1To James Madison from William Lee, 3 October 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 October 1801, Bordeaux. Recent accounts leave no doubt that peace between France and Great Britain either is already concluded or will be soon. Encloses copies of two letters from a Paris banking house to friends of Lee’s in Bordeaux and quotes from two other letters he has received from Paris—the first, dated 24 Sept., mentioning that negotiations are “going on with great activity” and the...
2To James Madison from William Lee, 30 November 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 November 1801, Bordeaux. Encloses an extract from the consular registry relating to Barnet. Believes Barnet should have been content with soliciting support from his countrymen, “for the manner in which those from the constituted authorities here were procured, is not very honourable to him, or favorable to me nor can those testimonies be pleasing to the President.” RC and enclosure ( DNA :...
3To James Madison from William Lee, 20 January 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 January 1802, Bordeaux. Encloses list of vessels in port from 26 Oct., when he took charge of the agency, to 31 Dec.; list is imperfect, as “unaccomodating” ship captains will not cooperate with consuls unless required to do so by law. Is “much harrassed with the complaints and sufferings” of American seamen; twenty are in the hospital and “at least one hundred and fifty strolling about the...
4To James Madison from William Lee, 18 February 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
18 February 1802, Bordeaux. Has sent home on ship Thames bound to Philadelphia the distressed and invalid seamen listed in enclosed document. To avoid the delay necessary to obtain Livingston’s authorization, the captain “consented (by my agreeing to furnish them with provisions and every thing necessary) to take them on board his Vessel, fully persuaded that the Government will make him such...
5To James Madison from William Lee, 20 July 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 July 1802, Bordeaux. “The bearer hereof Mr Kidder of Massachusetts has been Secy. to this Agency for some months. He is a young man of good abilities & strict integrity and has had the advantage of being educated at Cambridge. He will answer any questions you may please to put to him concerning the affairs of this agency and will be able to give you considerable information respecting the...
6To James Madison from William Lee, 22 July 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 July 1802, Bordeaux. Reports that since his last dispatch he has been “obliged to leave the Consulate for six weeks owing to the failure of John Fry Junr. of London with whom the House of Perrot & Lee were closely connected.” Hopes “the necessity of the case” will excuse his absence. Calls JM’s attention again to the distressing situation of American seamen at Bordeaux. For the last three...
7To James Madison from William Lee, 10 August 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
10 August 1802, Bordeaux. Reports that since his letters of 22 July and 2 Aug. another seventy-three distressed seamen “have been thrown on my hands.” “I thought proper to state this to you that you might see the necessity of instructing me on this head.” Encloses tariff of new duties. RC ( DNA : RG 59, CD , Bordeaux, vol. 1). 2 pp. Enclosure not found. Letter not found. A full transcription...
8To James Madison from William Lee, 26 September 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 September 1802, Bordeaux. Lists vessels with the number of seamen discharged from them since his 10 Aug. dispatch, “making sixty nine seamen to whom may be added forty six strollers whose names are registered in the office as coming from different ports of the Republic which together with the seventy three I had in charge at the date of my last amounts to one hundred and Eighty Eight men...
9To James Madison from William Lee, 6 October 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 October 1802, Bordeaux. Since his dispatch of 26 Sept., has received an arrêté of the consuls, which is enclosed. “I took the liberty to mention to you in my letter of July 22d. that notwithstanding the circular which the Secretary of the Treasury addressed in July 1801 to the Collectors and Naval Officers respecting bills of health many vessels left the United States without them and in...
10To James Madison from William Lee, 25 December 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 December 1802, Bordeaux. “A severe indisposition will just permit me to say that I have again been under the necessity of sending home to their own Country pr. the Ploughboy … forty-three distressed seamen and I beg leave to refer Captain Jones to you for such a compensation as you may judge fit to make.” Has supplied the seamen with 4,840 francs’ worth of provisions and has received 2,708...