1To James Madison from George W. Erving, 14 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor to write to you unofficially & very much at large on the 12t Jany; it will not be necessary, & may not be proper, for me to trouble you at present in the same manner; indeed I am not able to add anything of consequence to whatever information is contained in my official letter to the secretary of State of this date: As I think it however proper to explain particularly the...
2To 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...
3To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 June 1809 (Madison Papers)
I had the honor to write to you on the 5t May, since then I have received a letter from Mr Smith, dated April 1st, in which he acquaints me that you have disapproved of the agreement made some months since between Mr Yznardi & Mr Hackley respecting the management of this consulate: that agreement is consequently now annulled: in the month of Jany soon after it had been formed, I found that Mr...
4To James Madison from George W. Erving, 28 November 1809 (Madison Papers)
The last letter which I took the liberty of addressing to you was dated Cadiz June 10t. I do not now propose to trouble you with any political reflexions in addition to what are contained in the official dispatch of this date to the department of state, inclosed herewith; but write for the purpose of earnestly solliciting your attention to the request which I made for leave of absence in my...
5To James Madison from George W. Erving, 5 August 1810 (Madison Papers)
In my last letters to Mr Smith I mentioned my intention of returning to the United States; pursuant to which, after about a month passed with Mr Pinkney in London I embarked at Liverpool on the 23d June, and arrived at N. York on the 1st instt. It was my purpose to proceed to Washington without any delay, but I was induced to stay a day at N. York for the pleasure of conversing with Mr...
6To James Madison from George W. Erving, 2 September 1810 (Madison Papers)
You have doubtless noticed lately in our gazettes, an informal paragraph relative to the line of conduct which G. B. will probably observe, towards the spanish colonies in this delicate crisis of their affairs: that paragraph comes from Onis, & I had yesterday an opportunity of seeing a dispatch to him from his government which communicates a declaration formally made to it by the english...
7To James Madison from George W. Erving, 20 October 1810 (Madison Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive in Boston your letter of Septr 25, acknowledging rect of that which I took the liberty of addressing to you from Philadelphia: the views of the english government as to the matter therein referred to stand now confessed in the most unequivocal form; & the hardiesse of its policy in relation to the Spanish colonies generally, seems rather to surpass all that we...
8To James Madison from George W. Erving, 29 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I was in hopes that I shoud have learnt in my communications with Senr Onis, on my passage thro’ Phila something of sufficient importance to have been communicated to you; but his conversation on every point of interest, was so extremely, & even more than usually Extravagant, that I coud not presume to trouble you by any mention of it, the less necessary since (as I presumed) the then actual...
9To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 March 1811 (Madison Papers)
I arrived here on the evening of the 8t, & yesterday received from Mr Hamilton your letter of Feby 1st; to the five letters which it inclosed the most exact attention shall be paid. If affairs in Florida have not progressed according to the reasonable views & expectations of government, this may be owing in part or principally to the encouragement which Folch has received to deviate from his...
10To James Madison from George W. Erving, 23 June 1811 (Madison Papers)
Soon after my arrival here (viz on the 1st. inst) I saw Mr Joy, & delivered to him the letter which you was pleased to put under my care. I find that this gentleman has done very considerable service to several cases wherein he has been employed, & has obtained the liberation of property which stood in very perilous predicaments, yet it is the general opinion amongst the americans here, by all...
11To James Madison from George W. Erving, 5 March 1813 (Madison Papers)
I had visited the principal ports of Italy, & resided two months at Naples, when (on 26 Jany) I received the distressing intelligence of Mr Barlows decease; duty to my excellent friend induced me to abandon my further plans with regard to Italy, & immediately to return hither, for the purpose of giving comfort & assistance as far as in my power to his disconsolate widow. I left Naples on the...
12To James Madison from George W. Erving, 25 August 1813 (Madison Papers)
All the papers of the legation have been delivered to Mr Crawford since the 30th July; Mr Barlows private correspondence, (amongst which are your letters to him,) as well as duplicates of his public correspondence, (he having kept a copy amongst his private papers,) remain in my possession; the reluctance with which as it seems the cartel was granted as well as other circumstances belonging to...
13To James Madison from George W. Erving, 11 July 1814 (Madison Papers)
Amongst the various changes produced, & to be produced in Europe, by the abdication of the emperor Napoleon, I presume that the actual transactions in Spain, & the future fate of that country, may be considered as peculiarly, & most immediately interesting, to the United States: The english papers relate most of the important occurrences, but in what is speculative, I observe that they do not...
14To James Madison from George W. Erving, 6 October 1814 (Madison Papers)
On the 23d of September I received a despatch from the secretary of State inclosing the commission to Madrid with which you have been pleased to honor me. I am extremely sensible Sir to this new proof of your confidence, & shall use every effort to render myself worthy of it. I took the liberty of submitting to you on the 11th July some speculations respecting the then state of affairs in...
15To James Madison from George W. Erving, 4 December 1814 (Madison Papers)
When I took the liberty of addressing you on the 6th Oct. it was to be expected that the negotiations at Gand woud be soon terminated, & I intended to send my letter by those of the commissioners who might return home; the private letters mentioned in the last paragraph of that letter I yet retain, to be sent either by Mr Clay or Mr Gallatin, not wishing to trust them by an ordinary hand. By...
16To James Madison from George W. Erving, 9 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
On my arrival in this city I found Mr Morris; the account which he gives of the state of King Ferdinands domestick affairs, is most unfavorable; it conforms however Entirely with all the respectable opinions which I have heard: were one to receive these in full faith, without any of the allowances which are ordinarily to be made, one woud say that it is impossible that the system shoud stand...
17To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 August 1816 (Madison Papers)
The matter which follows in Cypher I received yesterday in the strictest confidence; but have finally obtained permission to communicate it to you in Cypher; what is personal in it is known only to the principal party, to my informant & to myself; it may become, if no accident or caprice, or change of policy or of personal credit intervenes of very great importance to the United States. My...
18To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 October 1816 (Madison Papers)
There is reason to apprehend that the Expedition under Count Abispal mentioned in my last letter to you in Cypher, will be suspended, if not altogether stopped. The two millions which were appropriated for the expences of it, & which were lodged at Cadiz, have just now been drawn into the Treasury here, & from thence will go probably, as all other monies do to the palace; from whence nobody...