To James Madison from James Monroe, 25 September 1798
From James Monroe
Albemarle Sepr. 25. 1798.
Dear Sir
If you can conveniently I will thank you to furnish to Mr. Jones for me abt. £45. wh. I am to pay at Fredbg. under an engagment wh. cannot be delayed. I have adjusted my affr. with Pickett by the payment of ⅔ ds. the amt. and otherwise securing him in the balance in three months, so that I am freed from that difficulty.1 This was done by the sale of my military land. I shall probably be down, but as I may not having nothing to do at the ct., I have thought it best Mr. Jones attend to my little concerns in case I did not.2 I do not know how our acct. stands but if I be in yr. debt, or if I be not, in case you are pressd as you may be by the expence of building I will reimburse in abt. a fortnight on the rect. of money expected in that time from Kentuckey the amt. you advance Mr. Jones. Our best respects to Mrs. M & family. Sincerely I am yr. friend & servt.
Jas. Monroe
RC (DLC: Rives Collection, Madison Papers). Addressed by Monroe to JM at Orange. On the cover is a rough sketch of a house plan, done in pencil in an unknown hand, which closely resembles that of Monticello in its second phase of construction (1793–1809).
1. Monroe had borrowed $3,000 from Pickett (possibly George Pickett, a Richmond merchant) to pay his travel expenses from France, securing the loan with his personal estate. When the sale of his western lands fell through, Monroe paid off the loan with the proceeds from his harvest (Monroe to Jefferson, June and 15 Nov. 1798, , 3:135, 143; Monroe to John Mason, 17 Jan. 1799 [ViU: Monroe Papers]).
2. See the receipt in JM’s hand, signed by Joseph Jones: “Recd. this 27th. Sepr. 1798. of Js. Madison Jr. one hundred fifty dollars for Js. Monroe. / Jos: Jones” (DLC).