1From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 3 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your letter of the 28th. Ult with the several papers under the same cover. On a recurrence to mine of the 25 to which it replies you will find that you have erred in supposing me to have said that the Mayor of New York, at the time of the order concerning the Pilots, had neither notice nor knowledge of any intention in the British Commander to proceed...
2From James Madison to Anthony Merry, [10] January 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. the letter in which you have done me the honor to communicate for the information of this Govt that his Britannic Majesty has directed a discontinuance of the Blockade at the entrance of the rivers Elbe & Weser. Considering communications from your Govt. on such occasions, as made with a view to relieve our merchants from the uncertainty they might otherwise be under, whether on...
3From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 22 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
It is remarked in your Letter with which I was yesterday honoured, “that since the general Law of Nations with Respect to the Case in Question (notwithstanding that the Law of the United States by which it is established, in speaking of the Servants of public Ministers, expresses no Exception in Regard to Persons of Colour) is not considered by the American Government as paramount to the local...
4From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 28 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
In Proportion to the Frequency of Outrages committed since the Commencement of the present War by British armed Vessels upon the Vessels of the United States, they have in few Instances only been presented to your Attention. The Representations which have been so repeatedly addressed to your Government with a View to a general Remedy, and the Use we have made of Agents, employed in some of the...
5From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 16 July 1805 (Madison Papers)
¶ To Anthony Merry. Letter not found. 16 July 1805. Described in the index to Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls as “relative to the French privateer Les Amies” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1). For Les Amies, see Merry to JM , 9 July 1805 (second letter), and nn.
6From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 28 August 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 28 August 1806, Department of State. “You will receive herewith Duplicate Copies of a Protection, proving the Citizenship and describing the person of Robt Smith , which was granted to the said Smith by the Collector of the Customs at Philadelphia on the l9th May 1797. From a late Communication to this office, it appears that this man had been recently impressed into the...
7From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 25 February 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 25 February 1806, Department of State. “You will receive herewith Duplicate Copies of authentic Documents in relation to Oliver Child & Ellery King, two American seamen, impressed by his Britannic Majesty’s Ship of war, the Vengeance, Cruizing off Charleston, S.C, from the Am: Ship Andromache, Jn D Wolf Master, on her passage to Havanna from Bristol in R Island. As they are...
8From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 14 June 1805 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 14 June 1805 . Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “relative to sundry impressments &c &c” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1); described in Merry’s 17 June 1805 reply as referring to the brig Happy Couple .
9From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 11 November 1805 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 11 November 1805, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble with Duplicate Copies of a Document concerning James Gunnill, who appears to have been lately impressed into the British Ship of War Cambrian, which is supposed to be at this time on the American Coast, or at Halifax, to which is added the Copy of a letter from the said Gunnell to General Mason of George Town;...
10From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 27 January 1806 [letter not found] (Madison Papers)
¶ To Anthony Merry. Letter not found. 27 January 1806. Mentioned in Anthony Merry to JM , 29 Jan. 1806 , as dealing with the impressment of Nathaniel Small and John Hines.
11From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 5 September 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have had the Honor to receive your Letter of the 24th. Ult: representing that the American Ship Eugenia, having been detained by the British Ship of War Leander, was rescued on her Passage to Halifax, whether [ sic ] she had been ordered for Adjudication, out of the Hands of the Captors, and carried to New York, and expressing your Expectation that the necessary Steps will be pursued by the...
12From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 21 December 1803 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 21 December 1803. Mentioned in Merry to Hawkesbury, 31 Dec. 1803 (PRO: Foreign Office, ser. 5, 41:60–61), as a request “to have a Conversation with me at his Office on the following Day.” For Merry’s report on the meeting, see JM to Merry, 24 Dec. 1803, n. 4 and JM to Monroe, 26 Dec. 1803, n. 4 .
13From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 7 January 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of Yesterday’s Date, respecting the Proceedings at St. Mary’s in Relation to the Ship Esther and her Cargo, and to inclose you a Copy of the Orders given to the Collector of the Customs upon the Subject, which you will doubtless look upon as a fresh Proof of the scrupulous Regard of the President for the Neutrality always observed by...
14From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 20 May 1805 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 20 May 1805 . Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “enclosing an Exequatur” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1). On the same day JM sent a similar letter and enclosure, also not found, to Louis-Marie Turreau (ibid.). The exequatur sent to Merry was for Andrew Allen Jr., British consul at Boston for...
15From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 29 January 1806 (Madison Papers)
I have been duly honored with your several letters, two of the 7th. another of the 8th. Instant. In one of those of the 7th. a Claim is advanced in Behalf of British Subjects, under the third and the additional Articles of the Treaty of 1794, to extend their Commerce with the Indians, to the Tribes dwelling within the Territory lately acquired by the United States beyond the Mississippi. As...
16From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 26 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 26 February 1805 . Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “relative to the Brig Active” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1). For the Active, see Anthony Merry to JM, 12 Oct. 1804 , and Claiborne to JM, 26 Nov. 1804 ( PJM-SS, Robert J. Brugger et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison: Secretary of State Series...
17From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 24 December 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have received from the Collector at one of our Ports a copy of an American Ships Register, on which is endorsed as follows: “Every port in the Island of St. Domingo being in a state of blockade by His Britannic Majesty’s Squadron, you are hereby warned off from that Island, and if seen or found within three leagues of the land after the date of this, you will be made a prize off [ sic ]....
18From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 29 September 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 29 September 1806, Department of State. “I do myself the Honor of troubling you with Duplicate Copies of two Depositions, the first of Mary Bell and the other of Thomas Bird, which the friends of Robt Smith, the Impressed seaman in whose behalf I had the Honor of writing to you on the 28th Ult, have just forwarded to this office, in Consequence of a suggestion in your favor...
19From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 11 June 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose Copies of the Instructions which the President has caused to be issued to the Marshals and Collectors respectively, who may have Occasion to execute certain Provisions in the Act “for the more effectual Preservation of Peace in the Ports and Harbours of the United States, and in the Waters under their Jurisdiction,” of which Act a Copy is also enclosed. It is...
20From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 30 July 1805 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 30 July 1805, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with Duplicate Copies of a Document concerning Benjamin Moore, who appears to have been impressed into the British frigate Leander, which is supposed to be still somewhere on the American Coast; and to ask the Interposition of your good Offices, to effect the release of this man, whose Citizenship is fully...
21From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 3 June 1806 (Madison Papers)
Having transmitted to the President your Letter of the 22nd. ult, communicating the Resolution of your Government to establish a Blockade of the Rivers, Ems, Weser, Elbe and Trave, I have the Honor now, in Pursuance of his Sentiments, to observe, that as a Blockade essentially implies a Force on the Spot for the Purpose, and as the Notification required in the Case, must be a Warning to...
22From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 6 May 1806 (Madison Papers)
The Misconduct of several British Ships of War, near the Harbour of New York, particularly the Leander, by a Ball from which an American Seaman on board a Coasting Vessel within the Jurisdiction of the United States, lost his Life, having been made the Subject of a Conversation with which you favored me a few Days ago, I take the Liberty of inclosing you a Copy of a Letter to the Mayor of New...
23From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 19 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
Your Letters of the 4th and 11th Inst. were laid before the President on his Arrival at the Seat of Government, and I have now the Honour to assure you, in Pursuance of his Direction, that the Interest which the United States have in common with other Nations, in the Immunities attached to public Ministers, is seconded by his Disposition to maintain them in all their legal Extent. The...
24From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 17 October 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose Copies of a Letter from Messrs. Johnston, Pringle and Sherlock of Baltimore, owners of the Schooner Hannah Maria and her Cargo, and of the Deposition of Mr. A. S. Thomas of Baltimore referred to therein, exhibiting the Circumstances of the Detention of that Vessel by the British Ship of War Diana. It must be evident that whatsoever might be the Cause or the Pretext,...
25From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 2 November 1804 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 2 November 1804. Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “enclosing certain documents relative to Mr. Wallace’s apt. as British Consul at Savannah” (DNA: RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1).
26From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 16 July 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have had the Honor to receive your Letter of the 9th. Instant respecting the Brigantine Transfer. By Information remaining in the Navy Department it appears, that though a Sale is ordered by an Interlocutory Decree, yet—Time has been given for a Claimant to appear until the next Term, before which Time no Distribution can be made of the Proceeds. It also appears, that before she was...
27From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 1 July 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 1 July 1806, Department of State. “You will receive herewith copies of authentic documents, which prove the Citizenship of Smith Musgrove, an American Seaman, who is stated to be detained on board H. B. M. Ship of War the Cambrian: permit me therefore to ask the favor of you to interpose with the Officer commanding her to procure the discharge of this man.” FC ( DNA : RG...
28From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 23 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 23 April 1805 . Calendared in the index to the State Department notes to foreign legations as “relative to further impressments” ( DNA : RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1), and described in Merry to JM, 25 Apr. 1805 , as respecting the impressment of a seaman from the American sloop Semiramis, and the “Visiting, for the Object of Impressment,” of the...
29From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 25 June 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have had the honor to receive and have laid before the President your letter dated on yesterday, complaining of the steps taken at New York for detaining certain British Ships of War, until 24 hours should have succeeded the departure of certain French Ships; notwithstanding the desire of the British Commander to proceed to Sea, before the time notified by the French Commander for the...
30From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 9 November 1805 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 9 November 1805, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with Duplicate Copies of two Documents concerning John Harl⟨a⟩; n, who appears to have been impressed into the British Ship of war, Petterell, which is supposed to be at this time on the American Coast, off the Harbor of Charleston, in South Carolina; and to ask the Interposition of your good Offices, to...
31From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 23 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose the Deposition of Benjamin Glover, Master of the American Ship Diana, whence it will appear that at two and a half Leagues from the Light House at Sandy Hook, the British Frigate Cambrian impressed from on board her Six Passengers, who had been taken on board at Liverpool. As these Persons embarked on board of the Diana with the Permission of the Custom House at...
32From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 3 September 1804 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor to receive on the 25th of August your letter with its enclosures of the 15th. of that month; which has been laid before the President. The several communications & representations to which it is a reply, had for their object to obtain your interposition towards repairing and controuling the irregularities practised by British ships of war in the Harbour of N: York and on the...
33From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 12 July 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 12 July 1806, Department of State. “I take the liberty of troubling you with the enclosed authenticated Copies of certain Documents in this office concerning the Impressed Seamen, whose names are subjoined. These men are said to have been detained in British Ships of war, which are supposed to be at this time on the American Coast. It is stated that they were impressed at...
34From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 1 February 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 February 1804, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with the enclosed documents concerning Benjamin Stedham and Andrew Malony, who appear to have been impressed into the British Service, the first into the Isis, and the latter into the Boston Frigate, from American Vessels on the American coast, where it is supposed the frigates still are. In doing this I must ask the favor of...
35From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 9 April 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose Copies of the respective Depositions of John Gilpin and Benjamin M. Smith, concerning the Impressment of Martin George from the Schooner Henrietta of Alexandria, and of Elisha Morris and Peter Douglass from the Brig Traveller of Providence, by the British Sloop of War Busy, Captain Byam; both cases being attended with Circumstances of high Aggravation. The Busy, as...
36From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 26 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
I have had the Honor to receive your letter of the 23d instant stating that you have been informed that the Ship British Queen having been captured from British Subjects and carried to Charleston (S.C.) Measures have been taken to sell her there by the French Persons who have charge of her. The Collector of the Customs of that port has in Consequence been directed to ascertain whether she be a...
37From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 7 July 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have just received the report made by the Marshal of the District of New York, who was charged with a warrant from the Judge of that District to arrest Lt. Pigott an Officer belonging to the Frigate of His Britannic Majesty in the harbour of New York, commanded by Capt Bradley. The connection which the subject has with the contents of my letter of the 3d inst, makes it proper that it should...
38From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 14 October 1805 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 14 October 1805, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with Duplicate Coopies [ sic ] of a letter to this Office from the Collector of the Customs at Nyork, enclosing one that he had received from Doctor Rose, a Gentleman of Suffolk County, in the State of Nyork, (of which Duplicate Copies are also herewith enclosed) soliciting his aid to procure the release of...
39From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 21 May 1806 (Madison Papers)
In a Letter which I had the Honor to write to you on the 29th. of last January, in Answer to yours of the 7th. of the same Month, I observed that Time would be taken to examine maturely the Grounds on which you intimated your Dissent from the Constructions placed upon the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, by this Government, in the Particulars referred to. The Opinion of the Attorney...
40From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 29 March 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
29 March 1804, Department of State. “I have had the Honour to receive your Letter of the 23rd. inst. enclosing a Copy of a Memorial stating certain Inconveniences to which its Subscribers, who are British Subjects, have represented themselves as being exposed by the Operation of an Act of Congress. In the Act passed on the 27th inst. of which a Copy is now enclosed, I flatter myself you will...
41From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 18 February 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 18 February 1806, Department of State. “You will receive herewith Duplicate Copies of Authentic Documents in relation to Ludwig Fritz and Frederick Porter junr, two Impressed American seamen; who are stated to be detained in His Britannic Majesty’s Ship of War the Cambrian. As this vessel is supposed to be still on the Halifax station, I must ask the favor of you to...
42From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 3 October 1805 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 3 October 1805, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with Duplicate Copies of two Documents concerning Nathaniel Bartlett, who appears to have been impressed into the British Schooner Whiting, on the Halifax station; and to ask the Interposition of your good Offices, to effect the Release of this man, whose Citizenship is fully proved by the Documents alluded...
43From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 28 July 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 28 July 1806, Department of State. “I beg leave to trouble you with the enclosed Duplicate Copies of a Document in this office concerning John L. Deveber, and of a letter from him to his uncle in Newyork, by which it appears that he is detained in the British frigate Cambrian. As this vessel is supposed to be still on the American Coast, I must request the Interposition of...
44From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 16 January 1806 (Madison Papers)
In the Month of October 1804 the British Cartel, Norfolk Hero, sailed, by Order of Admiral Duckworth, from Jamaica, with 170 French Prisoners of War and 30 British Invalids, for Morlaix, with an ulterior Destination for England, but soon afterwards the Prisoners took Possession of and carried her into the Mississippi. As there was no British Consul or Agent at New Orleans or near it, Humanity...
45From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 23 May 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ To Anthony Merry. 23 May 1806, Department of State. “I take the liberty of forwarding to you the inclosed duplicate copies of documents, containing proof of the Citizenship of Edward Frethy, an American Seaman, who was some time since impressed into the British service, and is supposed to be at present detained on board of the Le Renard, or the Wolf; Sloops of War belonging to His Britannic...
46From James Madison to Anthony Merry, [5 December] 1803 (Madison Papers)
The late Convention between Great Britain and the United States being posterior in Date to that by which Louisiana is ceded to the United States, it is apprehended as possible, that the North Western Boundary defined in the former, as limiting the territorial Claims of the United States, may be construed to operate as a Limitation to Claims of Territory acquired by the Treaty of Cession from...
47From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 22 September 1806 [letter not found] (Madison Papers)
¶ To Anthony Merry. Letter not found. 22 September 1806. Acknowledged in Merry to JM , 28 Sept. 1806 , as concerning the impressment of three American seamen and enclosing relevant documents.
48From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 5 June 1804 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 5 June 1804. Described as “enclosing a copy of a letter from Mr. ⟨Tuhel?⟩” (DNA: RG 59, Notes to Foreign Ministers and Consuls, vol. 1, index). Acknowledged in Merry to JM, 6 June 1804 .
49From James Madison to Anthony Merry, 22 November 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose a Copy of the Deposition of William Brown, Master of the Brigantine Argus of New Haven in Connecticut, stating that his Mate Joseph Trowbridge has been impressed by Captain Timothy Clinch of the British public armed Brig Busy . By that Deposition, as well as a Certificate of the Collector of New-Haven, a Copy of which is inclosed, no Room is left to doubt that Mr....