201To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 2 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have no Letter from you by this weeks Post although I expect you sent one as Mr. Griffin informs me what News there was worth communicating, especially the contents of Mr. Adams’s Letter, you had mentioned. I have been much indisposed the greatest part of this week and not able to give much assistence in the business upon hand which are chiefly the Bills for...
202To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 4 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). Since my last I am indebted for yr two favrs of the 14th & 21st past. Every thing wears the Appearance of confirming the Intention of the Enemy to make a Winter campaign to the Southward; The Fleet who lately left us it is said divided off the Capes part steering Eastward the Others to the South. if those & the late Embarkation from New York should meet at Charles...
203From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 5 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I had yours of the 25th. Ulto. by yesterdays post. I congratulate you, on the deliverance of our Country from the distresses of actual invasion. If any unusual forbearance has been shewn by the British Commanders, it has proceeded rather I presume from a possibility that they may some time or other in the course of the war repossess what they have now abandoned than...
204From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 5 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favor of the 27th. ulto. and congratulate you on the deliverance of our Country from the distresses of actual invasion. The spirit it has shewn on this occasion will I hope in some degree protect it from a second visit. Congress yesterday received letters from Mr. Jay & Mr. Carmichael as late as the 4 & 9th of Sepr. The general tenor of them is that we...
205Samuel Nightingale, Jr., to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 6 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text (Charles Campbell, ed., Bland Papers , II, 39). From the salutation, Nightingale addressed his letter to Bland and JM, the only delegates from Virginia then in Congress, rather than to Bland alone. The editor of the Bland Papers either decided to print only an extract of the letter or could print no more because the rest of it was missing or illegible. I this day received your...
206Samuel Nightingale Jr. to Virginia Delegates, 6 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
I this Day Recd your Favour Dated the 14th Octr, Inclosing a Letter from his Excelency Govr. Jefferson, dated the 28 of the same Month, also a letter to the Honobe. John Foster, which I have deld Him—am sorry to here your State is Invaded by a powerfull Enemy, but hope you will be soon able to dislodge them. Observe you Designe the Goods belonging to the State of Virginia, which came in...
207To James Madison from Philip Mazzei, [7 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Water stains have entirely eliminated the last four lines of this letter and largely blotted out what appears to have been the first eight lines. [Questa serv?]irà di supp[lemento alla pr?]ecedente d[el 30 del passato?] unicamente [un’aneddoto che potrebbe causare una revoluzione?] della Regina [d’Ungheria] della guerra [al me questo?] ultimo [L’Imperatore è tutto...
208Motion on Instructions to John Jay, [8 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 36, I, 115). The manuscript, in JM’s hand, is endorsed, “Motion from the Delegates of Virginia, Decemr 8th: 1780 postponed.” Whereas the propositions moved by the Delegates from Georgia and taken into consideration on the 5th. instant: do essentially affect the claims of Virginia as defined & recognized by Congress in their instructions both to their Minister Plenipo: for...
209To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 8 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have yours of November the 28th. by the Post and wish I could inform you the assembly had yet fixed the plan of recruiting our quota of Continentals but such various opinions and modes are proposed that great delay has been the consequence. The present proposition is a bounty of 5000 for the War 2500 for three years if it comes to a draft for that period—the whole...
210To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 11 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I take up the Pen merely to ask you how you do? Having nothing foreign or domestic to entertain you with; I have not even heard a word from the Assembly this two weeks; Yes I have one very unlucky circumstance to mention which tho’ it may seem of little consequence, I fear will have important effects in [the ] future. Our militia who turn’d out with the greatest...
211John Mathews, for Committee of Congress, to Nathanael Greene, 12 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan). The inclosed extracts appear as sufficiently interesting, to induce us to forward them to you. The reiterated information we have lately received from different quarters leave little room to doubt, that the Southern States, will be the grand theatre of war this ensuing winter and spring. The Waggons with stores for the army under your...
212Virginia Delegates in Congress to Thomas Jefferson, [12] December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). All of this letter, including its text and the address on the cover sheet, is in JM’s hand, except for Theodorick Bland’s signature at the close. We have the honor to enclose your Excellency a Resolution of Congress of the 6th. instant relating to the Convention troops[,] also a copy of a letter from G. Anderson found among the dead letters in the post office and...
213From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 12 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The cover sheet bears the penciled note, “returned by Mr. M.” JM probably added this many years later, after retrieving this letter, among others, from Jones’s nephew, James Monroe. Agreeably to your favor of the 2d. instt. which came to hand yesterday I shall send this to Fredericksbg. I am sorry that either your own health or that of your lady should oblige you to...
214From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, [12] December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Besides Pendleton’s docketing identification, the cover sheet bears the following notes: ( a ) “omit” in JM’s hand, signifying that he decided to exclude the letter from his papers being assembled for publication; ( b ) “cop.,” probably a jotting by William C. Rives’s clerk after transcribing it for inclusion in Madison, Letters (Cong. ed.) [William C. Rives and...
215Virginia Delegates in Congress to Thomas Jefferson, 13 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (Henry E. Huntington Library). With the exception of Theodorick Bland’s signature, this letter is in JM’s hand. At JM’s request, William Munford, keeper of the rolls of the Commonwealth of Virginia, sent him a transcript of the letter, attested on 31 August 1819 to be “a true copy of a document communicated by Governor Jefferson to the General Assembly.” This copy, from which JM had a...
216Matthias Halsted to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 17 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). Halsted’s signature at the close of his statement is followed by an unsigned addendum of five lines in a different and unknown hand. The docketing note on the cover sheet erroneously attributes the statement to “Mathew Halstead.” The Subscriber Matthias Halsted of Elizabeth Town in the State of New Jersey, Who was a Prisoner of War & Confined in the Sugar House...
217Thomas Jefferson to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 18 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Translation (Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation). Jefferson’s original letter is probably not extant. This French version, translated and copied by a person or persons unknown, was in all likelihood sent from Philadelphia on 2 January 1781 by the Chevalier de La Luzerne in his letter to Chevalier Charles René D. S. Destouches, who commanded the French fleet at Newport, Rhode Island, after...
218Motion on Accounts of Carter Braxton, [19 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 36, IV, 521). Written by JM. The motion is endorsed by Charles Thomson, “Mr. Bland[,] Mr. Madison.” On motion of Mr. [James] Madison, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Ordered , That so much of the sd. letter as respects the receiving in specie, at the rate of 75 cont: drs. for 1. of specie into the Continental Treasury be referred to the Board of Treasury & that they be...
219From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 19 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Madison, Papers [Gilpin ed.] Henry D. Gilpin, ed., The Papers of James Madison (3 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1840). , I, 76–77). The manuscript is now lost. Besides the text below, JM probably added the news about the army mentioned in his letter of the same date to Edmund Pendleton ( q.v. ). Yours of the eighth instant came to hand yesterday. I was sorry to find the Assembly had...
220From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 19 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). You preserve your character for punctuality so well that I always have the pleasure to begin with acknowledging the receipt of a favor from you. That of the 11 instant came to hand yesterday. As the sufferings of your Militia are ascribed to the conduct of their Commanding Officer, I hope the disgust will be only local. A general disgust would be a very serious...
221Expense Account as Delegate in Congress, [20 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS (Virginia State Library). In this instance, unlike on 25 September ( q.v. ) when JM forwarded an expense account to the Virginia Auditors of Public Accounts, he either wrote no covering letter to them or it has been lost. The statement given below covers the quarter from 20 September to 20 December 1780 and is taken from a double-size master sheet on which Madison recorded his debits and...
222Virginia Delegates in Congress to William Livingston, 21 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York Public Library). The text of this letter is in Madison’s hand. The letter and its address sheet have become separated—the former is in the Emmet Collection and the latter among the papers of William Livingston. We received this morning a letter subscribed by Peter Thornton informing us that he is the son of a gentleman in Virginia, that he lately made his escape from N. York and...
223Board of War to Virginia Delegates in Congress and Motion of Delegates, [22 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Journals of the Continental Congress , XVIII, 1181–82). The letter of 21 December from the Board of War has not been found, but it is summarized in the Journals , preceding the motion made the next day. For the possible context of this item, see Matthias Halsted to Virginia Delegates, 17 December 1780 , and n. 2. The delegates for Virginia laid before Congress a letter, of 21,...
224Commission of John Laurens and Amendment to His Instructions, [23 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MSS ( NA : PCC , No. 25, I, 397, 401–4). The proposed commission is in JM’s hand. Except for a sentence by John Mathews of South Carolina, the instructions were penned by John Sullivan of New Hampshire. They are printed in the Journals of the Continental Congress , XVIII, 1184–88. Congress tabled JM’s proposed amendment. Much of the background and immediate context of the decision by Congress...
225Committee Report on Memorial of New Jersey Legislature, [23 December] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 41, VII, 64). On 24 November 1780 Congress appointed James Duane, JM, and William C. Houston a committee to report upon a document read in Congress on that day and often called the “New Jersey Remonstrance” ( Journals of the Continental Congress , XVIII, 1087–89; JM to Jones, 21 November 1780 , and n. 6). In this memorial Governor William Livingston in Council and the...
226From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 26 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have your favor of the 18th. inst: inclosing another relating to Capt: C. Taylor with a certificate of his situation, to which I shall pay the necessary attention but cannot undertake to predict certain success. The Danish Declaration with the step taken in consequence by the Ct. of London mentioned in the inclosed are the chief news of this week. There is a report...
227George Mathews and Christian Febiger to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 28 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( NA : PCC , No. 78, XVI, 109–10). Addressed to “Colonel Bland, and Mr Maddison. Present” Some doubts arises with us, whether, under the late Acts of Congress for arranging the Army of the United States, the Officers of the State of Virginia that have been, or now are Prisoners of War on Long Island, may be equally intituled to their Rank in that Line, (agreable to their Standing in the...
228Virginia Delegates in Congress to Samuel Nightingale, Jr., 30 December 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (Rhode Island Historical Society). Although the cover sheet is missing, this note was almost certainly addressed to Nightingale. It is in Theodorick Bland’s hand except for JM’s signature. Please to deliver to the Order of Monsr. de Touche, Commander in Chief of the Squadron of his Most Christian Majesty now at Rhode Island, the Arms, Amunition Cloathing Medcines and other Articles,...
229Motion on Instructions to George Washington, [1 January] 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Journals of the Continental Congress , XIX, 2). That so much of the letter from Mr. Adams as relates to the probable operations of the enemy against the southern states be transmitted to the Commander in Chief; and that he be informed that it is the desire of Congress that he should immediately make such a distribution of the forces under his command, including those of our...
230Motion on Seniority in Army, [1 January] 1781 (Madison Papers)
Copy ( NA : PCC , No. 41, II, 174). Copy of resolution signed “Extract from the Minut[es,] Geo. Bond Depy Secy.” Resolved , That in the new arrangement of the Army it is the sense of Congress, that the Officers of the continental lines, who have been exchanged since the said arrangement or are now in captivity ought to be considered and arranged according to their respective ranks in the same...
231Virginia Delegates in Congress to Thomas Jefferson, 1 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). Written by Theodorick Bland and signed by Bland and JM. Docketed by a clerk, “Col Blands Lr. inclosg Baron de Arendt’s Jany 81.” Arendt’s letter of 30 December 1780 “A L’Honorable Assemblée du L’Etat de Virginie” is also in the Virginia State Library. We have been Hond. with Your Excellencys favor in answer to ours concerning the Safest and best Harbor &c. &c....
232To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 1 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
Tr ( LC : Force Transcripts). I have forfeited my reputation for punctuality, by omitting to pay you my Respects by last post, Which being Christmas day, I had fancied the rider would not move, but he did so, & without my letter. I am afraid you’l say it would have been no loss, If I had repeated the Mistake to-day, since I have not a Sylable of Intelligence foreign or domestic, except that we...
233To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 2 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I was not in a condition to visit Fredericksburg the last week or you should then have been informed that Mr. Braxton has taken the Warrant upon the Treasurer and agreed to give Bills payable in Philadelphia for the amount of 110,000 £. Mr. Fitzhugh was to bring them up but is not yet arrived unless he came yesterday wch. may be the case as Braxton wrote me it was...
234Virginia Delegates in Congress to Samuel Nightingale, Jr., 2 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Rhode Island Historical Society). Written and franked by JM. Addressed to “Samuel Nightingale Esqr. Providence Rhode Island.” Docketed by Nightingale, “Messrs Madison & Bland, Letter dated Jany 2nd 1781 also an Order from them for the Virginia Goods whic[h] is Delivered Jany 31st 1781.” We have been honored with yours of the 6th. Ulto. and in behalf of the State we represent are greatly...
235From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 2 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Yesterday’s post was the first that has failed to bring me a line from you since our correspondence commenced. I hope it has not been owing to any cause which concerns your health. We had it yesterday from under Genl Washington[’s] hand that another embarkation is actually departed from N. York, amoun[ting] to abt. 2500 troops. There is little d[oubt] that they will...
236Instruction from Virginia General Assembly to Its Delegates in Congress, [2 January] 1781 (Madison Papers)
Printed text ( Journal of the House of Delegates Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia; Begun and Held At the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg .Beginning in 1780, the portion after the semicolon reads, Begun and Held in the Town of Richmond. In the County of Henrico . The journal for each session has its own title page and is individually paginated. The edition...
237From James Madison to Michael Gratz, 3 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Recd. of Mr. Michael Gratz four thousand eight hundred and thirty seven continental dollars, being part of ten thousand dollars due on a draught in his favor by the Virginia delegates on the Auditors of that State, four thousand dollars having been received before. the remaining ballance eleven hundred sixty three. On 14 November 1780 ( Expense Account...
238Christian Holmer to Virginia Delegates in Congress, [ca. 3 January] 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 41, IV, 153). The Honourable Gentlemen Delegates from the Common Wealth of Virginia. Your Most Humble Memorialist Shew that he in August last year, Acquainted the Honourable Congress, and Delegates from Virginia his Circumstances and Condition in Health as in Wanting every Thing Nessesary, and beg’d to be help whit a part for which he have Ventered his life Spend in your...
239John Mathews, for Committee of Congress, to Nathanael Greene, 4 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan). The inclosed extracts from Genl. Washingtons letter of the 13th & 27th. Ulto. and from Mr. Houston’s of the 30 Ulto. & newspapers will give you all the information from this quarter, worth communicating, except that the fleet from New York, is sailed; what it’s destination is, we are at present uninformed. ’tis said Portsmouth in...
240Committee Report on Relief to Prisoners, [8 January] 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 19, VI, 329–30). Written by JM. Docketed by clerk “Report of Comee. on report of Comee. on letters from Gen. Washington of Decr. 8th &c. Read & Passed Jany 8th. 1781.” The Committee to whom was referred the Report of a Committee on Letters from Genl Washington &c. report the following Resolutions. Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the States from N. Hamshire to...
241John Mathews, for Committee of Congress, to Nathanael Greene, 9 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Address sheet missing. We are desired by Congress to transmit you the inclosed resolutions. Nothing new has transpired since we last wrote, informing you of the departure of the British fleet from New York, except that in less than forty eight hours after their sailing, there was a most violent storm, which we have the best reason to imagine they had to...
242From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 9 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). The inclosed extract of a letter from General Washington No. 1 will give your Excellency a more particular account of the late embarkation from N. York than has been before obtained. On thursday last Congress were informed by General Potter & Col. Johnston who came expresses for the purpose that a general mutiny of the Pennsylvania line stationed near Morris Town...
243From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 9 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The address sheet is missing, but JM, probably late in life, wrote “To Mr. Pendleton” at the top. Pendleton docketed the letter “James Maddison Esq Jan. 9th. 1781.” I have again the pleasure to begin with acknowledg the receipt of a favor from you, that of the 1st. inst: having come to hand yesterday. On Thursday last Congress were informed by Genl. Potter & Col....
244From James Madison to Nathanael Greene, 13 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
Incomplete printed copy from Stan. V. Henkels Catalogue No. 988 (29 January 1909), item 699. The original manuscript was sold in 1940 to a private collector by Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., of New York City (Catalogue No. 223 [30 October–1 November 1940], item 559). I enclose you an extract of a letter from General Washington of the 2d instant, giving a more precise account of the embarkation...
245Thomas Jefferson to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 15 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). I called on Mr. Anderson the Writer of the letter to Capt Trot which you were pleased to inclose to me and desired he would explain the foundation on which he had written that letter. His explanation I now inclose you, from which you will be able to collect only thus much that his application on behalf of Mr. Trot was utterly rejected and nothing said which could...
246From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 16 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I was very glad at not being disappointed in my expectations of a favor from you by yesterday’s post. Several reports in quick succession of the arrival & progress of the predatory band under Arnold had rendered us exceedingly anxious to hear the truth & particulars of the matter. Some letters by the post tell us that the Governor with Baron Steuben was wholly...
247To James Madison from Joseph Jones, 17 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Address sheet is missing, but the letter’s context and its presence in the Madison Papers permit no doubt that JM was the recipient. I was in doubt whether to write you by this post or not as I intend seting out in a day or two for Philadelphia and should probably have the pleasure of taking you by the hand before my Letter wod. arrive but as we have yet in this...
248Thomas Jefferson to Virginia Delegates in Congress, 18 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( NA : PCC , No. 71, II, 21–26). Docketed “Richmond January 18th 1781 Letter from Govr. Jefferson of Virginia to the Delegates of the State. so much as relates to a supply of ammunition & military stores Referred to the Board of War.” Only the complimentary close and signature are in Jefferson’s hand. A clerk’s copy of this letter is in the Executive Letter Book, Virginia State Library. I...
249To James Madison from Reverend James Madison, 18 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I intended to have sent you a Letter by ye. last post, but failed of an oppy. and by this Time I suppose you have heard thro’ many Channels of ye. Loss of our Capitol, & ye Disgrace of Virginia. True it is that Arnold with not more than 1500 men landed at Westover, marched within 24 Hours after ye Time of landing to Richmond, destroyed whatever was considered as...
250Virginia Delegates in Congress to Thomas Jefferson, 23 January 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (New York State Library, Albany). Except for JM’s signature, this letter is entirely in the hand of Theodorick Bland. It is with much concern that we have learnt from Your Excellencys and the Baron de Steubens letters to Congress, the Misfortunes our Country has sufferd from the Invasion under the command of the detestable Arnold, and that he has ventured with impunity even to our Capitol....