61From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 7 April 1804 (Madison Papers)
Since the occupation of New Orleans by the United States, some occurrences have taken place, which their trivial nature would have consigned to oblivian had they not been magnified by the peculiar temper with which they have been viewed by Mr. Laussat. As this gentleman will no doubt communicate them to the French government, it seems proper that by your being given a short sketch of what has...
62From Thomas Jefferson to Robert R. Livingston, 8 May 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 2d. has been duly recieved. it will be a subject of real regret if the regulation we have adopted does not meet your wishes, & the more so as it is too far gone to be changed, acceptances having been recieved . I explained to you in my former letter the principles on which it was done, to wit, 1. to train for public service in future such subjects as from their standing in...
63From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, [17] December 1802 (Madison Papers)
I am induced by the very favorable information given me of the promising merits of Mr. Cabell, the young gentleman who will hand you this, to ask the favor of your friendly attentions to him. He visits France I understand partly on account of his health, but with a laudable view also to the advantage of his mind. On the supposition that he will proceed with little delay from Bourdeaux the port...
64From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 11 July 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 1st. instant. Your observations on Neutral rights & the means of promoting them are certainly very interesting, & will merit consideration. It is questionable however whether any leading arrangements by the U. States during the war, even in an eventual form adapted to a state of peace, would be free from the danger of entangling us too much in the present...
65From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 19 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
The Convention with the French Republic as finally exchanged by Mr. Murray arrived here on the 9th day of Octr last in the hands of Mr. Appleton. As the form of ratification by the French Government contained a clause declaratory of the effect given to the meaning of the Treaty by the suppression of the 2d. Article it was thought by the President most safe as a precedent to ask anew the...
66From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 18 January 1803 (Madison Papers)
My letters of Decr. 23d. and Jany. 3d. communicated the information which had been received at those dates, relating to the violation at New Orleans of our treaty with Spain; together with what had then passed between the House of Representatives and the Executive on the subject. I now enclose a subsequent resolution of that Branch of the Legislature. Such of the debates connected with it, as...
67From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 25 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
Your several letters of March 3. 11. 18 & 24th with their inclosures have been duly received, as has been that of March 12th to the President. According to the request in this last, I now acknowledge also, or perhaps repeat the acknowledgment of the two papers inclosed, the one in your letter of Feby 26, the other in that of Augt. 10th. 1802. The assurances given by the Chief Consul on the...
68From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 15 October 1802 (Madison Papers)
On my return from Virginia after an absence of two Months, I found here your letter of July 30th. Those of May 10. 12. 20. 28 June 8th & July 3d had been previously received. The zeal and energy with which you are urging on the French Government a fair construction and fulfilment of the Convention, and a discharge of all our just demands, render it unnecessary to repeat to you our anxiety that...
69From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 28 September 1801 (Madison Papers)
You have already been informed of the intention of the President that your departure for France should be hastened, and that you would be furnished with a passage in the Boston Frigate, which after landing you at Bourdeaux, is to proceed to the Mediterranean. When this intention was communicated, it was understood that some difficulty had arisen in obtaining from the French Government a...
70From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 28 May 1803 (Madison Papers)
Since my last which was of April 18th the tenor of our information from France and Great Britain renders a war between those powers in the highest degree probable. It may be inferred at the same time from the information given by Mr. Livingston and Mr. King that the importance of the United States is rising fast in the estimation both of the French and British cabinets and that Louisiana is as...
71From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 9 November 1803 (Madison Papers)
In my letter of the 22d ult, I mentioned to you that the exchange of the ratifications of the Treaty and Conventions with France had taken place here, unclogged with any condition or reserve. Congress have since passed an act to enable the President to take possession of the ceded territory and to establish a temporary Government therein. Other Acts have been passed for complying with the...
72From Thomas Jefferson to Robert R. Livingston, 16 March 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Dec. 26. was recieved the 5th. inst. and one of a later date to the Secretary of state has been communicated to me. the present is intended as a commentary on my letter to you of Aug. 28. when I wrote that letter I did not harbour a doubt that the disposition on that side the water was as cordial, as I knew our’s to be. I thought it important that the agents between us should be...
73From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 29 July 1803 (Madison Papers)
Your dispatches including the Treaty and two Conventions signed with a French Plenipotentiary on the 30th of April were safely delivered on the 14th by Mr. Hughes, to whose care you had committed them. In concurring with the disposition of the French Government to treat for the whole of Louisiana although the western part of it was not embraced by your powers you were justified by the solid...
74Draft of Instructions to Robert R. Livingston, [ca. 17 September] 1801 (Madison Papers)
You will herewith receive your commission as Minister Plenipotentiary from the U. States to the French Republic. You will also be furnished with copies of the instructions given to Mr. Dawson who carried to France the modified ratification of the Convention of the 30th of Sepr. last, and of those to Messrs. Elsworth and Murray charged with negociating a ratification in the same form by the...
75From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe, 2 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
You will herewith receive a Commission and letters of Credence, one of you as Minister Plenipotentiary, the other as Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, to treat with the Government of the French Republic, on the Subject of the Mississipi, and the Territories Eastward thereof, and without the limits of the United States. The object in view is to procure by just and satisfactory...
76From James Madison to Robert R. Livingston, 31 March 1804 (Madison Papers)
Since my acknowledgment of yours of Octr. 20. & 31. I have received those of 2, 15 & 23d. November and 11th. December. In mine of January 31. I informed you that Louisiana had been Transferred by the French Commissioner to our Commissioners on the 20th. of December, that nothing had officially passed on the occasion concerning the boundaries of the ceded Territory; but that Mr Laussat had...
77Enclosure: Neutral Rights, 4 June 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The Principles insisted on by the English are that 1. free bottoms do not make free goods. 2. that a port may be blockaded by proclamation without force. 3. that Naval stores are contraband. 4. that belligerent may search neutral vessels, in all cases. 5. that Neutrals have no right to a commerce in war not permitted them in peace. When two nations chuse to go to war, it should in no wise...