41From James Madison to William Steward, 11 October 1798 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 October 1798. “Please to let the Bearer Mr. L. Whitten have a saddle for which I will pay you.” RC (owned by Charles M. Storey, Boston, Mass., 1961). Written on a small slip of paper. Addressed to “Mr. Steward / Orange Ct. House.” William Steward was an Orange County saddler ( Vi : Francis Taylor Diary, 23 May 1797). L. Whitten was a local carpenter whose skill in laying floors was employed...
42From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 31 October 1798 (Madison Papers)
I return the draught recd. by the last post, with one or two very small alterations. The interlineated “or an allotted portion thereof,” means to suggest that the whole no. might be so great as to beget objections to the expence which are always formidable in such cases. I have doubted whether the terms “ordinary” & “extraordinary” sufficiently marked the boundary between the power of the...
43From James Madison to James Monroe, 10 November 1798 (Madison Papers)
You will have this from Mr. Reuben Chuning, who wishes to consult with you on the subject of your Housebuilding. He is one of the Workmen whom I recommended to you, and will I am persuaded justify all I have said in his favor. He has not yet put the last hand to my work, but will probably be ready as soon as you are for commencing yours. I have met with some mortifying delays in finishing off...
44From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 11 December 1798 (Madison Papers)
According to your favor by Mr. Richardson, I expect the pleasure of seeing you in the course of the present Week. Be so good as to bring a memorandum from your nailery of the amount of my debt to it. I had hoped that you were possessed of the aid of Mr. Chuning & his young men, but the Bearer Mr. W. Whitten tells me the contrary. Mr. C. left this saturday was two weeks, & promised to ride up...
45From James Madison to James Monroe, 11 December 1798 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 7th. has this moment only reached me. Having but a little time got back from a Visit to Hanover, & being in the vortex of Housebuilding in its most hurried stage, I have not been able yet to read thro’ the arrears of Newspapers accumulated during my absence. A glance at the paper you allude gave me a sort of enigmatical impression, favoring however the idea rather of a masked...
46Virginia Resolutions, 21 December 1798 (Madison Papers)
JM’s writing of the Virginia Resolutions should be seen in the light of a long series of actions JM undertook to stop the progress of what he considered to be the wrongful interpretation of the Constitution he had done so much to create and have adopted. In JM’s mind, the abuse of the “necessary and proper” clause in the Constitution had led to the expansion of federal government power well...
47From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 29 December 1798 (Madison Papers)
I inclose a draught on Genl. Moylan out of which you will be pleased to pay yourself the price of the Nails £48–11.3. Va. Cy. to let Barnes have as much as will discharge the balance I owe him, & to let what may remain lie till I write you again. The P.’s speech corresponds pretty much with the idea of it which was preconceived. It is the old song with no other variation of the tune than the...
48From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 12 January 1799 (Madison Papers)
According to a promise in my last, I inclose a copy of the rates at which McGeehee works. I inclose also a few observations on a subject which we have frequently talked of, which are submitted to your entire disposal, in whole or in part, under the sole reserve of the name of the author. In Gordon’s History Vol. IV p. 399–400, is a transaction that may perhaps be properly referred to in the...
49Foreign Influence, [23 January] 1799 (Madison Papers)
The public attention has been much employed for some time, on the danger of foreign influence, and of divisions between the government and the people. The jealousy which has been awakened on these subjects, has however, been exclusively directed towards one foreign nation. To be honorable to our character, and adequate to our safety, it ought to be pointed to every quarter where danger lurks,...
50From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 25 January 1799 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 3d. inst: but not till the day before yesterday. The same mail brought me two parcels of the Newspapers, one of which was due two mails & the other one mail sooner. The papers due at the time did not come. You see therefore the uncertain footing of the conveyance. I should be more willing to ascribe the delays to the season of the year, if there were not proofs...