To James Madison from David Ramsay, 1 December 1805 (Abstract)
From David Ramsay, 1 December 1805 (Abstract)
§ From David Ramsay. 1 December 1805, Charleston, South Carolina. “The bearer Dr. Alexander Garden1 being about to visit Washington on private business I take the liberty of mentioning to you that he is a Gentleman of high respectability both in his professional & private character. He is one of the committee of our Botanick society & an active zealous promoter of that institution. Should it be in your power to favor him with anything new curious or useful in the Botanic or Agricultural way you would oblige a numerous & respectable association of more than 200 of our inhabitants who are engaged in enriching our Botanick Garden with valuable productions from all parts of the world. The President has been liberal to our Agricultural society & I doubt not of his readiness to oblige our Botanic association. Would you have the goodness to introduce Dr. Garden to him & to such of your friends as may be at Washington. You will find him worthy of any attention you may bestow on him.”
RC (DLC). 1 p.; complimentary close and signature clipped. In David Ramsay’s hand.
1. Revolutionary War veteran and Charleston, South Carolina, native Alexander Garden (1757–1829) was educated in England and Scotland and admitted to Lincoln’s Inn in 1779. His Loyalist father forbade him to return to enlist in the American cause, but in 1780 he returned and fought under Nathanael Greene until the evacuation of Charleston in December 1782, after which he retired to the 1,689-acre property outside Charleston his father had left in trust for him. He traveled extensively and was a member of the South Carolina Society of the Cincinnati. He served one term in the South Carolina legislature and wrote two books of anecdotes about the Revolution.