1To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to your instructions, I have made arrangements to provide the most necessary articles of furniture required for the President’s house. The first and most expensive of these are Looking Glasses of large dimensions. I have already purchased conditionally 3 pair, the largest of which is 8 ft. 6 in in highth, and I have in view one other pair, of very considerable highth & width. The...
2To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 12 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Previously to the establishment of arrangements for carrying on the work during the ensuing Season, I beg to lay before you a proposition of which I hope to receive your approbation, and which I beg specially to explain on account of the personal interest I appear to have in it. Independently of my Salary, the expenses of the direction of the public works have been, Salary of the Clerk of the...
3To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
The plan on which the Presidents square is proposed to be planted having been approved by the late President U.S. I had given the necessary directions prior to the 4th. of March last. The principal work which will be done during my departure will be the planting of trees & shrubs near the outer Wall as far as the Ground is finished, the manuring such parts as were omitted on account of the...
4To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
I solicit your directions as to the adaptation of the rooms in the East end of the President’s house to the use of the President and the Secretaries in Cabinet Council. If the first room occupied by Mr Coles as a sitting room be considered as sufficiently large for this use, supposing that used as the bedchamber to contain the Books & papers not in constant use, it would save much delay,...
5Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 17 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
The time of the President U.S. is so occupied by matters of so much more importance, that I did not mention to him the subject on which you did me the favor to speak to me, the purchase of a grand piano-forte, before my departure. I have again tried the instrument I mentioned to you, & accurately examined its state of repair & construction, & altho’ I still think it a very excellent one, I...
6Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 20 March 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 March 1809, Philadelphia. Encloses samples of “two kinds of lace” for use in the chariot ordered by JM. The coach will be finished by 15 May, “the Chariot about a fortnight later.” Has examined a “very handsome” English chariot made in London last July which has influenced his thinking. Mrs. Latrobe [a friend of Dolley Madison’s since childhood] is suffering from an eye inflammation, but...
7Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 22 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
I had yesterday the honor of your letter of the 20th. inst. I had already written to you on the subject of your carriages, & transmitted two patterns of English Lace, the only handsome ones which I could find in the city of that kind. When you have made your choice, it will not be necessary to send back the patterns as I shall understand which you mean, by your mentioning the broadest or...
8Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 29 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your very obliging & kind letter was received by Mrs. Latrobe yesterday, & I had also your commands on business which I beg leave to answer concisely today & to write more at large tomorrow. Your directions as to the liveries shall be obeyed. The patterns of colors on Glass met with an accident. They were broken & shall be sent on, repainted , tomorrow. The sketch of the Chariot in my letter...
9Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 21 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 19th. has just been received. Permit me in the first place to thank You for the excellent political News which concludes it. The interruption of the friendly intercourse thus restored, has cost you individually many an odd dollar extraordinary. For instance: I could not find in the whole city among the merchants a Yard of cloth fit to line your carriage, & have at last been...
10Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 7 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I am here & expected to have been tomorrow in Washington. It is however necessary, I find that I should see Mr Finlay, who is making the Chairs & Sofas for your Drawing room in his Shop, & therefore I shall stay tomorrow & arrive in the city on Tuesday. Your Chariot is in great forwardness, & will be one of the handsomest things Philadelphia has produced. The Coachee has its last Coat of paint...
11To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
The expenditure of the office of the Surveyor of the Public buildings prior to the death of the late clerk of the works were as follows: Salary of the Clerk of the Works, Pr Annum $1.400 Office and house rent, from 150 to 250, say 200 A Subordinate clerk appointed at the commencement of the Year 1808 being found absolutely necessary at 1.25 pr Day, say 300 days in each Year } 375 Total...
12To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 29 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to lay before you an account of the expenditure of 5.000$, advanced to me on account of the furniture of the President’s house. It will appear from the account itself that some of the payment have been made only on account of Claims. The Vouchers therefore being incomplete, untill the whole accounts shall have been liquidated, it has not be[en] possible to settle thus far the...
13Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 4 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
I am more mortified than I can express at the conduct of the Coach-maker, I have had the misfortune to employ in your service, in furnishing to you a Carriage, which even before it has been used is discovered to be so extremely faulty. I am the more irritated and disappointed, as he has in every other instance in which I have employed or recommended him, done himself so much credit, as to have...
14To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg the favor of your instructions on the enclosed letter from the Seedsman of whom I procured your Seeds. I will wait upon you tomorrow to receive them. The appropriations of last Session for the objects committed to my care, are 15.000$ — for finishing & furnishing the Senate Chamber. 1.600$ . for discharging sundry accts. & fitting up the temporary Chamber 16.600 On both these appropns....
15To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having been for the last four days in Baltimore I did not receive the enclosed letters till my return. In answer I have written to Mr. Harvie, that, you certainly could not now take the Chariot , but that I should more fully explain myself to him in a few days. Mr. Patton’s letter I have merely acknowledged, and supposed that he would hear from yourself in a short time. In my last letter to...
16Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 28 August 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have packed up & sent to Richmond to be forwarded to Monticello a box containing the Model of the Capital of the Columns of the lower Vestibule of the Senatorial apartments of the North Wing of the Capitol; which is composed of Ears of Maize. On a short frustum raising it about 4 feet from the Ground it may serve for a Dial stand, and should you appropriate it to that use I will forward to...
17To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of reporting to you the present State of the public buildings, a practice which I conceived it to be my duty to pursue, once a month, during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, & which you will, I doubt not, receive as a proof of my respect, & attention to the trust you have committed to me. During your very short visit to this city, I did myself twice the honor of waiting upon...
18Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Dolley Madison, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
Immediately after your departure I went to the President’s house in order to forward every part of the work which it was necessary to compleat before your return. I was however stopped in my intentions untill it could be ascertained whether the building fund would afford to pay for these operations. After this was ascertained, in order to strengthen the fund, I bought the two Chimney pieces...
19To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to submit to you the following sketch of expenditures on the furniture of the President’s house. The detail of the principal articles comprised in the first item, has been submitted to You, & I do not therefore occupy your time by repeating the same. Amount of payments on accts. fully settled, 8.575.59 Monies placed in the hands of Mr Deblois & expended for minor articles of...
20To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 December 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 December 1809, Washington. Gives details on construction and repairs of the Capitol wings, President’s House, and adjacent roads. Progress on the south wing of the Capitol has been steady, with two capitals finished in the House of Representatives chamber and eight more in advanced stages of completion. A severe hailstorm in June broke “almost all the glass on the south front,” and...
21To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
The alterations which you have been pleased to make in the report submitted to you by me, will be attended to, and fair copies one for the Senate, another for the House of Representatives will be transmitted to You on Monday morning. These copies it has been usual with the late President to send to the house of Congress by a Message. In respect to the more detailed Specification of the...
22To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 January 1810 (Madison Papers)
In the original design of the senate chamber submitted to and approved by the late President, it was intended to place a range of seats along the semicircular wall of the room for the accomodation of members of the house of Representatives. This design was in the progress of execution during the summer session, and was observed and remarked upon by several members of the Senate. The result of...
23To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 July 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 July 1810, Washington. Expresses views about that part of the law appropriating $20,000 for public buildings which relates to the “fireproofs” to be erected in the public building west of the President’s House. Observes that the only security that can be attained in safeguarding records from fire is against “fire from without,” since it is evident that in the case of “persons using the...
24To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1810 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 24 July 1810. Calendared as a two-page letter in the lists probably kept by Peter Force (DLC, series 7, container 2).
25To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 September 1810 (Madison Papers)
It is my duty to take up so much of your time, as is necessary to inform you of the progress of the public business under my charge. By the arrangements made by Mr. Munroe, & the sale of useless materials, of which we have a very large stock on hand, I have been able to continue the work of the sculptors on the capitals of the Hall of Representatives, & when congress meet, there will be only...
26To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 5 October 1810 (Madison Papers)
I have been unfortunate in the construction of the fireproof. Depending on the old Walls, which ought to have been amply sufficient to carry the light Vault I placed upon them, had they been tolerably well built, I lowered the center. Finding that the arch settled I examined the Walls, & perceived that they were ⟨much⟩ cracked; but it appearing that the cracks were not new, being very black,...
27To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 December 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
31 December 1810, Washington. Encloses a copy of his report on the public buildings. Will call on JM in a few days to see if any part of the report appears improper to lay before Congress or requires further information. FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks). 1 p. Latrobe apparently enclosed a draft of his 28 Dec. report, the final version of which was enclosed in his 11 Jan. 1811 letter to JM .
28To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to your directions that I should furnish to You all the information on the subject of the expenditure of the appropriation of May 1t. 1810, in my possession, I have to report to you as follows: In my report d. Decr. 11th. 1809, I stated, that although the estimate submitted by me on Decr. 1st. 1808, of the sum requisite for the court room and Library has not been considered in the...
29To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herein enclose the letter you did me the favor to write on the 29h. septr. 1809. The point which I wished to impress by quoting it is only that of the Jury boxes, to preoccupy the ground of objection to the manner of fitting up the court room. With high respect RC ( DLC ); FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks). Letter not found.
30To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herewith transmit to you two reports. The first my annual report of the public Building the other that called for by a resolution of the House of representatives. I am sorry that I have not found it possible to send them sooner, especially as the friends to the completion of the buildings, in congress have pressed me on the subject. With high respect Yrs. FC ( MdHi : Latrobe Letterbooks)....