51James Madison to James Wattles, 19 July 1835 (Madison Papers)
I have received Sir, your letter of the 13th. and regret that I cannot find among my papers the letter of Chief Justice Marshall to which you refer. Such a letter was certainly presented to me, and left an impression very favorable to your talent in taking likenesses. As your portrait of Mr. Marshall doubtless exists and his opinion of it can thro’ his family be obtained as well as their own...
52James Madison to Robert Walsh, 22 August 1831 (Madison Papers)
I inclose the answer of Mr. Scott on the subject of Bishop Madison, as just received that you may extract the materials suited to your object. The intellectual power and diversified learning of the Bishop may justly be spoken of in strong terms; and few men have equally deserved the praise due to a model of all the virtues social, domestic, and personal which adorn and endear the human...
53From James Madison to Dennis A. Smith, 26 February 1825 (Madison Papers)
I have received your letter of the 21st. in which you request me to express an opinion of your conduct at a critical period of the last war, particularly as a Loan Contractor with the public. The lapse of time & absence of occasions for the recurrence of my memory to the transactions to which you were a party, not to mention my less intimate knowledge of them than that of the then Secretary of...
54From James Madison to Thomas Cooper, 23 March 1827 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 8th. is just recd & with it a copy of the Printed Circular on the same subject. I forward both to the Faculty of our University who are prohibited by one of its Statutes “from receiving into it any person who has been a Student at any other incorporated Seminary, but on producing a Certificate therefrom, or other satisfactory evidence, with respect to his general good...
55From James Madison to Thomas Herttell, 20 December 1819 (Madison Papers)
I have been some time a debtor for your favor of Novr. 11th accompanied by a Copy of your Exposé. It reached me at a time when my attention had some particular calls on it; and I was so unlucky as to lose by an accident, the answer which I had prepared for a late mail. I now repeat the thanks it contained for your communication. I have read with pleasure the interesting lights in which you...
56James Madison to William Allen, 28 July 1832 (Madison Papers)
The waggon will take you a load of flour this evening which please sell & inform me of the amount of its proceeds. A return load of plaister may be sent up with the articles mentioned in the memorandum annexed. ½ bushel Cranberries 1 bunch best quills 2 lbs black teas 2 lbs green } 5# Canister best green do. 1 Keg Lisbon Wine. Draft (DLC) .
57From James Madison to James Monroe, 5 February 1824 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of Jany. 26. came duly to hand. The information I wish to be obtained from Genl. Jackson is 1st. What was the form & dates of the appointments of Brigadier, and of Brevet Major General, accepted by him in his letter of June 8th. 1814. to the Secy. of war; and what the date of the Secretary’s letter inclosing the appointments. The term “form” refers to the distinction between...
58From James Madison to William C. Somerville, 22 May 1823 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison presents his respects to Mr. Somerv⟨ille⟩ with thanks for the volume on the past & present S⟨tate⟩ of France, recieved with his letter of the 9th. instant. Oth⟨er⟩ engagements have not permitted him to give it more than desultory glances. From these he thinks himself warranted in inferring a diligence of research, and a spirit of observation in the Author, from which a valuable work...
59From James Madison to Robert S. Garnett, 11 February 1824 (Madison Papers)
The Mail brought me the evg. before the last, your favor of the 5th. with the copy of the “New Views &c.” for which I tender my acknowledgements. I must put off the reading of such a work till it may be subject to less interuption than would at this time be unavoidable. From a glance at a few passages in the outset, I do not doubt that more competent lights as to the proceedings of the...
60From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 22 October 1824 (Madison Papers)
I return your letter to Gilmer as fairly copied. Will he understand that he is not to return without a Nat: Philosopher, tho’ bringing the other Professors named, and despairing of that one? There will however be time for final instructions on this point after hearing further from him. Yrs. affecty RC ( ViU : Special Collections); FC ( DLC ). Minor differences between the copies have not been...
61From James Madison to Henry D. Gilpin, 14 January 1828 (Madison Papers)
Recollecting that there must have been associates in the biographical commemoration of the act of Independence, some of whom at least, may not share in the partiality which suggested my name for the use proposed in your letter of the 4th. inst: that consideration added to the one conveyed in my answer, induces me to request that, if an inscription of the work going to the Press be intended,...
62James Madison: Answer to Bill of Complaint of Charles Edmonston, 31 December 1828 (Madison Papers)
The Answer of James Madison of Orange County Virginia, to the Bill of Complaint of Charles Edmonston against him & others, in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia, for the County of Washington, on the Chancery Side. This Respondent, now and at all times, reserving to himself all & all manner of right, advantage, & benefit of plea, demurrer or exception to the errors, inaccuracies &...
63From James Madison to Horace Holley, 20 February 1827 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison presents his respects to Mr. Holley, and encloses a few lines as requested, to Mr. Gallatin. He has no acquaintance in Paris with whom he could take such a liberty, excepting those to whom Mr. Holley is personally known. RC ( KyLxT : Horace Holley Papers); draft ( DLC ). RC addressed and franked by JM to Holley at Lexington, Kentucky, “via City of Washington”; docketed by Holley. JM...
64James Madison to the Visitors of the University of Virginia, 9 July 1829 (Madison Papers)
It is with much concern that I find myself agn. detained by the infirm State of my health from the duty of being in my place at a Meeting of the Visitors. I had not been without hopes, that the obstacle wd. have been removed, but the remains of a bilious indisposition, with the feebleness produced by it, do not permit my wishes on the occasion. I can only therefore assure my Collegues, that no...
65From James Madison to Asher Robbins, August 1827 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison presents his respects to Mr. Robbins with many thanks for the copy of his oration delivered on the 4th. of July last. Less can not be said of it, than that it has taken very interesting views of well chosen topics, and given an instructive example of condensed and vigorous eloquence. Draft ( NjP : Jasper E. Crane Collection of James and Dolley Madison). Asher Robbins, Oration,...
66James Madison to Bernard Peyton, 11 May 1833 (Madison Papers)
Your letters of {2m#} & of {2m#} were duly recd. The articles referred to in the first were safely delivered & in every respect satisfactory. The sale of the 2 Hhds of Tobo. reported in the second, was as good as could be expected as it did not suit the taste of the Manufacturers; & brought the highest price of exported Tobo. On comparing it with a sample brought us by the Waggoner, of Mr...
67James Madison to Louis McLane, 6 February 1834 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison presents his respects to Mr. McLane, and asks the favor of him to let the inclosed letter to Mr. Vail go with the first despatches to him from the Department of State. See answr. to Mr. Vails letter of Novr. 18. 1833 FC (DLC) .
68James Madison to Walter Jones, 26 July 1828 (Madison Papers)
I learn from Mr. Cutts, that in a Chancery suit brought agst. him by a Creditor, I am to be made a party. Having been very successful throughout my life in keeping clear of litigated transactions I am very anxious to avoid such an one, as that now threatened; and cannot but hope, when the Creditor perceives the manifest inutility of pressing me into the suit, he will not persist in his...
69James Madison to Alexander Hamilton, Jr., 9 July 1831 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of June 30 was duly recd. and the death of Mr. Monroe which it anticipated, became, I learn, a sad reality on the 4th. instant; its date associating it with the coincidencies before so remarkable & so memorable. The feelings with which the event was recd. by me may be inferred from the long & uninterrupted friendship which united us, and the intimate knowledge I had of his great...
70From James Madison to Edward Everett, 18 December 1826 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 3d. inst: having come to hand whilst I was at our University, whence I have just returned, I had an opportunity of making its contents known at once to Mr. Long Professor of Ancient Languages. It appeared that he had thoughts of employing a Tutor, to assist him in his duty to a Class which had become so numerous as to make one useful; and that but for the youthfulness of...
71From James Madison to Richard Rush, 20 May 1819 (Madison Papers)
Having written to you very lately, I only avail myself of the present opportunity furnished by Mr. Astor, to mention, in case of any delay or miscarriage of the letter, that yours of Decr. 13. was duly received and acknowleged. It was four months on its way, but came at length safely to hand with the books sent with it. Mr. Astor is on a visit to Europe, and will pay his respects to you in...
72James Madison to Nicholas P. Trist, 29 May 1832 (Madison Papers)
Whilst reflecting in my sick bed a few mornings ago, on the dangers hovering over our Constitution and even the Union itself, a few ideas which, tho’ not occurring for the first time, had become particularly impressive at the present. I have noted them by the pen of a friend, on the inclosed paper, and you will take them for what they are worth. If that be anything, and they happen to accord...
73From James Madison to Valentine Gill, [ca. 31] May 1817 (Madison Papers)
I recd. lately your letter of Apl. 4. and have made known its contents to the Govr. of this State. I think it probable however that provision has been already made for the engineering aid required in the internal improvements on foot in this State. Should there be occasion for your services, you will probably receive a communication on the subject. In the mean time it would evidently not be...
74James Madison to Thomas G. Addison, 27 August 1830 (Madison Papers)
Your letter of the 20th. having passed on to Charlottesville instead of stopping here at Orange Ct House, has been but just recd. I doubt not the truth of every thing stated in the communication which pleads for the object you have at heart. But having been constrained to adopt a rule not permitting me to interpose in the manner you request, and having declined to do so in instances of...
75From James Madison to Richard Peters, 17 December 1823 (Madison Papers)
I return my thanks for the agricultural Almanack for the coming year, the value of which is not a little enhanced by your instructive contributions. You take a refuting notice of the opinion that the grains of wheat are the ridus [ sic ] of the Hessian fly. This error commenced the appearance of the insect among us, and threatened to injure the foreign market for that great staple. The danger...
76To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 20 May 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
I return the letter from M r Cabell with your answer to it inclosed in yours of the 16 th just come to hand. It is not probable that a removal of the College from Williamsburg, will be espoused by a Majority of the Visitors, controuled as they will be by the popular voice in that quarter. If it should, Richmond will not be without competitors. The pretensions of Petersburg have already been...
77From James Madison to George Tucker, 20 December 1826 (Madison Papers)
In fulfilment of my promise I send you Dr. Coopers Lectures on Political Economy. I do not wish to hurry a return of the volume, But having not yet had leisure to look over it, It will suit me to have it again, after you have made yourself as much acquainted with its contents, and as much at your leisure, as you chuse. The talents and information of the Author, never fail to throw light on...
78James Madison to Caleb Cushing, 9 February 1836 (Madison Papers)
I have received your letter of the 3d. Instant, enclosing a copy of your speech on the right of petition &c; which certainly contains very able and interesting views of the subject. I do not wonder at your difficulty in understanding, the import, of the passage cited from my speech in the first Congress, under the present Constitution, being myself at a loss, for its precise meaning, obscured...
79From James Madison to the Calliopean Society of Transylvania University, June 1819 (Madison Papers)
I have recd your letter of May 10. communicating the mark of attention conferred on me by the Calliopan Socy. The objects of the Society, and the considerations governing the selection of its members form a just claim to my acknowlegements, & I beg that they may be duly presented. This distant & general expression of my sense of the honorary appt. I have recd. is the only mode in which I can...
80From James Madison to Jacob Brown, 10 June 1825 (Madison Papers)
Captain Glassel heretofore of my neighbourhood, supposing that a trip to Scotland may aid an object in which he has an eventual interest, wishes me to drop you a line on the occasion. Of his present standing personal & official, you have or can readily obtain a sufficient knowledge; and it does not belong to me to estimate the considerations on which a grant of absence must depend. What alone...