From James Madison to William C. C. Claiborne, 20 July 1803
To William C. C. Claiborne
Department of State July 20th. 1803.
Sir
I have the honor to request you to forward the enclosed letter to Mr. Clark.1 I have left it open for your information, and enclosed a copy of the President’s proclamation for convening Congress and a summary of the contents of the Treaty with France,2 for your own use. With great respect, I have the honor to be, sir, Your most obed. servt.
James Madison
P. S. Be pleased also to forward the enclosed letter & packet for Mr. Laussat3
RC (NhD); letterbook copy (DNA: RG 59, DL, vol. 14). In a clerk’s hand, signed by JM. Postscript not included in letterbook copy.
2. Enclosures not found, but both the president’s proclamation and a summary of the treaty contents were printed in the National Intelligencer, 18 July 1803.
3. Enclosure not found, but the letter for Pierre Clément Laussat was probably from Pichon, 19 July 1803, informing him that the Louisiana treaty had been made public ( , pp. 65–66).