To James Madison from Thomas Baldwin, 13 February 1817
From Thomas Baldwin
Boston Feb. 13. 1817
Dear Sir
I do myself the honour to introduce to your Excellency’s notice, the Hone. Mr. Morrell, Senator from the State of New-Hampshire,1 by whom I send for your Excellency’s acceptance, Dr. Marshman’s Clavis Sinica, &c, presented by himself.2
I have for several years, forwarded to Mr. Marshman and the other Baptist Missionaries of Serampore, a periodical work, which I have edited called “The Massachusetts Bap. Missy. Magazine.” In one of the numbers a letter on Toleration, said to have been written by yourself was with much pleasure inserted.3
This led Mr. Marshman to entertain the highest sentiments of esteem for your character as the friend of equal religious liberty.
I have written thus much at his request, Your Excellency will, pardon the freedom which I have taken, and permit me to offer you the assurance of my highest esteem, and most fervent wishes that the blessing of Almighty God, with the love and esteem of a grateful nation may follow you into your retirement. I am, dear Sir, most sincerely & affecy Yours
Thomas Baldwin4
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM as “Baldwin Ths (Revd.).”
1. David L. Morrill was about to take up the seat of senator from New Hampshire, which he occupied until 1823.
2. Joshua Marshman (1768–1837) was a British-born missionary, based in Serampore, Bengal. In 1814, he published Elements of Chinese Grammar, with a Preliminary Dissertation on the Characters, and the Colloquial Medium of the Chinese […] (Serampore, India), which is probably the work which Baldwin referred to.
3. The Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Magazine was first published in Boston in 1803. An examination of the surviving issues through 1816 revealed no essay on toleration written by JM.
4. Connecticut-born Thomas Baldwin (1753–1826) became a Baptist preacher in 1783, relocating in 1790 to Boston, where he remained until his death. In 1803 he received a doctorate of divinity from Union College and became the founding editor of the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Magazine. The author of many religious tracts and published sermons, he became a trustee of Brown University in 1807 and later served as president of the Baptist Board of Managers for Foreign Missions (Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit [repr. 1969], 6:208–15).