To James Madison from Benjamin W. Crowninshield, 28 September 1815
From Benjamin W. Crowninshield
Salem Sepr. 28. 1815.
Sir
The within letter, is from Capt Charles Stewart of the navy, & contains his answer, to your offer to him, of a seat at the navy Board; he declines accepting it.1
To whom will you be pleased to offer it now? Decatur may be home soon from the medn.; I doubt some, if it would suit his activity; there is Capts Evans & Sinclair, the first is at NY, the latter gentleman has been ordered to the consitution [sic] Frigate, more might be chosen from, if the Squadron was home from Algiers, but either of the above named captains, in my opinion, would make a good associate at the Board.
May I hope for your instructions? Accept, Sir, my best wishes, & believe me to be, Sincerly Yours.
B W Crowninshield
RC and enclosure (DLC). RC and cover of enclosure docketed by JM. For enclosure, see n. 1.
1. Stewart’s 17 Sept. 1815 letter (2 pp.) declined the Navy Board appointment on the grounds that his health would suffer if he were confined to “so sedentary an occupation.”