James Madison Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/03-02-02-0569

To James Madison from John Graham, 3 August 1810

From John Graham

Dept of State 3d August 1810

Dear Sir

I had the Honor to receive your Letter of the 26th Ult:1 and immediately called on Mr Bradley, who promised to direct that the Letter for Mr Haumont should be sent on to Savanna.

Of the inclosed communications from Governor Holmes2 and Mr Robertson,3 we have taken Copies for the Secretary of State as the Mail goes to Bath on Tuesday.

I beg to be presented to Mrs Madison and to assure you of the sincere & Respectful attachment of Your Most Obt Sert

John Graham

RC (DLC). Docketed by JM. Enclosures not found, but see nn. 2 and 3.

1Graham referred to JM’s letter of 25 July 1810.

2Probably Holmes to Robert Smith, 11 July 1810 (DNA: RG 59, TP, Mississippi), in which Holmes reported that the settlers in West Florida were determined to bring about a change in their government. Holmes also described a meeting, held on 1 July 1810, of a “considerable number” of the inhabitants of the Feliciana district of West Florida, who “by an almost unanimous voice” adopted a prearranged plan for security against “both Foreign invasion and internal disturbances.” The meeting then elected four delegates—John Rhea, John Johnston, William Barrow, and John Mills, “all of them wealthy and respectable Men”—to communicate with settlers throughout West Florida in order to persuade them to adopt a similar course of action and thus create a council with “general powers” to promote the good of the province. Holmes stated that the meeting did not discuss the status of Spanish officials in West Florida, but he mentioned that it was “tacitly understood” that the new council would “suffer them to remain in office provided they acknowledged the new authority and consented to be controlled and regulated thereby.” The governor added that “you may readily conjecture how this business will ultimately eventuate” and that he regarded the proceedings as “incipient to the more decisive and important Measure of asking the protection of the United States.”

3Probably Thomas B. Robertson to Robert Smith, 6 July 1810 (printed in Carter, Territorial Papers, Orleans, 9:888–89). Robertson, the secretary of Orleans Territory, in addition to reporting on events in the territory, discussed rumors that “the people of West Florida … appear to be preparing to throw off their dependence on Spain.” He believed the rumors to be true, adding that “the News from the Province of Venezuela which has just arrived, will have a tendency to hasten the event.”

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