31To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
I saw Mr. Bacon this morning who informed me that the letter I mentioned to you is now in possession of the Committee. I entreated him to transmit it to You, which he appeared to think would not be improper as one or two expressions might be considered as equivocal and authorize a communication to You by the members as individual members of the Legislature. Whatever those expressions may be,...
32To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 February 1811, Washington. Submits at JM’s direction a list of outstanding claims against the public buildings. “The two first items arise from engagements which have subsisted for some years, and have not been closed. The latter exhibits the amount of the demands against the public for Labor & for materials delivered: the certified vouchers of which are deposited with the Superintendent of...
33To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herewith transmit to you the account of monies expended on the furniture of the presidents house since March 1809. The original Account and Vouchers have been lodged with the Accounting Officers of the Treasury. Besides the Sums put down in this account, I have disbursed others for which I have not yet obtained proper Vouchers the principal part of them being for the minor utensils of...
34To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, [ca. 22 July] 1811 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Barry has expressed to me Your wish that your Glass should be sent by your Waggon. I will send tomorrow morning the Glass , the Box of Locks &c, the Keg of White lead to the President’s house that these things made [ sic ] be ready. Mr. Deblois informs me, that the boat to Fredericksburg will not sail for 10 days to come. He is now making an intermediate trip. In Mr Dinsmore’s letter he...
35To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to your instructions, I have made arrangements to provide the most necessary articles of furniture required for the President’s house. The first and most expensive of these are Looking Glasses of large dimensions. I have already purchased conditionally 3 pair, the largest of which is 8 ft. 6 in in highth, and I have in view one other pair, of very considerable highth & width. The...
36To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
The expenditure of the office of the Surveyor of the Public buildings prior to the death of the late clerk of the works were as follows: Salary of the Clerk of the Works, Pr Annum $1.400 Office and house rent, from 150 to 250, say 200 A Subordinate clerk appointed at the commencement of the Year 1808 being found absolutely necessary at 1.25 pr Day, say 300 days in each Year } 375 Total...
37To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having been for the last four days in Baltimore I did not receive the enclosed letters till my return. In answer I have written to Mr. Harvie, that, you certainly could not now take the Chariot , but that I should more fully explain myself to him in a few days. Mr. Patton’s letter I have merely acknowledged, and supposed that he would hear from yourself in a short time. In my last letter to...
38To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of reporting to you the present State of the public buildings, a practice which I conceived it to be my duty to pursue, once a month, during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, & which you will, I doubt not, receive as a proof of my respect, & attention to the trust you have committed to me. During your very short visit to this city, I did myself twice the honor of waiting upon...
39To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 28 March 1812 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to your directions, I have transmitted to the superintendent of the city of Washington, a compleat list of all outstanding claims against the public buildings in detail, agreeably to the import of the resolution of the house of Representatives of the 24th. current. In compliance with the latter part of the said resolution which enquires, “whether any and what compensations are now...
40To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 30 December 1816 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed Letter was written at the instance of several Members of Congress, who, on enquiry, finding that I could not give them any information respecting the expense, the probably [ sic ] time of completing, or the measures taken to complete the Capitol, wished me to state to You, and to the Committees of the District, the opinion I expressed to them, on the System, which appeared to me...
41To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 April 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have too much confidence in your candor & justice to believe that you will be offended at the statement & request which it is the object of this letter to make to You. I will therefore without further preface appeal to You in this most critical moment of my life, upon which its whole future course appears to depend. I have been engaged as Surveyor to the Capitol under the Commissioners since...
42To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to your directions that I should furnish to You all the information on the subject of the expenditure of the appropriation of May 1t. 1810, in my possession, I have to report to you as follows: In my report d. Decr. 11th. 1809, I stated, that although the estimate submitted by me on Decr. 1st. 1808, of the sum requisite for the court room and Library has not been considered in the...
43To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg the favor of your instructions on the enclosed letter from the Seedsman of whom I procured your Seeds. I will wait upon you tomorrow to receive them. The appropriations of last Session for the objects committed to my care, are 15.000$ — for finishing & furnishing the Senate Chamber. 1.600$ . for discharging sundry accts. & fitting up the temporary Chamber 16.600 On both these appropns....
44To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 April 1816 (Madison Papers)
In reflecting on the subject on which you did me the honor to converse with me this morning, the appointment of a principal Engineer to direct the improvement of the State of Virginia by Roads & Canals, under the Establishment lately formed for that patriotic purpose, I have thought that I may venture, so far to intrude upon your time, as to offer to you, & through You, to the Government of...
45To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 December 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 December 1809, Washington. Gives details on construction and repairs of the Capitol wings, President’s House, and adjacent roads. Progress on the south wing of the Capitol has been steady, with two capitals finished in the House of Representatives chamber and eight more in advanced stages of completion. A severe hailstorm in June broke “almost all the glass on the south front,” and...
46To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 19 July 1811 (Madison Papers)
My duty, as Chairman of the Commissioners of the Columbia turnpike roads obliged me to spend the whole of this morning upon the line leading towards Monty. C. House, and I transmit to you the annexed accts., not so early as I could have wished, but still I hope in time to meet your object in calling for them. The whole of the Sheet iron required by the letter of your superintendent at...