1To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne (Abstract), 3 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
3 March 1805, New Orleans . “The Prize Brig Active and her Cargo are sources of great litigation. It has I understand been made appear that the Captors had sold their Interest in the Prize to three different persons, and on the investigation of the case in the District Court, I learn a tremendous scene of fraud was unfolded. The French Consul having esteemed it his duty to make enquiries upon...
2To James Madison from William Spencer (Abstract), 3 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
3 March 1805, Georgetown, Eastern Shore, Maryland . “Some years ago a cargo of a Brig of which one third belonged to Mr. Abraham Falconar formerly a Merchant of the city of Baltimore was seized and taken for the use of the French Government by their Agent at the Island of St. Domingo; and either a certificate, Government Bill, or some other Document was received from the Agent as evidence of...
3To James Madison from Richard Taylor (Abstract), 3 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
3 March 1805, Louisville, Kentucky . “My Son William D. S. Taylor has a desire to enter as a Midshipman on Board one of the Frigates belonging to the United states, & as I [am] a Stranger to all the Officers of Government Except yourself, I have Taken the Liberty to ask the favour of you to mention the mater to the Secretary of the Navy as I expect the appointment must come from his Office. I...
4To James Madison from George W. Erving, 2 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
Having lately had much communication with Baron Jacobi upon the subject of the papers inclosed, who has shewn me his instructions from the king of Prussia by which it appears that he is Extremely solicitous to procure the most accurate information respecting the origin progress & treatment of the yellow fever, & of Every circumstance connected with it; I thought it might be well in a public...
5To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart (Abstract), 2 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
2 March 1805, New York . “I have the honor to inform you that I arrived in the river on the night of the 27th. inst. & immediately forwarded Comodore Prebles dispatches to the Secretary of the Navy, I would have forwarded you a copy of them had I not been prevented from landing my family by bad weather and the negligence of the Pilot until this afternoon, but as the Comodore has proceeded to...
6To James Madison from William Jarvis (Abstract), 2 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
2 March 1805, Lisbon . “My last letter of the 20th Ulto went by the Schooner Rose Captain Atkins & the duplicate by the Schooner Commerce Captain Bartlett both for Boston. I have now the honor to inclose a copy of the answer of His Excellency the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (with a translation) to my application relative to the embarassment given to Corn loaded Vessels which I received the...
7To James Madison from the Senate (Abstract), 2 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
2 March 1805 . “Resolved, that the secretary of state be directed to lay before this house at the next meeting of Congress, such laws of Great Britain as impose any higher or greater duties on the exportation of Goods, wares and merchandise, to the United States, than are imposed on similar goods, wares and merchandise, when exported to the nations of Europe: and also to report the amount, in...
8To James Madison from Samuel Smith (Abstract), 2 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
2 March 1805 . “The inclosed proposition of a law was shewn by me to a number of our friends, who highly approved, And were disposed to Support the measure, provided in Its Operation the finances would not materially be injured—my own Opinion was that It would not—however I addressed a Letter to Mr. Gallatin for his Opinion as to the injury the finances might Sustain, and as to its policy—his...
9To James Madison from James Monroe, 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
Mr. P<reble> who will present you this has been with us since the commencment of the present negotiation, as a secretary, assisting in translating our communications to the minister of spain & Prince of peace into French, & those of the former from the Sph. into English. He has been of great service to us, indeed had we not had the good fortune to find him here, we shod. have been exposed to...
10To James Madison from Louis-André Pichon, 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Dallas the Attorney of the United States for this District, will inform you, I presume, of the application which I was, this day, obliged to make to him, in consequence of a writ being served on me this morning, on the part of Mr. Dupont, an american merchant in Newyork, with the intention to prosecute me for some bills which I drew last Summer in his favor on Mr. Pèrregaux Banker in Paris...
11To James Madison from Charles Pinckney and James Monroe, 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
We had the pleasure to write to you by Mr. Gorham on the 2nd. of Feby. and to transmit a copy of our first note to Mr. Cevallos, and of the Project which we presented him for the adjustment of all differences between the U. States and Spain, as also of his answer to it, which we had then just received. We now forward the sequel of the correspondence, by which it appears that we are as distant...
12To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne (Abstract), 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
1 March 1805, New Orleans . “I received this morning a Visit from the Marquis of Casa Calvo; He came as he said to ask my advice as to the conduct he should pursue to obtain redress for the King his Master against Don Juan Ventura Morales the late Intendant who had exceeded his powers in the case of Peter Villamil, and not accounted properly for certain monies due the King from said Villamil....
13To James Madison from Jared Ingersoll (Abstract), 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
1 March 1805, Philadelphia . “A Suit has been instituted by Mr Dupon against Mr. Pichon on certain Bills of Exchange drawn by the latter upon a Mr Perigord at Paris, acceptance of which has been refused by the Drawee. “Bail is demanded in the sum of $30000, and Mr Pichon insists on his priviledge and protection as a publick minister; the Plf. contends that he no longer can claim that...
14To James Madison from William Lee (Abstract), 1 March 1805 (Madison Papers)
1 March 1805, Bordeaux . “In one of my former letters I mentioned to you that I had refused to grant Gadiou & Co. of this City a Consular Certificate which they demanded of me for a Vessel they had purchased here by virtue <o>f a power of Attorney from Joseph Kaumann of <N>ew York to James Dupy of Nantz. Mr Thos. Irwing who I believe is interested in the house of Podière & Co. <h>aving lately...
15To James Madison from James Bowdoin, 28 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
I had the honour to receive your obliging Letter of the 15 instant the last Evening, & am to thank you for the polite & friendly manner, in wch., you have conceded to the proposition contained in my Letter of the 4th. instant: since writing that Letter, I have had recourse to a Wheel-carriage for exercise, & have found it so much to disagree with me, that I have, for the present, been obliged...
16To James Madison from Charles Pinckney, 28 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you by Captain Gorham & I now send you by Mr Preble another letter open for the President which I request you to read & deliver him & to consider also as confidential —notwithstanding all Mr Yrujo said it is confidently repeated & asserted here in a manner to leave no doubt that this Court did send him the ratification to deliver you & that he now has it signed in form in his...
17To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne (Abstract), 28 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
28 February 1805, New Orleans . “I have the Honor to enclose you an act to incorporate the City of New Orleans. The provision which allows the Citizens to elect aldermen is very popular. It will be the first time that the Louisianians ever enjoyed the right of Suffrage and I persuade myself they will on this occasion use it with discretion. “The news of War between England and Spain, and the...
18To James Madison from John Coburn (Abstract), 28 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
28 February 1805, Mason County, Kentucky . “Amidst the numerous applications to which you are necessarily exposed, I have taken the liberty of addressing you, altho a stranger to you. I should not venture this mode of application unaccompanied with some evidence more worthy your attention. It is painful to be the writer of my own claims to the patronage of Government—But if the pretensions I...
19To James Madison from William B. Giles (Abstract), [28 February 1805] (Madison Papers)
28 February 1805. “You will find enclosed the ‘Clearance Bill,’ as about to be passed—the 2d. Sec. of the original Bill is by a vote of the Senate rejected, & a strong disposition is discovered to refuse to punish offences against the territories of foreign nations. If you can suggest any amendment to it in its present form Be pleased to notice it in the course of the day.” RC ( DLC ). 1 p.;...
20To James Madison from Anthony Merry, 27 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
Mr Merry presents his respectful Compliments to Mr Madison, and, in consequence of the Wish which Mr Madison has expressed to him verbally, has the Honor to transmit to him inclosed a Copy of the Bill filed in the District Court of South Carolina in the Year 1799 by the Spanish Consul, to prevent the Sale of a Vessel of his Nation which had been captured by a British Cruizer and Sent into...
21To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne (Abstract), 27 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
27 February 1805, New Orleans . “The Collector of the Revenue Mr. Brown has just informed me that the Captain of the Revenue Cutter had lately proceeded up the Lake, and finding a quantity of Coffee stored in a House on the Shore of the Bay of St. Louis, which he supposed had been illicitly introduced, The Captain had entered the House, taken possession of the Coffee, and was now at the Balizo...
22To James Madison from William Creighton Jr. (Abstract), 26 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
26 February 1805, Chillicothe . “I had the honor of receiving a letter from you under date January 9th 1805 accompanied with a commission from the President of the United States as attorney of the United States for the District of Ohio for which you will be pleased to tender to the President my acknowledgements.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, Acceptances, 1789–1812). 1 p.; docketed by Wagner. For...
23To James Madison from Zebulon Hollingsworth (Abstract), 26 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
26 February 1805, Warton, Kent County, Maryland . “Having received an appointment in the Judiciary of this State which I have concluded to accept I take the liberty to request you to communicate to the President of the United States the resignation of my office of Attorney of the Maryland District and at the same time to transmit to him my sincere expressions of an affectionate veneration and...
24To James Madison from William Jones, 23 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed letter I received in Augt. last and intending to visit the seat of government before my departure again for Canton I reserved its contents for the subject of a personal communication, and during my short stay at Washington called twice at the office of the department for the purpose, but your momentary absence and my private engagements deprived me of the pleasure of an interview....
25To James Madison from Anthony Merry, 23 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
The British Ship British Queen arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, in the Month of August last with Two Hundred and Fifty French Soldiers and Passengers on board. It appears that this Vessel had been captured by a French Privateer on her Voyage from Jamaica to Liverpool and had been carried to the Havana, where the Cargo was landed and sold, and that she was sent straight from thence to...
26To James Madison from Richard H. Wilcocks (Abstract), 23 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
23 February 1805, Philadelphia . “Sometime past I took the liberty of addressing you upon the subject of the Consulship to His Danish Majestys Possessions in the West Indies. It was then my determination to have devoted a few years to business in the Island of St Croix and had the application which I made for the office been accredited when prefered I should certainly have carried my intention...
27To James Madison from John Langdon (Abstract), 22 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
22 February 1805, Portsmouth . “My Son in Law Mr. Elwyn has entertained himself, in writeing a letter to a Federalist, which has been printed at Boston, and taken some Notice of; one of which I send you, you’ll excuse me for the liberty I have taken.” RC ( DLC ). 1 p. Langdon presumably enclosed a copy of Thomas Elwyn’s pamphlet, A Letter to a Federalist, in Reply to Some of the Popular...
28To James Madison from Caleb Wallace (Abstract), 22 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
22 February 1805, Kentucky . “I have just received information that my friend John Coburn of this State wishes to remove to the Louisiana Country, could he succeed in obtaining some respectable Office there. In his youth he received a collegiate Education and a Licence to practice law in Pennsylvania, and he has been one of the Judges of our General Court of Oyer and Terminer and District and...
29To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne (Abstract), 21 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
21 February 1805, New Orleans . “In my Letter of the 19th Instant, I stated that about the last of July or first of August, the Petition of Hulin was presented to me. I have since found (among my Papers) the original Petition, which is without date, but one of the Documents refered to, bears date on the eleventh of August. “I had no recollection myself, as to the particular period of...
30To James Madison from George W. Erving (Abstract), 21 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
21 February 1805, London . No. 51. “By this conveyance the London Packet, Capt Mc:Dougall bound to Philadelphia, I transmit four Packages of Newspapers, and two others containing the Documents relating to the rupture between this Country and Spain as they have been printed for the use of the House of Commons, & consisting of four numbers.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, CD , London, vol. 9). 1 p. Signature...
31To James Madison from Abraham Van Bibber (Abstract), 21 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
21 February 1805, Baltimore . “The bearer Mr. William Jolley is one of the party concerned in the unfortunate Brig Neptune. He with all the owners are anxious to Know what hopes you entortain of her recovery as it is so serious a loss to some of those concerned that will oblige them to strike, but from your attention they all have great hopes of a speedy recovery—be so good as to inform him of...
32To James Madison from William Jarvis (Abstract), 20 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
20 February 1805, Lisbon . “The accompanying are duplicates of my letters of the 9th & 12th Inst, which went by the Ship Hare, Captn Beedle, for New York, the former of which Mr Rademakaer took charge of. In the last Copy of my letter of the 19th. Jany to Capan. Rodgers relative to the delivery of the Danish sailors, I find my Clerk omitted the postscript. “Letters that I have recd from...
33To James Madison from Robert W. Fox (Abstract), 19 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
19 February 1805, Falmouth . “The packet having only lately returned from a Voyage to the West Indies, could not be got ready to take the mail ’till this week, prevented my earlier in the Month sending the enclosed list [not found] of Vessels which have arrived at & off the Western ports of England, for the last 6 months ending with 1st. of December 1804, many having only called off the ports...
34To James Madison from Thomas Huntington (Abstract), 19 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
19 February 1805, Hartford . “I have been requested to write to The President in behalf of Noah Lester Esq, of Middlesex County, in this State. “I have Known M Lester several years, his Character & Talents as a man of Integrity, & a Lawyer are Respectable. “And his Uniform Attachment to the Constitution, and the System of measures pursued by the present Administration, have procured him the...
35To James Madison from John Madison, 18 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
It was my intention to have wrote to you as soon as I arrived at this place but circumstances prevented my puting my intention in execution. Perhaps you may have thought that the cause of my not writeing is oweing to my haveing lost all desire for improvement, and that I have deviated from the principles stated in my first letter —if this is your conclusion permit me to say it is not correct....
36To James Madison from Ira Allen (Abstract), 18 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
18 February 1805, Philadelphia . “Want of health and other obsticles have Provented my seeing you as soon as I Contemplated and Determined me to Put in Circulation the olive Branch I expect to set out for Washington with the Books this Week as this Cause Respects the Arming the Militia of a State and has been ably Supported by the Executive of the State and Federal Government at Different...
37To James Madison from William Savage (Abstract), 18 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
18 February 1805, Kingston, Jamaica . “My last was of 2nd Currant accompanied with a list of names of persons who represent themselves <na>tives of the United States, a Copy of which, with some <ad>ditional names accompanies this. “A numerous Body of American Seamen have been taken from American Vessels that have been recaptured from the French & other American vessels brought here under the...
38To James Madison from James Sullivan, 17 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
The answer respecting the constitutional voters in Virginia is very satisfactory, and will be of great use here. General Lincoln is unwell, he is advanced in life, and if our remarkably severe winter does not number and determine his days, as it has those of his co[n]tempor[ar]ies very generally, he will not be without a necessity to resign his office of collector for the port of Boston. That...
39To James Madison from Isaac Cox Barnet (Abstract), 17 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
17 February 1805, Paris . “The Minister of the united States, General Armstrong, having issued an order in my favour on Messrs. Willink & VanStaphorst of Amsterdam for $.4185.21 1/3 cents—the Nett proceeds of which, as per the Bankers accot. enclosed —being 21,889 francs—or in Livres Fl. 22.162.. ₶ 12. which exceeds the Sum of my three Drafts of the 19th. Decr. last 1 to my own order for $...
40To James Madison from Sylvanus Bourne (Abstract), 17 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
17 February 1805, Amsterdam . “I have the honor to transmit you inclosed a Copy [not found] of the Arret of this Govt lately taken to prevent the introduction of contagious maladies into the Count[r]y —as many of these regulations are new & some of them peculiarly severe you will doubtless judge proper to have translation made of said Arret for publication in the American Papers for the...
41To James Madison from George Davis (Abstract), 17 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
17 February 1805, Tunis . No. 24. “I have the honor to inform you of the safe arrival of the Tunisien Xebec at Sphax; the Rais came to Tunis on the 19th. ultimo, and made several complaints as was naturally anticipated, (esta l’usanza) to wit, of the loss of two chests of cloathing, damage done to the vessel, her rigging &c. I gave a decisive refusal to any compensation; his complaints were in...
42To James Madison from Joseph Barnes (Abstract), 16 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
16 February 1805, Florence . “To a man of Sentiment who wishes to promote the good of his Country, and the interest of his Countrymen, Especially in a Public Situation tis a most painful reflection to be under the necessity of making my Apology for his Conduct. “A Concatonation of unforeseen unfortunate circumstances having prevented me from fulfiling the duties of My Consulate in Sicily...
43To James Madison from Samuel Tyler (Abstract), 15 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
15 February 1805, Williamsburg . “The last letter I have been favored with from Colo Monroe was of the 25th of September last; to which I am interested in returning a speedy & safe answer, & believing that Colo Monroe wd. also in some measure be served; will make my excuse for requesting you to have the inclosed conveyed in the way you may judge best. “If you have time from much more important...
44To James Madison from John Armstrong, 14 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 10th of November had a long passage, and the duplicate copy by the way of Marseilles, was the first to reach me. With the exception of one of the 4th. of September, this is the only letter I have received from you. The claims are now nearly brought to a close, and my next dispatch will probably present a final report with regard to them. Of all the business I have ever had...
45To James Madison from Samuel W. Dana (Abstract), 14 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
14 February 1805, “Committee Room.” “With a view to a subject referred to the Committee of Claims, I have the honor of requesting a copy of the proclamation of the President of the United States permitting a commerce with certain ports in Hispaniola during the general suspension of intercourse with France & its dependencies.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, ML ). 1 p.; docketed by Wagner. John Adams’s 6...
46To James Madison from Thomas Griffin (Abstract), 14 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
14 February 1805, “Chamber of Representatives.” “Thos. Griffin takes leave to inform Mr. Madison that he has complied with all the requisites of the Law in behalf of Mr John Houston of Wms.burg Virginia who is an applicant for a Patent, and whose petition was forwarded to Mr. Madison a few days past; a duplicate receipt from the Treasurer is lodged with Dr. Thornton and a model of the machine...
47To James Madison from Robert Power (Abstract), 14 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
14 February 1805, Tenerife . “Having learn’t from undoubted Authority that George W: Mc:Elroy Consul of the United States for the Canary Islands fell a victim to the pestilential fever which reigned in Cadiz last October, I think it my duty to return to you the Patent, in virtue of which he named me his Substitute. He was constantly absent from the time of his nomination, not having been in...
48To James Madison from Vincent Gray (Abstract), 12 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
12 February 1805, Havana . “I now have it in my power to enclose to you (in the Aurora of tomorrow) the Declaration of War by His Catholic Majesty, agt. the King of great Britain and Subjects; as mentioned in my note of yesterday. The British half Squadron still off the port, and Some times in cannon Shot of the Moro. “Last Evening a Signal was made at the Moro Castle, for an American Ship to...
49To James Madison from William Jarvis (Abstract), 12 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
12 February 1805, Lisbon . “The Ship Hare being detained by contrary winds, affords me an opportunity to inform you by her that the Mate of the Vessel I mention in my letter as having been cast away near Figue<ira> reached here yesterday & informed me that the French Squadron sailed from the Bay of La Rochelle the 11th, the day before they sailed. It contains as near as he could ascertain the...
50To James Madison from William Lee (Abstract), 12 February 1805 (Madison Papers)
12 February 1805, Bordeaux . “I have put on board the Brig Lyon Capt. Coursell bound to Baltimore two small boxes for yourself and the President of the United States containing each a ‘ Patté de Perigueux ’ composed of Partridges and Trufes. These pies are in great estimation in Europe and are to be served up cold. They are eaten of sparingly and will keep some time after being open if the top...