1William B. Sprague to James Madison, 5 July 1828 (Madison Papers)
I am about to make a request of you, for which I am well aware that I ought to be able to plead, at least, the apology, which might be furnished by an acquaintance; and yet I allow myself to hope that you will find an apology for me in the nature of the request, and the rather, as there is no one in this vicinity who has a personal acquaintance with you to whom I can apply for an introduction....
2William Buell Sprague to James Madison, 18 August 1828 (Madison Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge your very obliging favor of the 11th inst. enclosing several highly interesting autographs, which I shall feel great pleasure in conveying to my friend in England by an early opportunity. I beg you to accept my sincere thanks for having so readily, and to such an extent, complied with my wishes; and I am quite sure that the high respect which my friend has...
3William Buell Sprague to James Madison, 18 September 1828 (Madison Papers)
William Buell Sprague with his most respectful regards to the Honorable Mr Madison, begs that he will accept of his most cordial thanks for the repeated expression of kindness in giving him the information requested in his last letter. It gives him great pleasure to hear of Mr M’s general health, & he hopes that before this time he is quite restored from his late bilious attack. WBS takes the...
4William B. Sprague to James Madison, 5 December 1828 (Madison Papers)
I scarcely know in what terms to thank you, which will do justice to my own feelings, for your kind remembrance of me, and for the repeated attentions you have rendered to my request, in respect to the autographs of distinguished men. That of Mr Henry enclosed in your obliging letter of the 28th ult. has just come to hand, and I hardly need say that its value in my estimation is much increased...
5William B. Sprague to James Madison, 4 April 1829 (Madison Papers)
I herewith send you the small volume which I mentioned some time since as about to be published, tho’ I confess that it is in all respects so small a concern that I send it without much alacrity. To you, sir, especially, who have had an opportunity of minutely examining the objects, at which I had only time to glance, I have little doubt that it will appear strange that I should have consented...
6William B. Sprague to James Madison, 8 March 1830 (Madison Papers)
I am undertaking, partly for my own amusement, and partly for the gratification of the curious who may come after us, to make out a geneological account of the most distinguished men of our country, including Presidents of the United States, Signers of the Declaration of Independence &c. Will you, Sir, in addition to all the other favors you have rendered me, have the goodness to furnish me...
7William B. Sprague to James Madison, 14 November 1830 (Madison Papers)
Being on a visit at this place from Albany, a friend of mine here, Mr I. K. Tefft has expressed a wish to address you on a particular subject, and as he feels some delicacy in doing it, I have volunteered on the strength of the paper acquaintance with which you have honored me to offer him an introduction. I will only say that he is a gentleman of fine literary taste and of a truly deserving...
8William B. Sprague to James Madison, 12 December 1831 (Madison Papers)
I fear you will think, and not without good reason, that I am presuming too much upon your kindness in troubling you with one more inquiry in connexion with my favorite pursuit of collecting autographs. I have at length succeeded, tho’ not without great difficulty in obtaining a letter or some other document in the hand writing of each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, with...
9William B. Sprague to James Madison, 6 February 1833 (Madison Papers)
You are no doubt apprized of the wonderful success which has attended the philanthropic efforts that have been made in this part of the country for the promotion of Temperance. Several gentlemen who are at the head of the operations of the NewYork State Temperance Society, are establishing a quarterly periodical in this city, to be devoted exclusively to the diffusion of light on this...
10William B. Sprague to James Madison, 13 November 1835 (Madison Papers)
I have so often made myself troublesome to you by my requests, that it is with no little hesitation, that I have determined to ask of you yet another favor, especially as the request I am about to make is altogether of a delicate nature. In consequence of the reduced state of my health, I expect in the course of a few days to sail for Europe to be absent probably till next summer. It has...