To James Madison from James Monroe, 27 October 1806
From James Monroe
London October 27. 1806.
Sir
I hasten to Send you a communication which I have received from Lord Howick since the date of my last letter1 by which you will find that the trial of Captain Whitby is postponed to some day between the 15th. and 20th. of March next.2 I am, Sir, with great respect & esteem, Your most obedient servant,
Jas. Monroe
RC and enclosures (DNA: RG 59, DD, Great Britain, vol. 12); letterbook copy and letter-book copy of enclosures (DLC: Monroe Papers). RC in a clerk’s hand, signed by Monroe; docketed by Wagner. For enclosures, see n. 2.
2. The enclosures (3 pp.; docketed by Wagner) were copies of Lord Howick to Monroe, 25 Oct. 1806, and its two enclosures: a 23 Oct. 1806 letter to Howick from the admiralty commissioners, and its enclosure, an extract from the 4 Oct. 1806 order for Capt. Henry Whitby’s court-martial that charged him with violating the neutrality of the United States and willfully murdering the U.S. seaman John Pierce. The commissioners requested that Monroe forward the extract to the U.S. government to obtain “such evidence of the facts as may be judged Sufficient to Support the charges,” and added that Whitby’s court-martial would commence sometime between 15 and 20 Mar. 1806, but no later.