1To James Madison from Victor Du Pont, 14 December 1815 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty to inclose for your perusal a short memorial and beg of you not to have it filed, but to throw it in the fire immediatly after. It is always disagreable to speak or to write in ones favor, But as you are probably unacquainted with some of those circumstances that might militate in favor of my application, and as we are very anxious to obtain & merit your approbation I...