To James Madison from Benjamin W. Crowninshield, 23 May 1815
From Benjamin W. Crowninshield
Navy Department May 23d. 1815.
Sir,
I have the honour to enclose, for your consideration, sundry Copies of letters which have passed between this Department and the Commissioners of the Navy Board.1
These pretensions will produce unpleasant consequences to the Service; and I request you will be pleased to say, if the Board, which was created to assist the Department, shall control the Secretary, or the Secretary shall control the Board.
It gives me great pain, that, at the first moment of commencing their duties, it should be necessary for me to apply to you for instructions in what I really think so plain a case. I have the honour to be, Very respectfully, Sir, Your obedient Servant,
B W Crowninshield
N.B. Mr. Monroe was made acquainted with the diffe. of opinion between the Dept. & the Board, previous to his leaving the City, & Mr Dallas subsequently; both of whom, have sanctioned the course taken by me, so far, as it was known to them. I am, respectfully, &c. &c,
B W Crowninshield
RC and enclosures (DLC); letterbook copy (DNA: RG 45, LSP). RC in a clerk’s hand, with signatures and postscript by Crowninshield. Letterbook copy does not include postscript. For enclosures, see n. 1.
1. Crowninshield enclosed copies of letters to him from the Board of Navy Commissioners, consisting of navy captains John Rodgers, Isaac Hull, and David Porter, of 25 Apr. 1815 (1 p.); and from Rodgers as president of the board, dated May 1815 (3 pp.), 16 May 1815 (2 pp.), and 19 May 1815 (4 pp.). Copies of Crowninshield’s replies to the commissioners, dated 29 Apr. 1815 (4 pp.) and 3 May 1815 (2 pp.), and of Crowninshield to Rodgers, 18 May 1815 (3 pp.) and 23 May 1815 (2 pp.), were enclosed as well. The correspondence began with a discussion of the commissioners’ duties and proceeded cordially until 16 May, when Rodgers complained that Crowninshield had “somewhat embarrassed” their work by withholding information about the Mediterranean squadron. The navy secretary’s 18 May reply asserted his authority over the board, observed that they had not requested the information in question, and asked them to “reciprocate … acts of confidence and cordiality.” Rodgers responded the following day with a detailed legal argument asserting the board’s autonomy, which would be stated at greater length in the commissioners’ 25 May 1815 letter to JM. On 23 May, Crowninshield informed Rodgers that he disagreed with the latter’s interpretation of the law but rather than “entering into any altercation” would submit the dispute to JM. He commented that the “tone and character” of the board’s communications were “extraordinary.”