1To George Washington from the Virginia Delegates, 12 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
Recommend “the bearer Mr George Baylor, not only on Account of the memory of his worthy Father, wth whom you was acquainted, but For his own merit . . . . His Ardor in the noble cause has drawn him to your school for instruction & emploiment as far as his services may be required.” LS , in Edmund Pendleton’s writing, CtY : Pendleton Papers. In addition to Pendleton, the letter was signed by...
2To George Washington from the Virginia Delegates, 26 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
“We recommend our Countryman Mr Edmund Randolph to your patronage and favor. . . . You will readily discern Sir, how important a consideration it is, that our Country should be furnished with the security and strength derived from our young Gentry being possessed of military knowledge, so necessary in these times of turbulence and danger.” LS , in Richard Henry Lee’s writing, DLC:GW . The...
3To George Washington from the Virginia Delegates, 29 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with your letter in answer to ours respecting the Paymt of the Bounty to the re inlisted virginia Soldiers, we now send you thirty Thousand Dollars, by particular direction of the executive of our State, ordered into your Hands; it should however have been negotiated, in a less troublesome way to you, but the warrant was thro mistake made out in our Names. Eighty Dollars are sent...
4To George Washington from the Virginia Delegates, 6 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter being referred by Congress to the Virginia Delegates we have judged it proper to request of you that you will be pleased to assist us with your advice upon the occasion. We see this business involved in circumstances of such a nature as to create much difficulty and embarrassment. On the one side is presented Colo. Spotswoods merit as an Officer, his seniority of service,...
5To George Washington from the Virginia Delegates, 21 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from the Virginia Delegates, 21 May 1779. On 25 May, GW wrote to the delegates , “I was last night honoured with your favor of the 21st Instant.”
6From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 5 October] 1780 (Madison Papers)
Draft (New-York Historical Society). Although this undated, unsigned, and mutilated manuscript was written by Theodorick Bland, Jr., and endorsed “Rough drt of letter, from Col. Theok Bland Jr to Govr. Jefferson,” its message is phrased as coming from all the Virginia delegates. Whether the letter bore JM’s signature, along with Bland’s and John Walker’s, cannot be known since the recipient’s...
7From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 9 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). The inclosed extract of a letter from General Washington No. 1 will give your Excellency a more particular account of the late embarkation from N. York than has been before obtained. On thursday last Congress were informed by General Potter & Col. Johnston who came expresses for the purpose that a general mutiny of the Pennsylvania line stationed near Morris Town...
8Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 6 March 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Continental Congress Miscellany, portfolio 103). Written by JM and signed by JM and Joseph Jones. Addressed to “His Excellency The Governor of Virginia” and docketed by a clerk, “Delegates for Virga. in Congress Mar. 6th. 1781 AD.” There appears in Joseph Jones’s hand, at the close of the text of the letter, “Phila: 6th Mar: 1781.” Jefferson may have momentarily overlooked this...
9Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 20 March 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written by Bland and signed by JM and Bland. Addressed to “His Excellency Thomas Jefferson Esqr. Governor of Virginia” and franked by JM. Docketed, “Colo Blands Lr. March 81.” Since our last nothing new has happened except the sailing of the French fleet Consisting of (as near as we can obtain intelligence) the Ships and Guns as p[er] list inclosed...
10Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 27 March 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed excerpts ( Burnett, Letters Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). , VI, 38; and Stan. V. Henkels Catalogue No. 1078 [Feb. 14–15, 1913], item 430). On the receipt of your favor of the 22d of February inclosing the Memorial of Mr. Stodder and Kerr with the protests and affidavits annexed, we communicated the matter to...
11Virginia Delegates to La Luzerne, 2 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
Copy (Virginia State Library). Written by JM and enclosed in JM to Jefferson, 3 April 1781 . Docketed, “April 2 Communications of Delegates from Va in relation to Refugees taken by Capt Tilly of the Ship.” The Underwritten Delegates from the State of Virginia have been informed that there are among the refugees taken by Capt: Tilly commanding his M. C: Majesty’s Ship lEveillè on his return to...
12Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 3 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). Written by Theodorick Bland and signed by JM and Bland. Bland inadvertently dated it “1771” rather than 1781. Addressed to “His Excelly Thos. Jefferson Esqr. Govr of the State of Virginia” and franked by Bland. Docketed by a clerk, “James Madison’s Ltr April 12th. 1781.” We have been favord with Your Excellencys enclosing a State of the affair between Mr. Nathan...
13Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 10 April] 1781 (Madison Papers)
Fragment of RC (Virginia State Library). Written by Meriwether Smith but signed only by JM. with no Difficulty in arbitrating [the dis]pute, as he admitted the Facts state[d as] agreed between you; and acquiesced in the Gentleman proposed, but contrary to our Expectation we received a Letter from him a Copy of which is enclosed and also our answer to it. You [will] see by these Letters the...
14Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Calendar of Virginia State Papers William P. Palmer et al ., eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts (11 vols.; Richmond, 1875–93). , II, 50–52). Anderson Galleries Catalogue No. 1565, Part 5 (1921), furnishes an extract and calls it an autograph letter of JM. The inclosed resolution of Congress answers your Excellency’s letter of the 26th ulto., relating...
15Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 24 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Continental Congress Miscellany). Written by Theodorick Bland and signed by Bland and JM. Docketed, “Virga Delegates Letter 24th April recd May 81.” We were yesterday Honord with your Excellency’s of the 13th Inst. with its enclosures. You may be assured that our utmost endeavors have been exerted in forwarding the arms and stores mentiond in our last, but insurmountable difficulties...
16Virginia Delegates to Merchants of Virginia, [ca. 24 April] 1781 (Madison Papers)
FC ( NA : PCC , No. 75, fols. 348–49). This copy is written by Theodorick Bland, and the phraseology suggests that he also wrote the recipient’s copy. The letter is docketed, “Letter of the Delegates from Virginia no date.” The Underwritten delegates from the State of Virginia Sensible of the distress of that and the Southern states for want of arms, and anxious for the relief of their own...
17Virginia Delegates’ Agreement with Ebenezer Cowell, 27 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
FC (Colonial Williamsburg, Inc.). Not in Cowell’s hand nor in that of any of the Virginia delegates, but signed by all of them. Endorsed, “Articles Between the Delegates of Virginia & Ebenezer Cowell about 2000 Ramport Muskets.” A copy made for Governor Jefferson by Theodorick Bland is in the Executive Papers of the Virginia State Library. Memorandum of an Agreement entered into this 27th of...
18Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 27 April 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written by Theodorick Bland and signed by Bland, JM, and Meriwether Smith. Docketed, “Virga. Delegates Letter recd. May 81. April 27th.—AD.” Having discovered that there were a considerable number of Rampart Arms belonging to the U. S. at this place, which have long lain dormant, (having been supposed useless for the Field,) we have found on enquiry...
19Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 1 May 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). Written by JM and signed by JM, Theodorick Bland, and Meriwether Smith. Docketed, “Letter from Delegates 1 May 1781, Not answerd.” We enclose herewith a letter from Oliver Pollock Esqr: which will inform your Excellency of a very large claim which may soon be expected on the Treasury of Virginia. Mr. Nicholson Agent for Mr. Ross arrived here yesterday. We fear it...
20Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 5 May 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written and signed by JM, “By order of the delegation.” Docketed, “Jas Madisons Letter Recd May 81.” The Executive of New Jersey in consequence of authority vested in them by the Legislature for that purpose, by an Act of the 27th. Ulto. established the rate of exchange between the old continental currency and the bills issued pursuant to the Act of...
21Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 8 May 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Addressed to “His Excelly. Thos. Jefferson Esqr. Govr. of Virginia.” Except for Meriwether Smith’s signature, the entire letter is in Theodorick Bland’s hand. In the editors’ opinion, this dispatch was from JM as well as his two colleagues, and the omission of his signature reflects merely his momentary absence at the time the letter was sealed. Having...
22Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 22 May 1781 (Madison Papers)
Tr (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan). The complaints about the delegates’ financial condition and the spelling of words such as “opend” and “arrivd” indicate that the missing original was in Theodorick Bland’s hand. This transcript is endorsed, “May 22d 81 Copy of an intercepted letter from the Delegates to Congress from Virginia to the Governor.” Another transcript (Public...
23Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, 29 May 1781—Note on Missing Letter (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 29 May 1781 . In a letter to Thomas Jefferson on 14 June 1781 from Staunton, Va., William Fleming (1729–1795) of Botetourt County and a member of the Council of State, wrote: “The inclosed paper came under cover from Our members in Congress of the 29th. of May. In theirs, mention is made of a letter from the King of France of a late date to Congress the contents of which will...
24Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 3 June] 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Burnett, Letters Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). , VI, 110). Written by Joseph Jones and signed by Jones and Theodorick Bland. JM most probably agreed with what his colleagues reported. For this reason the absence of his signature should not bar this extract from inclusion in his correspondence as a delegate....
25Virginia Delegates to Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, [ca. 9 July] 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written by Meriwether Smith, except for the signatures of the other delegates. Docketed: “1781 July 12th. From Delegates of Virga State respg. property of Virga. attached by Simon Nathan.” The underwritten the Delegates attending in Congress from the Common Wealth of Virginia, beg leave to communicate to the supreme Executive Council of the Common...
26Virginia Delegates to Joseph Reed, 13 July 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written by JM, except for the other delegates’ signatures. Docketed, “1781 July 13th. from Honble Delegates of Virginia.” The Underwritten Delegates from the State of Virginia have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letters of the 10th. & 12th instant, and to express their entire satisfaction at the readiness shewn by the Supreme...
27Virginia Delegates to Thomas Nelson, 24 July 1781 (Madison Papers)
Copy (Virginia State Library). Written by Joseph Jones and enclosed in the delegates’ letter of 31 July to Nelson ( q.v. ). Probably the recipient’s copy, which was intercepted by the British, was also written by Jones. The information in the letter and also much of the wording are identical with Jones’s letter of the same day, probably to Edmund Pendleton ( Burnett, Letters Edmund C. Burnett,...
28Virginia Delegates to Thomas Nelson, 31 July 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Haverford College Library). Written by Joseph Jones. The cover is missing, but the contents of the letter, especially the designation of the recipient as “your Excellency,” permit no doubt as to whom the dispatch was addressed. The Rider being robid of the Mail a few miles on this side of Wilmington prevented your Excellency from receiving our Letter of last week a copy of which we now...
29Virginia Delegates to Thomas Nelson, 7 August 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed excerpts (Parke-Bernet Catalogue No. 54 [25–26 October 1938], item 167; Burnett, Letters Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). , VI, 170). The letter was written by Joseph Jones and signed by Jones, JM, Theodorick Bland, and Edmund Randolph. The excerpts below amount to somewhat more than half the letter, since the...
30Virginia Delegates to Thomas Nelson, 14 August 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). Written by Joseph Jones. The letter is obviously a communication from all the delegates, even though the signatures of JM, Edmund Randolph, and Meriwether Smith do not appear. We have your favor of the 27th. ulto. The Delegates moved in Congress for a resolution to furnish our State with some passports for Vessells to import Salt only from Bermuda and load with...