391To James Madison from William Duane, 3 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
Public motives, such as I conceive calculated to render service to the interests and honor of your administration, induce me to take the liberty of addressing you. The unhappy conflict which has arisen out of the case of Olmstead is now quieted so far as the law and the parties in that case are invol⟨ved⟩. The Militia men who under a blind opinion of obedience to their superiors have...
392To James Madison from Michael Leib, 3 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
Yesterday General Bright and those associated with him in resisting the process of the district court, were sentenced to fine and imprisonment, and accordingly committed to prison. The public sensation on this event is considerable, and is transferring itself from the outrage upon the law, to those who are now suffering under it. A distinction is made between the legality and the justice of...
393To James Madison from James Maury, 3 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to present you my congratulations on your becoming president of the United States, hoping you will experience that comfort in the office, which those, who undertake so arduous an one under the influence of such motives as your’s, so highly merit. The partial repeal of the Embargo law was indeed very unexpected in this country; but the late revocation of the orders in council has...
394To James Madison from William Pinkney, 3 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have had the Honour to receive your Letter of the 17h. of March, and thank you sincerely for your kind Wishes. Permit me to offer you my cordial Congratulations upon the Manner in which you have been called to the Presidency. Such a Majority at such a Time is most honourable to our Country and to you. My Trust is that with the progress of your administration your Friends will grow in...
395To James Madison from Larkin Smith, 3 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having at all times felt the most ardent desire to promote the interest and happiness of my Country, and to give my zealous support to a Government which I consider to be entirely calculated to produce these desirable effects; I now take the liberty to suggest to your Excellency the advantages which I believe would result, from the appointment of an officer of intelligence, and correct...
396Benjamin Rush to Thomas Jefferson, 3 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Though late, I hope I am not among the last of your friends in congratulating you upon your escape from the high and dangerous appointment which your Country (to use the words of Lord Chesterfield ) inflicted upon you during the last eight years of your life.—Methinks I see you renewing your Acquaintance with your philosophical instruments, and with the friends of your Youth in your library —...
397To James Madison from James Dinsmore, 4 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
Your favours of the 16th & 24 Ult have been received and Shall be attended to, the articles Sent for by the waggon have Come to hand except the Grindstone which the waggoner Says he forgot to Call for. We are at present engaged in preparing flooring plank for the Colonnade it being the only Stuff we have kiln dryed, or indeed I May Say Sawed, Mr Gooch has engaged Sawyers to Cut by hand, to...
398To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 4 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
With your approbation the enclosed letter to Comre. Rodgers will be forwarded and a similar proposition will be made, through the commanding officers, to all the supernumerary meritorious sailing masters. I incline to the opinion that the Government can retain the greater portion without any expence; and thus, on emergency, have a corps of valuable men, selected from personal knowledge of...
399To James Madison from William Pinkney, 4 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
Will you permit me to make known to you a young Gentleman (Mr. Robert Walsh Junr. of Baltimore) for whom I have a particular Regard and whose extraordinary Merit will I am sure recommend him to your Notice & Esteem? I can truly say of him that he has the best Heart in the World—that he possesses a superiour Mind cultivated with Care, and informed by the most extensive Knowledge, and enriched...
400To James Madison from John Frazer, 4 May 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
4 May 1809, Washington. Frazer, a slave dealer, has lost a considerable sum owing to a peculiar circumstance. A cargo of his slaves consigned to the U.S. was forced into St. Kitts on a vessel “found to be unseaworthy.” While the ship was being repaired a U.S. law was passed prohibiting further slave importations. In St. Kitts, all the slaves were sold except four afflicted with leprosy. Frazer...
401To John Adams from Benjamin Rush, 5 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
I am much pleased with the Specimen you have given of the Use of your Wings upon a certain Subject in your last letter. Your publications in the newspapers show still further how important to the public, to posterity, and to your family honor are the words you have preserved of your political life. Your defence of the rights of our Seamen is much admired. It discovers with the Experience &...
402To James Madison from John Cox, 5 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
You will receive by the bearer $727 2/100 as ⅌ statement below. Should Mrs. Madison or yourself have commands either to Philadelphia or Balte. It will give me pleasure to execute them; I set out on Sunday Morning. Most respectfully your Obt. St. Amount of your note 5,000 Discount 47 50 Net amt. of note $4952.50 Your Old note 2384.78 Order on Mr Latrobe 840.70 Amount passed to your Cr....
403To James Madison from George W. Erving, 5 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
With my last dispatches to the department of state I had the honor to address you a private letter dated April 14t; since then the spaniards have been rapidly repairing their military disasters in this quarter, but king Joseph is regulating the affairs of his government at Madrid by the appointment of Tribunals, councils &c as tho he had possession of the whole country; nevertheless his army...
404To James Madison from Thomas Leiper, 5 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
General Michael Bright certainly acted against Law when he obeyed the orders of Governor Snyder but at the same time the General did believe he had no discretionary powers but to act as he was ordered. The Grand Jury to my knowledge sixteen out of the nin[e]teen found the Bill and the sixteen were astonished at the three when they pronunced the Bill not true. Their are none who justify the...
405To James Madison from James Lovell, 5 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
As the fiercest Tyrant and the mildest philosopher possess equally the power of self-examination, so the whole human race may be allowed to search after the source of Life & of Morals. Such search, conducted by Reason, and proceeding downwards from the branching-ends of both those Trees, will assuredly find only the single common tap-root to be Self-Love. As no President of these United States...
406John Graham to Thomas Jefferson, 5 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed was written on the day I received the Letter you did me the Honor to write me —accident prevented its going by the last Mail; but I hope it will yet be in time to inform you of the Residence, and to give you the name of the Gentleman who promised you the wild Geese. I have written to him as you requested, and I beg you to beleive, Sir, that I shall always be proud to receive and...
407George Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson, 5 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 1 st leaves me no hope of recovering the trunk N o 28.—it confirms me in the opinion that I sent four trunks, than which I never had been more confident of any thing in my life, until by referring to the bill of lading, I found that you had only three: but since the receipt of your letter, it occurs to us that W m A. Burwell had an empty trunk here, which we find is gone. It...
408Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 5 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Apr. 3. came to hand on the 23 d of April . I have no doubt that the marked differences between the elephant & our colossal animal entitle him to a distinct appellation. one of those differences, & a striking one, is in the protuberances on the grinding surface of the teeth, somewhat in the shape of the mamma, mastos, or breast of a woman, which has induced Cuvier to call it the...
409To John Adams from William Cunningham, 6 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
I was duly favoured with yours of the 24th. ult. The species of sensibility excited by your Letters in March, are defined by the interest I take in whatever affects your repose, your happiness, and your just claims on the affection, confidence and gratitude of a Country reared under your paternal care. If it can be necessary to be more particular—they were the various and refined emotions...
410From Thomas Boylston Adams to William Sullivan, 6 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
Mr: Thomas Greenleaf, who read law in my Office, for the space of Two years and nine months, and who is now under your professional guidance and direction, pursued, while with me, as near as I recollect, the following course of study. Viz: Robertson’s History of Ch: 5th: 1 Vol: Blackstone’s Commentaries Cook Litt: Wood’s Institute—Woodeson’s lectures—Espinasse N P. Fearne on Remainders &...
411Executive Pardon, [6 May] 1809 (Madison Papers)
James Madison , President of the United States of America, To all who shall see these presents, Greeting : Whereas it has been represented to me that Genl Michael Bright , James Atkinson, William Cole, Charles Westfall, Samuel Wilkins, Abraham Ogden, Daniel Phyle, Charles Hong and John Knipe, all of the state of Pennsylvania, were, at a Circuit Court of the United States lately held for the...
412Étienne Lemaire to Thomas Jefferson, 6 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
j’ai Reçû l’honneur de la votre En date du 25 avril par la qu’elle vous desirré avoire quelque petitte article, aûsitot Je mensuy aucûpé, j’ai áchêtté deux douzainne de boutteille D’huil exellante, une idem de siróp de vinaigre de mail et une demi livre de vanilla; jespairre que vous sérré satisfai t Des trois article, idé doit ce rapeller de la manier que j’employait la vanilla avec Économis,...
413Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson Randolph, 6 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 28 th ult. came to hand by our last post. I have consulted your father on the subject of your attending mr Godon’s lectures in mineralogy, and we consent to it so long as the Botanical lectures continue. we neither of us consider that branch of science as sufficiently useful to protract your stay in Philadelphia beyond the termination of the Botanical lectures. in what you say...
414Benjamin 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...
415Thomas Jefferson to William Hamilton, 7 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have a grandson, Tho s J. Randolph , now at Philadelphia , attending the Botanical lectures of Doct r Barton , and who will continue there only until the end of the present course. altho’ I know that your goodness has indulged D r Barton with permission to avail himself of your collection of plants for the purpose of instructing his pupils, yet as my grandson has a peculiar fondness for that...
416Thomas Jefferson to John M. Perry, 7 May 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
When I bespoke of you the other day the thousand feet of heart pine plank, cut crosswise in the stock into bars of a full inch or rather inch & eighth, I forgot to desire that the planks might not after sawing, be separated by splitting them asunder at the butt end but that the stock may come entire. perhaps the end should be bound round with a hiccory withe. if the planks are separated, the...
417To James Madison from Charles W. Goldsborough, 8 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
In answer to Mr. Macgregor’s letter to you —I have informed him that there is not, at this time, any vacancy. The case of the son of W. G Anderson was attended to a few days since. The son is prodigiously clever—but unhappily for him, by severe exposure in gun boats, he has nearly lost the use of his limbs. I have, in consideration of his merit & sufferings, attached him to the Norfolk...
418To James Madison from Jacob Read, 8 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to offer you my Congratulations on your Election to the Office of the Supreme Executive of the United States, and my Very Sincere Wishes that your Presidency may be happy and honorable to yourself, and peaceful and prosperous to our Country, which has Conferred on you So distinguished a Mark of Confidence and respect. I hope Sir I do not presume too far on our former Acquaintance...
419To John Adams from Jared Ingersoll, Jr., 9 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
A Dispute existing at New–Orleans involving property to an immense amount and also very interesting questions of a legal and Constitutional nature; I thought it would probably gratify your Curiosity, to know precisely the circumstances of a Case of which you might have received an indistinct Report I therefore have taken the Liberty to send you two Pamphlets lately printed upon the subject...
420From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 9 May 1809 (Adams Papers)
At first I intended to encumber your paper with no Documents but such as were absolutely necessary for my own vindication. But as the peace with France in eighteen hundred was not only an event of great importance in itself, but produced demonstrations of the prejudices, passions, views, designs and systems of parties, more perhaps than any other; I hope you will allow me room for such other...