1To James Madison from Richard Peters, 5 July 1789 (Madison Papers)
It is better to be late in thanking you for your Present of Tobacco by Mr Delany than not to do it at all. You have given me the Quid but as to the pro quo you must find it in the Satisfaction you enjoy in doing civil Things. I am in the Midst of a popular Assembly of Mowers & Haymakers & my Harvest will overtake me before I am ready for it. You are in the Midst of a popular Assembly of...
2To James Madison from Richard Peters, 20 July 1789 (Madison Papers)
It is but within a Day or two that I recieved yours of the 14th. in which you very properly leave me as you found me on the Subject I rambled into. But I will revenge myself by sending you a Copy of an old Fable which I have in a curious Collection I keep by me entitled “ Aunciente connynge Balladdes .” I am chained to my Chair by my old Tormentor the Piles & I maliciously wish not that all my...
3To James Madison from Richard Peters, 24 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
I have to acknowledge your Favour of the 19th. I am obliged by your Information & acknowledge that some of your Reasons are the best that can be given. They are such therefore as I knew you could give. But many of them are founded on Apprehensions which forgive me for saying I think too highly wrought. I believe that a Firmness in adhering to our Constitution ’till at least it had a longer...
4To James Madison from Richard Peters, 31 March 1790 (Madison Papers)
I know your Time is so much occupied that unless on some very important Occasion it ought not to be interrupted. I send you a Pamphlet given to me by a Member of our House Mr Herman Husbands. As he reprobates the System of Finance it will not be the less pleasing to you on that Account. Having drawn the Principles of the federal Government from higher Sources than we ever thought of he must be...
5To James Madison from Richard Peters, 31 December 1792 (Madison Papers)
I percieve, by the News Papers, that Congress are about establishing Fees in the Admiralty Side of the District Court. I have heard that considerable Deductions have been made from the Fees as mentioned in the Bill first brought forward by Mr Smith of S. C. I saw that Bill & objected both to the Clause embarrassing the Seamen in their Lien upon the Ship, & to the Quantum of Fees. The first I...
6To James Madison from Richard Peters, 26 February 1793 (Madison Papers)
Always attentive to your Requests I have looked over & considered the Bill about which you spoke to me. Time is too short to correct it. Yet I rather retract this Idea, not being in the Predicament of one of our State Circuit Judges, who wrote, a few Weeks ago, a long Letter to our Assembly, & told them “his Time was so prodigiously taken up that he had not Leisure to shorten his Letter.” I...
7To James Madison from Richard Peters, 4 February 1796 (Madison Papers)
I enclose you the Memorial I troubled you about which I should sooner have sent but that I thought it best to accompany it with a Translation. It is addressed under a mistaken Idea of the old Arrangement of Congress. But this will not affect the Substance. This young Man never had a Commission tho’ he did the Duty he mentions. He came to this Country & left it with the Marquis. The Facts he...