25171To James Madison from Stephen Girard, 31 May 1808 (Madison Papers)
Being desirous to draw from England and Holland the property which I have in those Kingdoms, I beg that you will be So obliging as to procure me a permission to Send one of my Ships, either the Rousseau or the Montesquieu, in Ballast from this to a Port in Russia, there to take in a Cargo on my account, consisting of Iron, Hemp, Sail Cloth, Linens and other Manufactories of that Empire. The...
25172To James Madison from William Eaton, 6 March 1801 (Madison Papers)
The letter which I had the honor to address to the department of State Dec. 20. gave advice of the destination of the Ann Maria, a change in the position of this regency with France necessarily involved a change of her destination. It was the intention of this Bey, notwithstanding the orders of the grand Signor, to maintain the neutral posture he had taken: but, before his dispatches went off...
25173To James Madison from James T. Callender, 7 May 1801 (Madison Papers)
I inclose two News papers. They contain a consummate Specimen of the customhouse of this place. They cannot fail of conveying to the president a complete idea, if he wanted one, of the official merit of Mr. Heath; and I trust he will admit that, in this instance, I have rendered a service to the country. The materials had been sent us just before I was first arrested, and lay by till now. My...
25174To James Madison from David Montague Erskine, 9 December 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the Honor to transmit to you by His Majesty’ Commands a Statement of the Losses sustained by Mr. John Hurst Merchant of the City of London in Consequence of the Neglect of the Post Office at Charleston, South Carolina, and to request the interference of the Government of the United States in procuring for him such Redress as the Justice of his Case may require. In conformity with the...
25175To James Madison from John Gavino, 9 August 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
9 August 1801, Gibraltar. No. 70. Encloses a copy of his letter to Captain Barron sent “⅌ Boats hird on purpose to go in quest of him to East and West.” Has just learned Barron was off Málaga two days earlier. The two Ragusan vessels with Tripolitan crews are being convoyed to Tetuán by a British vessel. Tripolitan admiral, officers, and a few seamen—totaling eighty—remain in vessels at...
25176To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 18 August 1804 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 13th. 14th. and 16th. were recieved in the evening of the 16th. I now return you the papers which accompanied them, to wit, the letters of Armstrong, Merry, Monroe, Claiborne, Sevier, Rhea, Clinton, Jones, Vail, Airth Skipwith, the Paris Commissioners, Livingston, Gavino, Wickelhousen, Swan, and Bp. Madison. A more disgusting correspondence between men of sense, than that of...
25177To James Madison from John Douglass, 20 February 1809 (Madison Papers)
Some time in Jan: 1808, I informed you that De Witt Clinton at a caucus held at Ben: Cheethams, of what he called his house of Nobles, declaired that he was in possession of information which induced him to beleive that Mr. Jefferson and yourself were acting under the Secret influance of Bonaparte, and that you had a Majority in Congress attached to you & were hostile to the liberties &...
25178To James Madison from Levett Harris, 19 July 1808 (Madison Papers)
No opportunity has offered for the conveyance of the inclosed Since the date thereof; this delay has enabled me to transmit you Copy of a note which has been written me by the minister of foreign affairs announcing the appointment of Mr. de Daschkoff in quality of Chargé d’affaires & Consul General to the united States. The minister, in a particular conference I had with him assured me of the...
25179To James Madison from Colin and James Ross, 19 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
We wrote you the 19th. Decr. and are since without being favor’d with any of yours. Your Richmond tobo was ship’d in the Magistrate for London & hope is ’ere now arrived how soon we hear of it you shall be advis’d. Agreable to Mr. Macon’s request on the 5th. Ulto. we charg’d you & credited him with One Hundred Pounds Currency on accot. of the Shipment p. the Magistrate. We are now loading a...
25180To James Madison from Philip DePeyster, 7 April 1806 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
§ From Philip DePeyster. 7 April 1806, Nw York. “With pleasure I acknowledge the receipt of your package enclosing my Commission, Blank bond, Standing Instructions to Consuls, & your Circulars of the 1st. Augt. 1801, ⟨9th.⟩ April 1803 and 12th. July 1805 —should you at any time have other communications to make and have not a more convenient opportunity, be pleased to address them to my...
25181To James Madison from Sylvanus Bourne, 10 June 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
10 June 1801, Amsterdam. Offers suggestions for improving consular service by making international conventions more specific as to rights and privileges of consuls and defining their powers over American ships and crews that sail into ports where they are accredited. These powers ought to include a means of settling wage disputes between masters and crews, mandatory registration of ships on...
25182To James Madison from DeWitt Clinton, 24 July 1806 (Madison Papers)
The three Tunisians who came here under the care of the bearer have peremptorily refused to proceed to Boston under an impression that if they returned to Tunis with their Embassador, their lives would be sacrificed to his resentments & they therefore wish a seperate passage to some other place in Europe or Africa as the bearer will more particularly explain. They have also incurred debts in...
25183To James Madison from Sylvanus Bourne, 30 September 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 September 1801, Amsterdam. Forwards two issues of the Leiden Gazette . Recent reports of British victory in Egypt conflict with later accounts of Menou’s determination to hold out in the hope of receiving aid from France, the government of which appreciates “the importance of the Object as one means of attacking the Colossal Strength of GB. in the E[ast] I[ndies].” The settlement of...
25184To James Madison from Samuel Smith, 4 May 1804 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Venable & myself had determined to wait on you, During the last Session to Call to your recollection Doctr. John Morton, now of Bordeaux, a Native of Virga. but Resident of Baltimore for years. You will recollect that Mr. Giles, Mr. Venable & myself had recommended Dr. Morton for a Consulate in France—for Bordeaux first, then for Havre & afterwards for Antwerp. Confident in the Integrity,...
25185To James Madison from Fulwar Skipwith, 3 February 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 February 1803, Paris. “The Council of Liquidation having refused to liquidate several Claims committed to my charge, for supplies made at different Periods to the french Colonies by our Countrymen, & having refered the Claimants to the respective Colonial Administrations, I supposed these particular Decisions were the Effect of a general Regulation or Arrêté, and therefore I applied to them...
25186To James Madison from James Adamson, 16 July 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
16 July 1801, Ostend. Notes service as U.S. consul in Ostend prior to the outbreak of the undeclared naval war with France. He was arrested, later released, and carried on consular duties. Has learned through French newspapers of several recent consular nominations and asks for an appointment in Ostend “or any other place” where his services would be useful to U.S. Mentions favorable...
25187To James Madison from Charles Pinckney, 14 June 1804 (Madison Papers)
I have lately recieved the private letter you did me the favor to write me & will whenever I have any thing that I think will be entertaining to You continue to write you privately—for the last few months I have been confined closely to Madrid & the Sitios owing to the violent putrid & malignant fever which raged in this City having among thousands of others attacked my family so violently...
25188To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 24 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
The question of war yet remains undetermined my letters from Mr. King of the 18th lead me to believe as well as my persuasion of the present System of politicks in England that war will come Soon. Here there is an earnest & Sincere desire to avoid it as well in the Government as the people. I enclosed in my last a note to the Minister. Some days after I called upon him & he told me an answer...
25189To James Madison from Stephen Cathalan Jr., 27 July 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
27 July 1804, Marseilles. “My last respects are dated the 14th. June ulto. Since, I have forwarded a packet from the united States Consulate at Tunis, to your address, under Cover of Willm. Lee Esqr. at Bordeaux. “I have the honor of remitting you herein inclosed, the lists of the American Merchant Vessells entered into the ports of my District and Cleared from the 1st. January of the Present...
25190To James Madison from Daniel Clark, 14 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
I have this Morning seen the Papers mentioned in my Letter of Yesterday, they are positive not to deliver any thing more to France than what was possessed by Spain East of the Mississippi, when Great Britain possessed West Florida, it not being as the Minister expresses himself, his Majesties intention to surrender to the French any Country that was not received of them, and by all means to...
25191To James Madison from Jacob Wagner, 10 August 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to enclose to you several public and private letters. Those of importance among the former, are from Mr. Lear, Mr. King and Mr. Thornton. I also received a letter from Mr. Savage, the Agent for seamen at Jamaica, in which he says, that a number of seamen have lately been discharged and that his certificates are respected, on which account he suggests, that the Masters of our...
25192To James Madison from John Rowan, 21 February 1809 (Madison Papers)
The territory of Illinois having been lately erected I take the liberty of recommending the Honorable John Boyle as a Suitable Person to be Appointed Governor of that Territory. I have had the pleasure of an intimate acquaintance with Mr. Boyle for Several years. He has in a very high degree those Attributes of head and heart which constitute the principal qualifications for a Station so high...
25193To James Madison from John M. Pintard, 3 December 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 December 1802, Richmond. From his conversation with JM “a few weeks Scince, at Washington,” was led to believe “that a Successor to me as Consul for Madeira, will Shortly be appointed; Under the Impression, that I, myself, have abdicated the Place.” Is not conscious of having given any reason for such an inference, but rather he “expressly Requested” JM and the president to continue him in...
25194To James Madison from Andrew Ellicott, 20 May 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 May 1803, Lancaster . “I have enclosed a packet for our Minister Mr. Livingston at Paris. It contains a communication consisting principally of Astronomical observations for Mr. De Lambre one of the secretaries of the National Institute of France. I should not have troubled Mr. Livingston with it, had he not been so obliging as to request that he might be made the channel thro which my...
25195To James Madison from Winthrop Sargent, 10 June 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
10 June 1801. Intends, after arriving in Boston, to send JM “such Vouchers for the Propriety of his public Conduct in civil and military Life as shall bring fullest conviction to the mind of the President that where and when he has been censured there have been— there are , no grounds even for Complaint, & that malice and self Interest strongly mark the Character of his base Calumniators.”...
25196To James Madison from William W. Hening, 5 February 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
5 February 1803, Charlottesville. Returns his commission of bankruptcy. Has been consulted as a lawyer in every bankruptcy case occurring in “this part of the state” and believes it incompatible with the functions of a bankruptcy commissioner to exercise the duties of a lawyer in the same case. RC ( DNA : RG 59, LRD ). 1 p. Docketed by Jefferson. The enclosure is Hening’s 17 June 1802...
25197To James Madison from George W. Erving, 15 June 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
15 June 1804, London. No. 37. “By the Ship Virginia Captain Dixon which leaves this place to day for City point in Virginia I have shipped by desire of Mr. Monroe a small deal Box containing the Journals of the late board of Commissioners and the reports of their Assessors; and have particularly charged the Captain to keep it dry in his Cabin which he has promised to do. Another Copy of these...
25198To James Madison from David Montague Erskine, 16 July 1807 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 13th. containing additional Documents respecting T. White stated to be a Citizen of the United States detained on board His Majesty’s Ship Elephant. I will immediately forward them to the Admiral commanding on the Station where His Majesty’s Ship Elephant is supposed now to be. I have the Honor to be, with great Respect and...
25199To James Madison from Charles Pinckney, 28 March 1802 (Madison Papers)
Hearing of an opportunity by an American Gentleman to Bourdeaux I avail myself of it to send you a Book containing a general list of what are here called the reales derechos of the Customhouses & a pretty good view of their commercial regulations. It is in Spanish & I could get no translation of it either in French or English but as it appears to be complete on the subjects it treats of you...
25200To James Madison from William Hull (Abstract), 3 June 1805 (Madison Papers)
3 June 1805, Albany . “Before I arrived at this place, Judge Paterson had left it, and I have applied to the Vice-President of the United States, and he has administred the Oaths to me. This, I presume will be thought propper and supercede the Necessity of authorizing any person at Detroit to administer the Oaths. “I have with me the laws of the U.States, and of the State of New York. The...