121Import Duties, [9 May] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The impost bill, first read on 5 May, was under consideration by the Committee of the Whole. Tucker, seeking a general reduction of duties, moved to lower the tax on Jamaica rum to six cents a gallon. Mr. Madison . The right understanding of this subject is of great importance; the discussion has been drawn out to a very considerable length on former occasions. The chain of ideas on which the...
122To Thomas Jefferson from Richard Claiborne, 9 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the liberty I took of writing to your Excellency last I have been informed, that you are about to return to America. It is with sincerity that I offer you my best wishes, and I hope that you and your Family, may experience good health, and a safe and pleasant passage. I take infinite pleasure in congratulating you upon the lately adopted Federal Constitution, and hope you will find it...
123To Thomas Jefferson from Grand & Cie., 9 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 9 May 1789. Grand & Cie . present their compliments and ask that TJ permit them to trouble him with “une affaire assés importante,” concerning which they desire him to obtain information when he arrives in America. For this purpose they enclose a copy of certificate of deposit made with the secretary of the consulate at Philadelphia 14 Sep. 1779 of 149 loan office certificates totalling...
124To Thomas Jefferson from Grand & Cie., [9 May 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, [ 9 May 1789 ]. They enclose a memorandum on the subject of Mr. Barclay. This is not the only claim they have for credit extended in America, and Mr. Williams, among others, has owed them 80,000₶ for 6 years “dont ils desespèrent de rien retirer et qu’ils lui prêterent au moment où ils le savoient dans l’embarras et hors d’etat de satisfaire à ses engagemens.” If Grand had not given aid...
125From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 9 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letter of Mar. 1. by the way of Havre and those of March 12th. and 15th. by the way of London no opportunity of writing has occurred till the present to London. There are no symptoms of accomodation between the Turks and two empires, nor between Russia and Sweden. The Emperor was on the 16th. of the last month expected to die certainly. He was however a little better when the last...
126To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 9 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was of the 29th. March. A few days ago I had the pleasure of yours of the 12. Jany. I thank you for your attention to the works of the Abbè Barthelemy and the Marquis Condorcet, and wish much that your attempts to procure me a genuine copy of the King of Prussia’s writings may succeed. I send you herewith the first No. of the Congressional Register, which will give you some idea of the...
127To John Adams from Thomas Jefferson, 10 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
Since mine of Jan. 14. yours of Jan. 2. & Mar. 1. have been handed to me; the former by mr̃ Jones, whom I am glad to know on your recommendation and to make him the channel of evidencing to you how much I esteem whatever comes from you. the internal agitations of this country & the inactivity to which England is reduced by the State of imbecillity in which the madness of the king has...
128From George Washington to John Adams, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
The President of the United States wishes to avail himself of your sentiments on the following points. 1st Whether a line of conduct, equally distant from an association with all kinds of company on the one hand and from a total seclusion from Society on the other, ought to be adopted by him? and, in that case, how is it to be done? 2d What will be the least exceptionable method of bringing...
129To George Washington from Isaac All, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
By the advice of my friends, I came to this place to Solicit an appointment in the Customs for the Port of Philadelphia, and was honoured with Letters to Several members of the Senate and house of representatives through whome it was thought my application might have been made. I have Since understood that would be improper which obliges me tho’ an entire stranger to the President to throw...
130To George Washington from John Berrien, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of informing you that I have come forward from Georgia to this place to Offer myself as a Candidate for the Office of Collector of the Customs for the State of Georgia. Haveing formerly held the Office of Collector for the Port of Savannah, with reputation, I trust that on the score of experience, my pretensions to the appointment which I now Solicit from you Sir, will at...
131To George Washington from Arthur Campbell, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Although I am not honored with a personal acquaintance; yet I can count myself among the number of your early and uniform admirers, and who can now rejoice in seeing the affairs of my Country administered successfully by your hand in preference to any other. I was among the first that embraced the principles of the American revolution, and was not merely an inactive wellwisher; what was then...
132From George Washington to John Campbell, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
If a white horse, which your Servant was on the day I travelled with you from Bladensburg to Baltimore, has recovered of his lameness, and you have no particular predilection for him, I should be glad, as he is so good a match for the one I had of Mr Prescott, if you would sell him to, or swap him with me. Mrs Washington, with a nephew of mine (Mr Lewis) will, I expect be in Bladensburg on the...
133To George Washington from Frederick Jay, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Several of my Friends have advised me to become a Candidate for the Office of Collector for this Port—I am persuaded that your Excellency is not unacquainted with the Part wch I took and the losses Sustained by me and the whole Family during the late War, which in Some measure (I do presume) recommends them to a Share of their Country’s favours—Should Your Exclcy think proper to Name me to...
134To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
I am now to acknolege the honor of your two letters of Nov. 27 and Feb. 13 both of which have come to hand since my last to you of Dec. 4 and 5. the details you are so good as to give me on the subject of the navigation of the waters of the Patowmac and Ohio are very pleasing to me, as I consider the union of those two rivers as among the strongest links of connection between the eastern &...
135To George Washington from Anthony Wayne, 10 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the honor of addressing your Excellency in April, by Genl Jackson, & have since that period been extremely gratified by hearing of your happy arrival at the seat of Government, & acceptance of the supreme Executive Authority of the United States—an event, that I am confident affords the sincerest pleasure to every true friend of America. I also observe that the Impost Act was in...
136From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 10 May 1789 (Madison Papers)
Whilst I thank you for your favr of the 23d. Ult: I must remind you that it does not contain the promised information on the Case of the French Consul here. I am led to it by being myself just reminded by him of the omission on my part. The plan of an immediate temporary impost was what first occurred on the subject. It is not yet abandoned, but the practicability is questionable. The plan of...
137To James Madison from Joseph Jones, [10 May] 1789 (Madison Papers)
No safe opportunity offering, the letter for Mr. Nelson has not been forwarded, and I shall now reserve it for him untill the chancery term commences which will be in a day or two —those from Mr. Jefferson have been attended to, the one to Dr. Currie I have delivered, that for Mr. Lewis met a ready conveyance by Mr. Bob Nelson who was here, when it came to hand, on his way to Charlottesville,...
138From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 10 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since mine of Jan. 14. yours of Jan. 2. and Mar. 1. have been handed to me; the former by Mr. Jones, whom I am glad to know on your recommendation and to make him the channel of evidencing to you how much I esteem whatever comes from you.—The internal agitations of this country and the inactivity to which England is reduced by the state of imbecillity in which the madness of the king has...
139From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 10 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am now to acknolege the honor of your two letters of Nov. 27. and Feb. 13. both of which have come to hand since my last to you of Dec. 4. and 5. The details you are so good as to give me on the subject of the navigation of the waters of the Patowmac and Ohio are very pleasing to me, as I consider the union of those two rivers as among the strongest links of connection between the eastern...
140To John Adams from Samuel Allyne Otis, 11 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
You will pardon me a few observations upon some apprehended arrangements, by a Committee of conference now in being— When M r Thomson was my competitor, it was a doctrine, that the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of State were inseparably blended by the Constitution, and to elect other than M r Thomson Secretary of the Senate, would be an exclusion of him— The doctrine was admitted,...
141To John Adams from James Searle, 11 May 1789 (Adams Papers)
I persuade myself that even surrounded as you are with the Plaudits of a gratefull & Sensible Country, you will not be displeased to receive the heartfelt expressions of respect and esteem of an old friend, of one who has never ceased to love and admire you from the time he first saw you in Europe in the Service of his Country. I am my dear Sir now happily settled in business in this City in...
142To George Washington from Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Mr and Mrs Andersons most respectfull Compliments to his Excy and makes bold to present him with a Portrait of the Twins born in the year 1775, which was intended to have been sent to your Excy last Spring but no favorable oppertunity offered, whereby we Could have sent them. They have the Honor of bearing the Names of your Excy & Lady, and are the Twins if it does not Slip your Excy memory,...
143To George Washington from Nathaniel Barrett, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Being soon to embark for France, in which Kingdom I shall reside for several years; I have been advised by many of my Friends to offer myself as a Candidate for the Place of Consul to that Kingdom, or if the general system of Consulates shall not be presently arranged, to serve in the mean Time as Commercial Agent for the united states. My residence in Paris with the Connections I have formed...
144To George Washington from Edward Carrington, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
At the same moment that I am assured your Excellencies own inclinations would have been infinitely more gratified in domestic than in public life, I must beg leave to offer my sincere congratulations upon the unanimity with which your Country men, divided as they have been in every other political act, have called you to the highest and most important Trust in the Republic, as it evidences the...
145To George Washington from Edward Church, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
I am one of that unfortunate number whom the late revolution has precipitated from a state of decent competence, and reduced to the necessity of joining the class of your most humble and needy petitioners; but it is not to be expected that the most fortunate revolutions can be favorable to the interest of every individual, I therefore presume not to complain, or to found any pretensions to...
146From George Washington to John Jay, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago I was conversing with you on the points contained in the enclosed queries, when a Gentleman coming in put an end to the conversation. As it is my earnest wish to adopt such a line of conduct as shall be judged most likely to secure essentials without being exposed more than is unavoidable to the charge of too much reserve on the one hand, or too much familiarity on the other, I...
147From George Washington to James Madison, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed were communicated to me, as you will perceive, to make a confidential use of—upon receipt of the first letter, I expressed a desire to be informed (if there was nothing improper in it) through what channel the report came, and what reliance could be placed in the authenticity of it—This gave rise to the second letter —As you are upon business which requires every information of...
148To George Washington from Henry Remsen, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
On the return of peace I found my situation so embarrassed by the calamitous events of the War, as rendered me incapable to recommence mercantile pursuits. This embarrassment was occasioned principally by the receipt of large sums in Continental and State paper money during the first four and an half years of the War, at specie value, for debts owing to me prior to my removal from this City....
149To George Washington from Richard Stevens, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Having learned many persons are applying for Offices in the several States & being satisfied that it will be impossible for your Excellency to obtain an accurate knowledge of those who may be qualified to fill inferior departments unless they bring themselves under your notice, so as to enable you to make the requisite enquiries, I take the liberty to solicit the office of collector of the...
150To George Washington from Joseph Vickers, 11 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
The Memorial of Joseph Vickers Humbly Sheweth, That your Memorialist has been honored by the Legislature of the State of New-Jersey with the appointment of Naval-Officer for the Eastern District of said State, and that he still holds the Office of Naval-Officer And therefore prays that your Excellency will be pleased in the arrangement of officers to continue him in the Office aforesaid. And...