1To James Madison from Edward Coles, 20 March 1817 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Birkbeck, a very extensive, and one of the most scientific and best practical agriculturalists of England, not liking the present state of things here, and having a very exalted opinion of our Country, and being also a great admirer of its political institutions, has determined to remove to and settle in it with his Family. Knowing your partiality for agriculture, I take the liberty of...
2To James Madison from Edward Coles, 20 July 1819 (Madison Papers)
As you and Mrs. M. were so kind as to say, at the moment of parting, that you would be gratified in hearing from me, of my safe arrival in this Country, and how I was employing myself in it, I take up my pen to comply with a request not less flattering to me than kind in you both. As I expected, when I left you, I overtook my people the day before they reached Brownsville in Pennsylvania, at...
3To James Madison from Edward Coles, 26 March 1820 (Madison Papers)
I enclose you a receipt for the 10$ you sent by me for the Agricultural Society of Albemarle. I presume Judge Todd will be with you by the time this will be received. I beg you will urge him to come by and pay me and my friends here a visit. He will make us all particularly happy by doing so. I propose to set out for the West on Monday or Tuesday (the 3 or 4 of April) and should be very much...
4To James Madison from Edward Coles, 30 October 1822 (Madison Papers)
It was my intention, as you know, to have remained here but two or three days. But altho’ I have made every effort in my power to complete sooner the little business I had to attend to, I have found it impossible to do so, and indeed I have not even yet done so. But I am now compelled to hasten off in the morning, and to ride very rapidly, by the most direct route, to reach Illinois in time...
5To James Madison from Edward Coles, 25 April 1823 (Madison Papers)
In consequence of the great quantity of rain which fell, and the muddy roads, and high waters, I had an excessively disagreeable journey from Washington, which place I left the morning after I wrote you, and barely reached this State in time to complete the business of my old office, and to be ready to enter upon the duties of my new one, by the meeting of the Legislature. Altho’ there was a...
6To James Madison from Edward Coles, 12 October 1825 (Madison Papers)
I left the Green Mountain this morning, and am this far on my way to Illinois. Altho’ I am fatigued I cannot retire to rest before I express to you my great concern at not having seen you, agreeably to my promise, during your late visit at Monticello: I set out on Monday, the day of the Court, in the rain, but with the hope that it would not rain much, and that I might reach Charlottsville...
7To James Madison from Edward Coles, 10 December 1826 (Madison Papers)
I have only time to enclose you my late Message to the Legislature —and to say that I expect to setout in a day or two for Albemarle, and hope to have the pleasure of seeing you and Mrs. Madison about the 20th of January, when I trust I shall have the happiness of finding you both in good health. Your friend RC ( ICHi ). Cover docketed by JM ; postmarked at Vandalia, Illinois, 14 Dec. Coles’s...
8To James Madison from Edward Coles, 28 January 1827 (Madison Papers)
It was my intention to have made you and Mrs. Madison a visit about this time—but unexpectedly I find myself under the necessity of going to Richmond—to which place I shall set out this morning, and after remaining there a few days, shall proceed to Washington, and after staying there two or three weeks, shall go on to Philadelphia, and expect to return to Virginia in March or April, when I...
9To James Madison from Edward Coles, 12 July 1827 (Madison Papers)
My Brother has transmitted to me your letter to him of May 29., from which I perceive that you are in error in supposing that you are due me any thing on account of the Bank stock sold you, beyond the amount of your Bond. So far from it, that if any thing were due to either, it should be from me to you, & not from you to me. For the Stock has been sold by you for less than I believed it would...
10Edward Coles’s Account with James Madison, [ca. 12 July 1827] (Madison Papers)
Dr. For a check on the Bank of Va. enclosed I. A. Coles in payment of Bank Stock—being $16:00 over and above the amt. due for Sd. Stock } 1600 Cr. By cash enclosed 16:00. 00:00. MS ( DLC ). Verso docketed by JM . Undated; conjectural date assigned based on Edward Coles to JM , 12 July 1827 .
11Edward Coles to James Madison, 29 March 1828 (Madison Papers)
You will doubtless be surprised to find that I am here. It was my intention to have remained in Illinois until next winter, but circumstances, which I will explain when I have the pleasure of seeing you, induced me very suddenly to change my determination, and to come on by the most direct route to this place. I shall remain here and in NewYork until some time about the first of May, when I...
12Edward Coles to James Madison, 13 April 1828 (Madison Papers)
Payne having failed to come into the City, I went out last evening to see him at the Water works. I found him walking about and to all appearance well. There is no longer any appearance of swelling or bruise, and nothing remains of the hurt but a little soreness, which he said did not prevent him from enjoying a walk, every day for some distance around and about Fair Mount. He told me he was...
13Edward Coles to James Madison, 23 June 1828 (Madison Papers)
It was my intention to have seen or written to you before this. But I was detained in Richd. by a bilious attack, and since my arrival here I have been in daily expectation of a visit from Mr. Stevenson, who promised me to be here, and to accompany me on a visit to you & Mrs. Madison. By this days mail I got a letter from him in which he informed me he should be compelled to postpone his visit...
14Edward Coles to James Madison, 13 July 1828 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to your request I have paid to the printer of the National Gazette the five dollars you sent him, and enclosed I transmit you his receipt. My sister Stevenson has borne her journey so far better than I expected. Her health has evidently improved since her arrival here. Doctor Physick had left the City before our arrival. She has consulted Doctors Chapman & Dewies, who seem confident...
15Edward Coles to James Madison, 4 November 1830 (Madison Papers)
Soon after leaving you I became sick, & continued so for several weeks--indeed I have not yet entirely recovered, and am still quite feeble. It was my intention to have visited you again before I left Va; but finding that Mr Singleton had left his wife sick, & was extremely anxious to return to her, and to attend to some business in Carolina, I was induced to propose that he should return...
16Edward Coles to James Madison, 16 January 1831 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 8th of Nov: was recd. in due time, and should have been sooner answered, but for my absence from this place, and the expectation, which has been deferred from time to time, of finding the volumes of Franklins works which you requested me to procure. I enquired at the principal Book stores in the City, and of the persons I thought most likely to possess information, without...
17Edward Coles to James Madison, 12 June 1831 (Madison Papers)
I send you enclosed two communications of the Governor, & a report of a Committee of the Legislature of Illinois, in relation to the right of the States to the public Lands situated within them. The great interest felt by many Citizens in this and other States in which the U. S. claim the soil, and the apprehension of the consequences which may result from a conflict between the States...
18Edward Coles to James Madison, 1 August 1831 (Madison Papers)
Received of James Madison one hundred and twenty dollars in full of interest on his note up to May 1831. which amount I have entered on the back of the said note— Ms (ICHi) .
19Edward Coles to James Madison, 8 January 1832 (Madison Papers)
I have been anxious ever since I left you to learn the state of your health. I have heard from Mr. Barbour, Mr. Ingersoll &c &c, that they had heard from you since I left you; but they were unable to furnish me much information, and it has now been some time since I have heard any thing directly or indirectly from you. Mrs. M. was so good as to say she or Payne would write me a line to let me...
20Edward Coles to James Madison, 8 January 1832 (Madison Papers)
Thinking it possible, my dear Sir, you may not wish others to see what I am now about to take the liberty of writing to you, and if it should not be entirely agreeable to you that you can the more readily throw it into the fire and think no more of a thing which is known only to you and myself, I am induced to add, on a seperate sheet, that I have frequently thought of what passed in...
21Edward Coles to James Madison, 29 March 1832 (Madison Papers)
My friend Mr Robert C. Winthrop, a son of the Lieut: Governor of Massachusetts, being desirous of seeing Virginia, and particularly anxious to become personally acquainted with you, I take the liberty of introducing him, and his Lady, and Miss Gardner, by whom he is accompanyed, to you and Mrs. Madison I avail myself of this occasion to send you and Mrs Madison a lithographic likeness recently...
22Edward Coles to James Madison, 23 January 1834 (Madison Papers)
In compliance with your request I have procured a copy of Gen: Armstrongs letter to Gen: Jackson, dated July 18, 1814, which, together with the letter enclosing it from the Secretary of War, I herewith transmit you. I have been informed by Mr. Tench Ringgold that he forwarded at the same time to you, Mr. J. Q. Adams, and to Mr Gouverneur the pamphlet containing the review of Mr. J. Q. Adams...
23Edward Coles to James Madison, 17 August 1834 (Madison Papers)
On a recent occasion, when one of the States of the Union promulgated doctrines subversive of the principles of the Constitution, and assumed an attitude which endangered the peace of the Confederation, you stepped forward from your retirement in a manner creditable to your head & heart to correct the aberration, and explain that constitutional Chart of which you had been the chief draftsman....
24Edward Coles to James Madison, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
In returning my thanks, which I do most heartily, for your letter of the 29th ulto, I must be permitted to express my regret that it was not quite as full as I could have wished. Perhaps my apprehension of ill consequences from the late usurpations and abuses of power by the President, & the great confidence I have in the soundness & influence of your opinions, may have led me to expect too...
25Edward Coles to James Madison, 5 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 3d. instant enclosing me a Check on the Bank of Virginia at Fredericksburg for $2050. in payment of the principal and interest of the sum borrowed of me. Your Bond for which I return you enclosed—on the back of it you will perceive I have enterd the interest which you have from time to time paid on it. You will also perceive that I have endorsed on it the sum of...
26Edward Coles to James Madison, 22 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to my intention, made known to you, I should have deposited the $7. you overpaid me in the Bank to your credit; but having accidentally heard that there was a letter in the Post Office at Fredericksburg for me, I called and received yours of the 8th instant, and in compliance with the request therein contained have brought on with me the seven dollars, and hold them applicable to any...
27Edward Coles to James Madison, 31 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
In returning you my grateful acknowledgements for your highly prized letter of the 15th instant, I cannot refrain, though very reluctant to give you trouble, from making a few remarks in reply, and in explanation of what you call my "one sided view of subjects which ought to be viewed on both sides whatever be the decision on them". In asking your opinion of, and invoking your interposition to...
28Edward Coles to James Madison, 2 March 1835 (Madison Papers)
I should have had this pleasure sooner, but for a severe cold, which confined me to the house for near a week, prevented me calling on Messrs Key & Biddle, agreeably to the request contained in your letter of the 16th ulto. Enclosed I send you their Receipt for your subscription to the American Quarterly Review for the next year. We were much gratifyed to learn that you and Mrs Madison had...
29Edward Coles to James Madison, 2 April 1836 (Madison Papers)
The enclosed letter from Col: Ch: Todd was recd. to day. I have an imperfect recollection of the conversation as well as of the subject alluded to. I have however of certain remarks made by you at the time, & repeated frequently since, respecting Genl. Armstrong’s conduct on recieving the resignation of Gen’l Harrison, and as I have an impression on my mind that you noted the circumstances at...
30Edward Coles to James Madison, 20 April 1836 (Madison Papers)
A few days after the date of my late letter to you, I heard that Gen: Armstrongs Book was in the press at NewYork, & would soon be published. I heard to day that it had been received here, & went immediately in pursuit of it. I have just procured it & hasten to forward it to you, not having taken time to look into it I have only time to return you my thanks for your letter of April 10. and to...