To James Madison from James Monroe, 25 September 1814
From James Monroe
Sepr 25. 1814.
Dear Sir
I have thought much on the state of the departments at this time, and of the persons whom it may be proper to place in them, and have concluded, that whatever may be the arrangment with respect to other depts, that the dept. of war ought to be immediately filled. I think also, that I ought to take charge of it.
I have been twice brought into it by circumstances, by temporary arrangment, in consequence, as I presume, of a prevailing opinion, that I might discharge its duties to the satisfaction of the public. I made the arrangments for the campaign 1813, and had I continued in the dept., would have conducted it, on different principles from those observd by genl armstrong. I must now lay the foundation for the next campaign, and if another takes the dept., there is no certainty, that he will follow the plan which will be in contemplation.
By taking charge of the dept. twice & withdrawing from it a second time it may be inferr’d that I shrink from the responsibility, from a fear of injuring my reputation; and this may countenance the idea, that the removal of the others was an affair of intrigue, in which I partook, especially in the latter instance, from selfish & improper motives; & did not proceed from his incompetency or misconduct.1 It seems due therefore to my own reputation, to go thro’ with the undertaking, by accepting permanently a trust, which I have not sought, never wished, and is attended with great responsibility & hasard. By taking the place all clamour will be silenc’d. It is known here at least that I was put into it, when the other could no longer hold it, and by continuing me in it, those who wished it in the first instance will be satisfied, and I shall go on with your support, and a favorable expectation of the public, that I shall discharge to advantage its duties.
If the office is given to another, some weeks must expire before he can take it, and be able to act. In the interim it will be, as if it was vacant. No one will be responsible for the safety of this place against another attack. Preparations for another year, will go on heavily. In short I think that great injury to the admn., to the country, & its cause will arise, from suffering things to remain in that state a single week, & that every day does injury.
If the war dept. is filled, you may take some days to fill that of the State. Its duties may be discharg’d in two days, that are pressing, which I can do, without interference with those of the other dept., and would wish to do, as the letters to be now written to our ministers abroad will form a kind of termination to that highly interesting branch of our affairs, & of course to my agency in them.2 With great respect & esteem I am your friend & servant.
Jas Monroe
RC (DLC: Rives Collection, Madison Papers); FC (DLC: Monroe Papers). FC in a clerk’s hand; docketed by Monroe. Minor differences between the copies have not been noted.
1. Filed in the Monroe Papers (DLC) at September 1814 is the following two-page undated draft of a letter from Monroe to JM: “I am sensible that the motive to my last letter may be misconceivd, even by you, unless a retrospect is taken, of some circumstances, of a personal nature on which an opinion, ought to be formed. I owe it to myself to take this retrospect, and I do it the more willingly because it will afford a strong argument in support of my letter.
“The imputation to which it exposes me, is, that of acting under the influence of resentment or prejudice against mr armstrong, for some supposed injury reced. from him. All the facts, when noted, will be remember’d by you, and you will judge, on a view of the whole whether my present advice is prompted, by feelings of that kind, or a just regard for the interest of our country.
“The supposed injury is the idea that he excluded me from the command of the northern army last campaign. That he did so, I admit—that I have consider’d, his doing so, a personal injury, or acted in any one instance, on that principle, I solemn[l]y deny.
“The circumstances relating to that transaction, will best explain the principles which have govd. his & my conduct in it.
“I beg you to remember first that when war was decided on, & that an army shod be raised, I express’d no wish for a military station, that you offerd me, as you stated, on the suggestion of our common friends who are the friends, of free govt. the second station in it which I declined, among other reasons, for these, that I did not wish to leave my present one, and had no desire for military service. You will remember also, that the first intimation which I gave of such a desire, was after the disgraceful surrender of our troops at detroit, when I offer’d to go as a volunteer, surrendering to you my comn. in the dept of state: that you approved the measure, & instructed the Secry of war to cooperate with me, in the means of giving it effect—that I was on the point of going when on your return, yeilding to considerations wh. had also due weight with me, it was declind, & never spoken of afterwards.
“You will remember also, that the next instance in which I express’d a willingness to take a military command, was, after the termination of the campaign 1812., when mr Eustis withdrew from office. The result of that campaign, discouraged the best friends of the govt., & shook even the foundation of the repubn. party. Genl D. was infirm. Many friends expressd a desire that I would take a military station. At your request I took the dept. of war ad interim. In so doing I stated to you, that I wod. do it permanently if it was thought, taking into consideration the state of Gnl. D.s health & his years, he cod. be relied on for to retain the command of the troops—that if he could not, & I left my present office, to take on military service, I preferd taking a military command, to the dept of war. You concurr’d in the idea.”
There is no evidence that Monroe ever sent JM a copy of this document. In any case, by 25 Sept. 1814 JM’s decision on the matter was already made and known to William Jones, who wrote that day to Alexander J. Dallas that Monroe was to be secretary of war (PHi: George Mifflin Dallas Papers). JM submitted the nomination to the Senate on Monday, 26 Sept., and the appointment was confirmed the following day ( 2:530). While it is likely that the president was aware of Monroe’s views on the subject and gave them due consideration in making his decision, Monroe’s statement of those arguments in the undated draft and also in his 25 Sept. letter to JM functioned more as a record of his position than as an attempt to persuade JM to appoint him secretary of war. For previous documentation by Monroe of his relationship with the War Department, see 6:67–69 n. 1.
2. Monroe continued acting as secretary of state until 15 Mar. 1815, when he resigned his position as secretary of war and returned full time to the State Department (Ammon, James Monroe, 337, 346).