181To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 11 March 1782 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Addressed to “The Honble James Madison junr Esqr Philadelphia.” Another copy of the original manuscript is printed in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society , 2d ser., XIX (1905), 148–49. I am to thank you for yr favr of the 25th past, in which you have removed by Objection to the Bank scheme by proving that it was founded in error. The King of...
182To James Madison from David Jameson, 29 September 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). Docketed by JM, “Jameson D., Sepr. 29. 1781.” I have recd. your favour of the 18th. Ere this I expected to have had it in my power to give you some interesting information respecting Cornwallis All the regulars are I believe now landed amounting to about 12,500[.] Of Militia I believe there is a greater number collected, than Gen Washington will...
183To James Madison from David Jameson, 16 August 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). I wrote to you the 12t. or 13t. by a private hand, since which I am favoured with yours of the 1st. I acquainted you with the reason of my silence for sometime past and mentioned to you that the £20,000 for which I had taken out a wart. was sent by Col Bland for the Virga Delegates By a letter from the French Minister to the Govr. I find reason to...
184To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 15 February 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned and without complimentary close but in Randolph’s hand. Cover addressed by him to “The honble James Madison jr. Esq. of congress Philadelphia.” The date line and many words in the first six and last six lines of the text are so blotted as to be illegible or doubtfully legible. I had resolved before the receipt of your favor of the 2d. instant to change our...
185To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 2 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Endorsed, “Edmund Pendleton to James Madison.” Since my last I have Mr Jones’s favr of the 20th. but as I hear he is now at home, I write you, as I shall continue to do weekly in future. Mr Jones mentions the Anxiety in Phila for the event of an expectd meeting between the French & british Fleets. In this perhaps you may be relieved by some Intelligence which has...
186To James Madison from David Jameson, [ca. 10] December 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). Docketed by JM, “Decr. 1782.” I have for sometime past (ever since I have been at this place, where I am constrained to give my attendance) intended to write to you, but have been discouraged for want of something that I could think worth troubling you with. I was happy to hear Congress had done Mr. Jefferson and themselves justice by appointing...
187To 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...
188To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, 13 June 1779 (Madison Papers)
There was in the copy of the Cipher you gave me twice 8 . It may perhaps be so in my original. I have converted one of the 2 in 81. I have likewise added the j besides the v , & so completed the Alphabet consisting of 26 letters, & not of 24. I wish therefore that you will keep the inclosed, & destroy the other, to avoid misunderstanding. I have put my papers with a 4 pounds ball in a bag to...
189To James Madison from Jacquelin Ambler, 1 June 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Docketed by JM, “June 1. 1783.” Cover addressed by Ambler to “The Honobl. James Madison of Congress Philadelphia.” As Colo. Bland was the only Member left at Congress, beside yourself, to whom any considerable Arrears could be due, I made no doubt of your being able to draw a part of yours on the receipt of the £1000. last sent, without any difficulty on yours, or...
190From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 31 August 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 17. which came to hand long ago remains still unacknoleged, as from the time of it’s receipt I had constant hope that you would be on the road for Virginia before an answer could reach you. That of the 11th. inst. I received yesterday, and leaves the time of your visit as unfixed as ever, and excites some fear that I shall miss of you. I propose to set out for Congress about...
191To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 18 July 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned but in Randolph’s hand. Cover addressed by him to “The honble James Madison esqr Congress Princeton.” Docketed by JM, “July 18. 1783.” I have received by the last mail your two favors of June 30. & July 8. They satisfy me of what was before problematical, the propriety of the removal of congress to Princeton. But with what decency can you retreat from thence...
192To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 21 May 1781 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Endorsed, “Edmund Pendleton to James Madison.” Another copy is printed in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society , 2d ser., XIX (1905), 133–34. An extract from the missing original is in Stan. V. Henkels Catalogue No. 694 (1892). Yr obliging favr of the 1st hath raised my curiosity Yet I cannot but approve your Caution, and notwithstanding my keen...
193To James Madison from Jacquelin Ambler, 10 May 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Cover addressed to “The Honobl. James Madison of Congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “May. 10. 1783.” To my great mortification Mr. Newton is not yet come to the Assembly and, altho’ I wrote pressingly to him last week to send me the Bill, I have received no Answer. I hinted in my last the probability of your drawing from Mr. Newton’s Bill a part of the Arrears...
194To James Madison from Samuel Stanhope Smith, [November 1777–August 1778] (Madison Papers)
This is the first time I have had an opportunity to write to you since your election to your new & honourable office. I rejoice that your country has been able, in spite of all your modesty, to discern your merits; & that she has had virtue enough to place you in a station where your talents will not be useless to her. Altho I could wish you had the same opinion of yourself that others have, &...
195From Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 14 February 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 11th. came to hand last night. From what you mention in your letter I suppose the newspapers must be wrong when they say that Mr. Adams, had taken up his abode with Dr. Franklin. I am nearly at a loss to judge how he will act in the negotiation. He hates Franklin, he hates Jay, he hates the French, he hates the English. To whom will he adhere? His vanity is a lineament in his...
196To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 28 October 1782 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). At the top of the left margin of the transcription, the clerk wrote “MSS [M]cGuire’s.” See Papers of Madison William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al ., eds., The Papers of James Madison (5 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). , I, xxii, xxiii. Another copy of the first two paragraphs of the original is printed in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts...
197To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 15 March 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned but in Randolph’s hand. Cover addressed by him to “The honble James Madison Jr. esq of congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “March 15. 1783.” I have not been able as yet to procure your expected favor from the post; nor shall I, until the return of the messenger, who carries this letter to the mail. We make considerable progress in the detection of the...
198To James Madison from David Jameson, 23 August 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). I have to acknowledge your favour of the 8th. mentioning the reports from the West Indies. Notwithstanding our Bay is so closely watched by the Enemy’s private armed Vessels we have had some arrivals, and they give us reason to believe Jamaica is invested by the combined Fleets. If it is, I must suppose so great an Armament will find little...
199To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 16 August 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). In Randolph’s hand but lacks signature, cover, and docket. The words in italics are those encoded by Randolph in the official cipher. Your favor of the 5th instant remained impenetrable in a great measure, from our misapprehension of the new cypher. I wish that the stimulus, administered in the close of it, had also been among the inscrutable arcana, until I had...
200To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 17 and 24 February 1783—Missing Letters (Madison Papers)
Letters not found ( LC : Force Transcripts, fol. 8729). 17 and 24 February 1783 . About 1850 a clerk of Peter Force, engaged in copying letters of Edmund Pendleton, wrote: “MSS. McGuire’s. Edmund Pendleton } Edmundsbury, Feby 17. 1783 to James Madison “(This letter is much stained, & some of it illegible) “Another letter dated ‘E[d]mundsbury Feb. 24, 1783,’ is in the same condition. “There...
201To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 16–17 May 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Words encoded by Randolph in the official cipher are italicized. The letter lacks both cover and docket. Mr. F. Webb, who left this place yesterday for Phila., is the bearer of a bill for 20 £ Penna. currency. I have requested him to deliver it to you. As it was not put into my hands, after it was drawn, I wish you may not meet with some impediment in the negotiation...
202To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 22 March 1781 [1782] (Madison Papers)
The roads have been hitherto so bad, that we have been able to accomplish no more of our journey, than about 80 miles. Tomorrow we shall see Baltimore; and unless my arrangements miscarry, I shall revisit Richmond on Sunday se’ennight. For a few minutes this afternoon I thumbed the body of Maryland laws. In the preface to Bacon’s edition of them, I found a recital of an act of the Lords...
203To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 3 January 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Owing to fading of the ink, considerable portions of the letter are scarcely legible. Cover addressed to “The honble James Madison jr Esqr of congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “Jany. 3d. 1783.” The post of yesterday brought your two favors of the 17th. and 24th of decr. The prospect of softening the states who were at first the most obdurate against the impost...
204To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 13 December 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Unsigned but in Randolph’s hand. Docketed by JM, “Decr. 13. 1782.” Unless otherwise noted, words or parts of words italicized in the present copy are encoded in the Randolph cipher. See Randolph to JM, 22 November 1782 , and n. 1. Nothing, I think, need be apprehended from the conveyance of the cypher in an unsealed letter. The curiosity of the postmaster or any...
205To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, 18 June 1779 (Madison Papers)
With a disturbed mind I am now going to write to you on topics not very agreable. Mr. Penet told me, that although the Capn. was a scotchman, all the crew were Americans. Perhaps it was so at that time, but at present we have no more than 2. Americans on board, one of which is the cabbin-boy. We have an Italian & a Spaniard (who came on board on my account) & a frenchman; all the rest are...
206To 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...
207To James Madison from Jacquelin Ambler, 22 December 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Addressed to “The Honobl. James Madison of Congress Philadelphia.” Our friend Mr. Jameson is gone below, and will be absent for some time, endeavouring to collect the scattered remains of the effects which are left him: I promised to acknowledge the receipt of your favors as they should come to hand, and to communicate any thing which should occur here worth your...
208To James Madison from David Jameson, [ca. 12 January] 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Rives Collection of Madison Papers). The cover is missing, and the letter is undated. Probably many years later, JM wrote “[1782?]” at the top of the first sheet. By last Post I told you Mr Stark had written to you about your Accot. in a conversation with him since on the subject, I find I was mistaken, he intended to write but did not, because he could not fill up the blanks. He...
209To James Madison from Jacquelin Ambler, 29 December 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Docketed by JM, “Decr. 29. 1781.” I cannot give you a word of news, and I fear Mr. Hayes’s Paper of to day will afford but little. I have not seen it yet. The [Assembly is] still sitting, but the defection of the [members is] so great, that we are in dread lest every Evening should prove the last, and the business left—as they begun. The most sanguine seem as if they...
210To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 15 January 1782—Misdated (Madison Papers)
Letter misdated. 15 January 1782[3]. The contents of this manuscript in the Madison Papers of the Library of Congress make certain that Randolph inadvertently dated it one year before he wrote it.