1To 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...
2To James Madison from William Duane, 1 November 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 November 1809, Philadelphia. Introduces Christopher Fitzsimmons of Charleston, South Carolina, and Hugh Colhoun of Philadelphia, both of them admirers of JM’s “principles and measures, and those of your predecessor.” RC ( DLC ). 2 pp. Docketed by JM.
3To James Madison from William Duane, 1 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
Every man owes to his country the best services of which he is capable; if in an upright zeal to fulfil this obligation, a man may overate the value of his conceptions, the intention to do good will at once excuse the attempt and apologize for whatever trouble he may give in communicating the result of his reflections. In the present situation of the national affairs, and considering that the...
4To James Madison from William Duane, 5 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have revolved for some time in my mind the ideas which in a crude form I have taken the liberty of addressing to you. I presume not to set any higher values on them than liberal intentions and an enthusiastic devotion to the principles and durability of Republican Government, may give them. I neither look for any answer nor do I wish for any thing more than, the gratification of endeavoring...
5To James Madison from William Duane, 8 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
I took the liberty of placing before you some few ideas on the subject of an application of the principle of a security in land for an investment of cash in Bank stock, at a reduced interest. It has since occurred to me, that as the impost may probably fall short of the sum requisite for exigency, that a resort to an investiture of land to cover a public loan, would not only enable the...
6To James Madison from William Duane, 16 April 1810 (Madison Papers)
My son Wm. J. Duane will have the honor to present you this note, going to Washington on a matter of business his own wishes and my desire would not suffer me to scruple taking this liberty of making him known to you. He goes to Washington with the View of prosecuting an undertaking which I formerly contemplated, the publication of an Edition of the laws of the U. S. upon a plan of which I had...
7William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 16 July 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
A desire to be preserved in your remembrance has often led me to the verge of writing to you, but knowing with what anxiety you retired from political concerns and the disgust you must naturally have felt at the recollection of the baseness you have seen and the unworthiness which prevails too much in all kinds of affairs, I preferred rather to trust to the ordinary incidents of my situation...
8William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the satisfaction to receive your very kind letter of the 12 instant . It is singular enough that I should have before me at the moment, a history of England in 4to, which I take to be the same which you mention. Several years ago you mentioned the same book to me, and through M r G. Erving then in London I obtained the book before me. Having just completed my Military Dictionary...
9Contemporary Translation of Destutt de Tracy’s Commentary on Book 2 of Montesquieu’s Esprit des Lois, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
BOOK II. of laws originating directly from the nature of the government. There are only two kinds of government: those founded on the general rights of man, and those founded on particular rights. spirit of laws. book ii. T he ordinary division of governments into republican, monarchical, and despotic, appears to me essentially erroneous. The word republican is itself a very vague term,...
10Contemporary Translation of Extracts from Destutt de Tracy’s Reflections on Montesquieu’s First Twelve Books, [after 16 … (Jefferson Papers)
In the second book, we shall perceive, that all governments may be classed under two heads, namely . . . . those which are founded on the general rights of man . . . . and those which are supposed to be founded on particular rights. Montesquieu has not adopted this distribution; he classes governments according to the accidental circumstances of the number of men invested with authority; and...
11William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 29 October 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received the returned parcel of Manuscript my motive for sending you the translation in the first instance was that you might judge and if you had leisure correct to your mind—my intention is to send you on the Manuscript as fast as translated and I can transcribe it; I am not perfectly satisfied myself y with the manner of the translation; it is very difficult unless to a person...
12William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 25 January 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received yours of the 18 th and the copy accompanying it —you will be good enough never to attribute my not writing immediately to want of respect or to indifference—my avocations are so many and the pressure of them so constant, that it requires some dexterity to get thro’ them. I shall now explain the hastiness of the last sheets—you will perceive they are all transcribed by...
13William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 15 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received the last packet of the Manuscript—but it appears as if I was doomed to be the sport and the victim of my faithful adherence to those principles which that work so admirably illustrates. I should not invade your merited repose and happiness, with any complaints of mine, were it not necessary to account to you for the suspension of the work even after it had been begun. I...
14William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 5 July 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
By the Mail of this day, I forward you a single copy of the Review of Montesquieu , I hope you will find it executed in a style of neatness not discreditable to the work nor to the American press. By printing it on a larger type and a smaller page, it might have been made a large volume, but I believe it will be considered as preferable in its present form by those who prefer a book for its...
15William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 17 July 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I should have answered your obliging letter of the 20 th April , had my mind not been kept in agitation by the pressure which I began to feel heavily in consequence of my opposition to the U. S. Bank , and which although I have in effect surmounted, has left me like a man after a severe disease, with an unusual degree of debility. I had read your admirable work on the batture before I was...
16To James Madison from William Duane, 6 August 1812 (Madison Papers)
I have been just informed by Mr Carswell that he means to signify by the morning’s Mail, that he cannot accept the office of Commissary General. There is no man more honest than Mr Carsewell, and it is the sense which he entertains of the importance of the station which induces him to decline its acceptance. The same idea of its importance induces me to take the liberty of addressing you. A...
17To James Madison from William Duane, 20 September 1812 (Madison Papers)
If I did not believe that the motive which actuates me would justify me even under the possibility of my conceptions being erroneous, and that you would receive the suggestions of an individual who has no other views than the general and common interest I should not venture to address you. The efforts of the humblest individual may at least contribute to the direction of the ex[e]cutive mind...
18William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 20 September 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I should not have troubled your retirement upon political subjects had not there been a rumor for some days that you had consented to accept the station of Sec y of State in the present Crisis, and that Mr. Monroe was to assume the War Department ; I must confess I feared it was too good news to be true, but I cannot refrain from expressing a wish that if you could consistently with your...
19William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 14 February 1813 [postscript, 9 March 1813] (Jefferson Papers)
I could not before this day find an opportunity undisturbed to answer yours of the 22 d ult . Never having been much of a pecuniary calculator, it is absolutely out of my power to say how my account with the Review of Montesquieu stands. When pressed hard last year by the combination of one set of old friends and the desertion of the rest, I found in the sacrifice of a considerable number of...
20William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 26 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of receiving yours of the 18 th this day—the work of Tracy , is going forward but slowly, as I cannot devote from my present engagements the time I should wish to see it pushed forward. I have put it in the hands of one of Neef’s assistants, a sensible and liberal young man ; and Neef is able to render the abstruseness of Tracy’s metaphysis a little more comprehensible than...
21To James Madison from William Duane, 22 January 1814 (Madison Papers)
I trust to be pardoned for the liberty of addressing you when I assure you of my unfeigned sincerity, that I should not address you on any occasion, which I did not believe the object consistent with justice and calculated to do you honor. I have seldom taken this liberty and never for myself. The vacancy in the Post Office here has as is usual called forth a number of Candidates. My purpose...
22To James Madison from William Duane, 22 February 1814 (Madison Papers)
Having had the honor to address you on the appointment of a Postmaster in this city, I think myself bound to represent to you that an effort wholly artificial and factious, is now making here, to make an impression on your mind that the appointment is not approved by the mass of the community. It is very inauspicious for the republican cause, when the worst of men and the vilest of passions...
23William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 11 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
The translation has been completed several months but business of every kind has been thrown into new channels, and of the Six presses which were formerly employed for my benefit only one which prints the Aurora is now employed—There was not work to pay wages, and the Mss. remains on hand. Unless a change of Some kind takes place I see no prospect of doing any thing for I am too low in purse...
24Enclosure: William Duane’s Notes on the Expediency of Using Black Troops, [ca. 11 August 1814] (Jefferson Papers)
Would it be expedient to use black troops? The probability of an extensive and perhaps durable war, renders it important to anticipate every means by which the public safety may be endangered or secured. There are many who fear a rising of the colored people, this suggests an enquiry,—on three several points 1. What would be the effect of the employment in war of the white population alone? 2....
25William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 23 November 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I enclose you one of 12 copies of another of my humble efforts to give direction to the minds of Congress towards their danger and their Salvation. It behoves every man to employ his whole influence and mind to stimulate Congress in time to provide against the Spring A mighty effort can be accomplished if the members of Congress can but be brought to perceive the danger; and the war may be c t...
26John B. Smyth (for William Duane) to Thomas Jefferson, 2 February 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
At head you will be pleased to find your account which I hope will may be found correct—if so would be very much obliged to you for a remittance of the amount; I should not have taken the liberty of sending it on so early but am much in want of money. John B Smyth for William Duane . RC ( DLC ); subjoined to enclosure; dateline at foot of text; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esq r Monticello...
27Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson’s Account with William Duane, [ca. 2 February 1816] (Jefferson Papers)
Thomas Jefferson Esq r To W m Duane D r 1815 March To Translation of a Work of Destutt Tracy $60.00 1816 May 1 st 〃 1 y r Subscr to Country Aurora due this day— 5.00
28William Duane to Thomas Jefferson, 9 January 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
There is a small sum of 60$ money paid by me for the translating of the continuation of Tracy ’s ideology; the pressure of the present times alone could induce me to trespass upon you, as the young man the Bookseller at George Town to Whom you proposed giving the work to be printed, intimated something like dissatisfaction or disapprobation on your part towards me. As I was wholly ignorant of...