From James Madison to Rufus King, 13 July 1804
To Rufus King
Department of State July 13th. 1804.
Sir.
I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 29th. ult.1 enclosing one to the Auditor which was handed to him. The President having directed that your charges for presentation and Christmas presents and for stationary be admitted to your credit in the books of the Treasury, the letter of which a copy is inclosed was transmitted to the Auditor as his guide.2
The enclosed extract from the accounts of Messrs. Bulkley’s,3 late Bankers of the United States at Lisbon, will evince that no charge for the relief afforded to Philip Wilson and his family was admitted to their credit, for the same reason which operates against that claimed by you. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedt. Servt.
James Madison
RC and enclosures (NHi: Rufus King Papers); letterbook copy (DNA: RG 59, DL, vol. 14). RC in a clerk’s hand, signed and franked by JM; addressed to King in New York and forwarded to Boston, “Care of Christopher Gore Esqr.”; docketed by King as received 22 July at Waltham. For enclosures, see nn. 2–3.
1. Letter not found.
3. JM enclosed a one-page extract from the account of John Bulkeley and Son, dated 11 Aug. 1800, in which the bankers noted that they were recrediting the sum of 335,826 reis “charged in the last a/c as paid for sundry necessaries supplied Philip Wilson & Family…, having been informed by the late Secy. of State Mr Pickering under date of the 14th. April last that there is no existing provision in America by which our advances can be reimbursed.”