to mention which tho’ it may seem of little consequence, I fear will have important effects in [the ] future. Our militia who turn’d out with the greatest...
138From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 12 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The cover sheet bears the penciled note, “returned by Mr. M.” JM probably added this many years later, after retrieving this letter, among others, from Jones’s nephew, James Monroe. Agreeably to your favor of the 2d. instt. which came to hand yesterday I shall send this to Fredericksbg. I am sorry that either your own health or that of your lady should oblige you to...
139From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [12] December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Besides Pendleton’s docketing identification, the cover sheet bears the following notes: ( a ) “omit” in JM’s hand, signifying that he decided to exclude the letter from his papers being assembled for publication; ( b ) “cop.,” probably a jotting by William C. Rives’s clerk after transcribing it for inclusion in Madison, Letters (Cong. ed.) [William C. Rives and...
140Motion on Accounts of Carter Braxton, [19 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 36, IV, 521). Written by JM. The motion is endorsed by Charles Thomson, “Mr. Bland[,] Mr. Madison.” On motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Ordered , That so much of the sd. letter as respects the receiving in specie, at the rate of 75 cont: drs. for 1. of specie into the Continental Treasury be referred to the Board of Treasury & that they be...
141From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 19 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Madison, Papers [Gilpin ed.] Henry D. Gilpin, ed., The Papers of James Madison (3 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1840). , I, 76–77). The manuscript is now lost. Besides the text below, JM probably added the news about the army mentioned in his letter of the same date to Edmund Pendleton ( q.v. ). Yours of the eighth instant came to hand yesterday. I was sorry to find the Assembly had...
142From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 19 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). You preserve your character for punctuality so well that I always have the pleasure to begin with acknowledging the receipt of a favor from you. That of the 11 instant came to hand yesterday. As the sufferings of your Militia are ascribed to the conduct of their Commanding Officer, I hope the disgust will be only local. A general disgust would be a very serious...
143Expense Account as Delegate in Congress, [20 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS (Virginia State Library). In this instance, unlike on 25 September ( q.v. ) when JM forwarded an expense account to the Virginia Auditors of Public Accounts, he either wrote no covering letter to them or it has been lost. The statement given below covers the quarter from 20 September to 20 December 1780 and is taken from a double-size master sheet on which Madison recorded his debits and...
144Commission of John Laurens and Amendment to His Instructions, [23 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MSS ( NA : PCC , No. 25, I, 397, 401–4). The proposed commission is in JM’s hand. Except for a sentence by John Mathews of South Carolina, the instructions were penned by John Sullivan of New Hampshire. They are printed in the Journals of the Continental Congress , XVIII, 1184–88. Congress tabled JM’s proposed amendment. Much of the background and immediate context of the decision by Congress...
145Committee Report on Memorial of New Jersey Legislature, [23 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 41, VII, 64). On 24 November 1780 Congress appointed James Duane, JM, and William C. Houston a committee to report upon a document read in Congress on that day and often called the “New Jersey Remonstrance” ( Journals of the Continental Congress , XVIII, 1087–89; JM to Jones, 21 November 1780 , and n. 6). In this memorial Governor William Livingston in Council and the...
146From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 26 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favor of the 18th. inst: inclosing another relating to Capt: C. Taylor with a certificate of his situation, to which I shall pay the necessary attention but cannot undertake to predict certain success. The Danish Declaration with the step taken in consequence by the Ct. of London mentioned in the inclosed are the chief news of this week. There is a report...
147To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 1 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I have forfeited my reputation for punctuality, by omitting to pay you my Respects by last post, Which being Christmas day, I had fancied the rider would not move, but he did so, & without my letter. I am afraid you’l say it would have been no loss, If I had repeated the Mistake to-day, since I have not a Sylable of Intelligence foreign or domestic, except that we...
148To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 2 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I was not in a condition to visit Fredericksburg the last week or you should then have been informed that Mr. Braxton has taken the Warrant upon the Treasurer and agreed to give Bills payable in Philadelphia for the amount of 110,000 £. Mr. Fitzhugh was to bring them up but is not yet arrived unless he came yesterday wch. may be the case as Braxton wrote me it was...
149From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 2 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Yesterday’s post was the first that has failed to bring me a line from you since our correspondence commenced. I hope it has not been owing to any cause which concerns your health. We had it yesterday from under Genl Washington[’s] hand that another embarkation is actually departed from N. York, amoun[ting] to abt. 2500 troops. There is little d[oubt] that they will...
150From James Madison to Michael Gratz, 3 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Recd. of Mr. Michael Gratz four thousand eight hundred and thirty seven continental dollars, being part of ten thousand dollars due on a draught in his favor by the Virginia delegates on the Auditors of that State, four thousand dollars having been received before. the remaining ballance eleven hundred sixty three. On 14 November 1780 ( Expense Account...