1To James Madison from Alexander White, 9 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
I have not been long enough in this City to pretend to a knowledge of the general Sentiments of its Inhabitants. Those I have seen exclaim against the Salaries allowed our Officers, And make a particular handle of the 730 Dollars to the Door Keeper, they (Miers Fisher excepted) deem our own Wages too high, also the Salaries of the President and Vice President. In other Matters they express...
2To James Madison from Alexander White, 17 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you a Line from Philadelphia mentioning such Facts as had come to my knowledge respecting the sentiments of the People on Public Affairs. My Journey was fatiguing, the weather being excessive hot, and the Stages over-burdened with Passengers and Baggage. I reached Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon—and took breakfast before I sat out on Wednesday morning. Several Gentlemen waited on me who...
3To James Madison from Alexander White, 25 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
Yours of Monday Morning (Yesterday Se’night I presume) came to hand in course of Post. I find by the Papers that the Committee has reported the 12th. of Septemr as the proper time for Congress to adjourn—tho’ I do not believe they can adjourn at so early a day, or that they can or indeed ought to discuss all the business mentioned by the Committee, particularly the Act for punishing of Crimes....
4To James Madison from Alexander White, 30 November 1793 (Madison Papers)
Though I no longer hold a seat among you I feel not the less interested in the honor and happiness of my Country, consequently every information respecting the important Scenes foreign and domestic which have opened during the recess of Congress, or which may be developed during the Session would be highly gratifying. I am sensible of the fatigue a correspondence with your numerous connections...
5To James Madison from Alexander White, 28 December 1793 (Madison Papers)
The promptitude with which you answered my letter is very pleasing. I shall not spend time in discussing the comparative advantages of our correspondence. Sensible of my own pleasure arising from it I shall freely express my sentiments or relate facts as they occur to my mind, and memory. The unanimity which appears to prevail in Congress in support of the great interests of our Country is to...
6To James Madison from Alexander White, 19 January 1794 (Madison Papers)
I cannot dispense with making my acknowledgements for your attention, and the communications you have favd. me with —in return I have little to inform you, the season has been unfavourable to the winter grain, the early fall of snow is nearly gone, and tho’ we have had some moderate weather the frost has at other times been very severe. We are anxious to hear the event of the representation to...
7To James Madison from Alexander White, 1 February 1794 (Madison Papers)
I am favored with yours of 20th. Ulo. and shall not only grant the indulgence you ask, but receive communications with gratitude in any manner you may think proper to make them. I may well do so, because in return I can only like common place conversation, speak of the weather. The latter part of December and January, until near the close, have been mild and fair beyond anything remembered at...
8To James Madison from Alexander White, 17 February 1794 (Madison Papers)
I have to acknowledge your favr. of 4th instant with the enclosures, and in return as usual can say little except with respect to the weather which has been so mild as to carry of[f] the late snow and leave the grain exposed to the various changes of season which may take place, but for want of more important subjects will enter into a Family detail commencing with an event probably known to...
9To James Madison from Alexander White, 1 March 1794 (Madison Papers)
I am favd. with yours of 17th Ulo. with the enclosures. I have never seen a fair discussion in support of your resolutions—only desultory observations of several Members. Smith’s Speach has arrived I have had a cursory reading of it only. I am not sufficiently informed to give a decided opinion with respect to equipping a Fleet to check the Algerines. I am rather inclined in favor of it—but my...
10To James Madison from Alexander White, 30 March 1794 (Madison Papers)
Your favors of 2d. & 17th. instant came to hand together on the 22d. the mail carrying the former not having reached Alexandria when the Winchester Post in course left it. I have had little time to consider the questions you propose, but will hazard an opinion. The laying Embargos is connected with War as well as with commerce, and indeed is more frequently an instrument of the former than the...
11To James Madison from Alexander White, 7 April 1794 (Madison Papers)
When I consider the momentous struggle in which you are acting—I feel a reluctance to intrude, and yet cannot avoid expressing my regret that I had no intelligence from you by last Post. Public Prints however informed me of two important facts which had not before been fully authenticated the resolution of Congress for laying an Embargo, and the British Kings instructions rescinding those of...
12To James Madison from Alexander White, 26 April 1794 (Madison Papers)
Your favr. of 21st instant is come to hand. Your kind attention amidst the multiplicity of business has my most grateful acknowledgements. I am really sorry the appointment of Mr Jay is disapproved of. From what I have observed and heard of his character I confess I was pleased with it. The constitutionality never occurred to me, and I do not recollect any clause in the Constitution, which...
13To James Madison from Alexander White, 5 May 1794 (Madison Papers)
I have to thank you for your favr of 21st. Ulo. I deem it peculiarly unfortunate that any appointment by the President should at this time be considered as exceptionable. With regard to Mr Jay I confess I cannot discover any constitutional ground of objection. Whatever impropriety there may be in his holding two offices at the same time and receiving compensations for each, the constitution...
14To James Madison from Alexander White, [ca. 12 May] 1794 (Madison Papers)
I have the pleasure to contradict the report from Kentucky mentioned in my last of General Clarkes having fallen down the Ohio with 600 Men, I have seen the young man alluded to, and others who came with him. A report prevailed that a Mr Montgomery who has a Colonels commission under Clarke had taken Post at the mouth of the Ohio, and stopped all boats going down the river, but of this there...
15To James Madison from Alexander White, 19 May 1794 (Madison Papers)
I am favd with yours of 12th. instant—since which a Gentleman has arrived from Philadelphia who left it on Wednesday, and says the Embargo is not to be continued. I should myself prefer a direct tax to an extension of the Excise, or to the introduction of any new indirect tax which has yet occurred to my mind. Whether a tax on Carriages (except as an article of manufacture in the hands of the...
16To James Madison from Alexander White, 2 November 1794 (Madison Papers)
Your passing through this Country without giving me the pleasure of seeing you was no small disappointment, and having some acquaintance with the amiable Lady to whom you are now united, my disappointment was not lessened from that circumstance. I requested Mr. Balmain not only to make known our wishes, but to let us know when you came to Town, that Mrs. White and myself might have waited on...
17To James Madison from Alexander White, 17 January 1795 (Madison Papers)
Your favr. of 28 Ulo. would have been sooner acknowledged, had not the winter arrangement of the Post, by which the mail goes only once a fortnight taken place. I flatter myself the result of Jays mission will be favourable, and that the horrible carnage which has so long desolated and disgraced Europe will cease. England cannot wish to encrease her Enemies—and France has it now certainly in...
18To James Madison from Alexander White, 14 February 1795 (Madison Papers)
Your favr. of 2d instant came to hand in course of Post. What a man wishes he will readily believe, I feel a confidence that the accounts of Jay’s successful negotiation are well founded, and that a general Peace in Europe is an event not remote. These circumstances I consider as ensuring the prosperity of our own Country, and I flatter myself that the proceedings of the present Session will...
19To James Madison from Alexander White, 26 September 1796 (Madison Papers)
I should not have disturbed your repose with anything of a private nature, nor indeed with the affairs of this City, which has more than ever been the object of our joint labours, had I not been assured that you have the inclination, and believed that you have the power further to promote its interest, and with it the interest and honour of the U. States. The establishment of a National...
20To James Madison from Alexander White, 2 December 1796 (Madison Papers)
The proposed measures for the establishment of a National University which I took the liberty of mentioning as you passed through this City, and which had been the subject of a letter while you were in Virginia, have assumed a form differrent from what they bore at either of those periods. A Copy of that letter is therefore unnecessary. The Commissioners have forwarded to the President a...