1From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 10 December 1804 (Madison Papers)
The President of the United States being desirous of availing the public of your services as Minister Plenipotentiary to His Catholic Majesty, I have the honor to enclose your commission . As in many respects it would be desireable, that we should have the pleasure of your presence at the seat of government, before your departure for Spain, if it can be reconciled with your private...
2From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 1 January 1805 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 19th. inst: has been duly recd. It gives me pleasure to find that you have reconciled yourself to the Mission to which you have been called, & to a visit to this place before you undertake it. I regret only the indisposition which confines you for the present; but which I hope may soon yield to the means used for reestablishing your health. The precise objects within your...
3From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 15 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. & laid before the President your letter of the 4th. inst. He acquiesces in the postponement of your departure for Madrid, in preference to the loss of your services by a resignation, and thinks the advantage that will result from a previous visit to this place, will overbalance the delay which it will add to the time at which you might otherwise be able to embark. As you suppose...
4From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 14 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 28th. of Feby. has been duly received. The continuance of your infirm health is sincerely regretted on personal as well as on public considerations; the latter of which give some importance to a visit from you here previous to your departure for Spain. The President nevertheless readily acquiesces in dispensing with such a visit in case the obstacles to it should not be...
5From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 16 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
On receiving your letter of Mar. 26 I thought proper to forward it to the President at his Seat in Virginia, whence it did not return till last evening. The President himself will be here about wednesday or thursday next. No time will be lost in drawing his attention to the measures preparatory to your departure for Madrid, which may however be deemed the more or less urgent according to the...
6From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 20 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
Having before received your Commission, you will herewith receive a letter of credence as Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to His Catholic Majesty. In presenting the latter, the President authorizes and charges you to repeat the friendly assurances it contains, in terms best calculated to satisfy the Spanish Government of the disposition of the United States to maintain the...
7From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 18 June 1805 (Madison Papers)
Mr. James Barry, of this City, who has a Claim to a considerable Amount upon the Spanish Government for unfulfilled Contracts, has requested that it might be recommended to your patronage. He requests it, as having been depending for several years under the management of his Agent at Madrid, but without advancing to a prospect of adjustment, notwithstanding the clearness of his right, upon the...
8From James Madison to John Armstrong and James Bowdoin, 13 March 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have duly received from time to time your several letters bearing dates 3 July 10 & 15 Augt. 10 Sepr. 3 & 25 Octr & 26 Novr. Previous to the arrival of Mr Skipwith with your dispatches of Sept 10th our affairs with Spain had undergone the particular consideration of the President; with a reference as well to the change in the state of things in Europe, as to the approaching Session of...
9From James Madison to James Bowdoin, 18 March 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have received successively your letters bearing date from the 18 of June to the 31st. of July. The circumstances both personal and public under which you proceeded from Spain to England, without repairing to Madrid, fully justified your conduct in the view of the President; and he has equally approved the Motives for making Paris the place of your waiting for his further instructions. These...
10From James Madison to John Armstrong and James Bowdoin, 26 May 1806 (Madison Papers)
On the supposition that by the time this reaches you the negotiations prescribed in my letter of March 13 will have taken their final turn and that this may not be a favorable one it is thought proper by the president that in such a state of things you should endeavour to bring about an arrangement providing first that the status quo taking for the date the transfer of possession of Louisiana...