31To James Madison from William Glassell, 21 September 1797 (Madison Papers)
Altho from our differnt avocations we are not in the habit of corresponding I shall use the freedom of asking you to do me a favor which from its nature, is only just. Mr. Francis Taylor, who was the deputy of Major Wm. Lyndsay “late collector of the Port Norforlk [ sic ] for many years past” offers himself as a candidite for that Office, in rotation . The Government will pay Much Attention to...
32To James Madison from James Monroe, 24 September 1797 (Madison Papers)
Since my return I have devoted all the leasure time I have had in preparing my narrative for Mr. Bache but yet it is not finished. I suppose I have yet abt. a 3d. to do, which I hope to complete this week. The whole when completed will make a pamphlet of between thirty & forty pages. It has cost me much trouble on acct. of the necessity of observing great accuracy in facts, dates, &ca. Of the...
33To James Madison from Stephen Moylan, 27 September 1797 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 27 September 1797. Mentioned in Moylan to JM, 25 Apr. 1798 . Moylan refuses to continue as JM’s tenant if property taxes are added to the rent.
34To James Madison from Hubbard Taylor, 8 October 1797 (Madison Papers)
Being out of paper I am obliged to have recourse to an old Book. Since I wrote you last I recd. a letter from Mesrs. Watts’s of New york, with a power of Atteo: & Deed of Trust to them but neither of them are properly proved—either before a Court, Majestrates, or thro Notory public. I have answerd their Letter & observed those deficiencies to them. I do not think the Authority I have is...
35To James Madison from James Monroe, 15 October 1797 (Madison Papers)
I tax you with H.’s pamphlet, requesting that you will return it by the post to Mr. Jeffn. You will be so good as tell me frankly yr. opinion of the footing upon wh. my correspondence with that Scondrel stands, and whether it becomes me to pursue him further. Mr. Dawson will be at yr. court I think on the 25. wh. I presume is yr. ct. day. If I can I will meet him at yr. house. My narrative...
36To James Madison from Thomas Law, 18 October 1797 (Madison Papers)
For particular reasons (a chief one is that I have a claim for 10000 £ Stg now pending in England) altho’ I am married to a Virginian Lady & have almost the whole of my fortune vested in America, I am adverse to taking the oath required to entitle me to the rights of Citizenship. I therefore wish to hold lands in Virginia as a foreigner & to request your advice & aid if you approve of my...
37To James Madison from Hubbard Taylor, 24 November 1797 (Madison Papers)
You will no doubt be informed by Majr Lee that 1000 Acres of the land on Panther Creek in the name of your brother Ambrose has not been Patented, a circumstance which never came to my Knowledge untill Majr Lee told me. I surveyed the Land in Augt. or Sepr. 1780, the returns were delayed for & on acct. of the division of the Counties I afterwards sent them all to the office those of...
38To James Madison from Joseph Mussi, [ca. December] 1797 (Madison Papers)
I found on my desk yesterday your memorandum, & agreable to your request I’ill make an estimation of the mentioned marble work, but not so accurate as I, & probably you would wish. The quality of Stone, & kind of ornaments are first to be fixed upon; white Statuary marble, as my Chemney pce. is dearer than Common marble with veins, as the slabs in my yard; ornaments of oriental alabaster,...
39To James Madison from John Dawson, 10 December 1797 (Madison Papers)
Since my return to this place I have delayd to write to you from a hope that I shoud have it in my power to communicate something new or interesting. In congress we move on very harmoniously & do very little. The report of the committee on Blounts affair producd some long faces, & shewd that it was not a French plot with Mr. Jefferson at the bottom, as has been industriously circulated in the...
40To James Madison from James Monroe, 10 December 1797 (Madison Papers)
You were so kind as intimate some time since you cod. accomodate me with a draft for two or three hundred dolrs. at Phil. At that time I thought I cod. get along without it, but the excessive charges attending the transportation of my furniture, far exceeding the real value inclines me to accept the draft if you can now furnish it with perfect convenience to yrself. I have read the speech &...
41To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 3 January 1798 (Madison Papers)
Your’s of Dec. 25. came to hand yesterday. I shall observe your directions with respect to the post day. I have spoken with the Depy. Post. M. Genl. on the subject of our Fredericksburg post. He never knew before that the Fredsbg. printer had taken the contract of the rider. He will be glad if either in your neighborhood or ours some good person will undertake to ride from April next. The...
42To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 24 January 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 2d. inst. on which day I recieved yours of Dec. 25. I have not resumed my pen because there has really been nothing worth writing about but what you would see in the newspapers. There is as yet no certainty what will be the aspect of our affairs with France. Either the Envoys have not written to the government, or their communications are hushed up. This last is...
43To James Madison from James Monroe, 6 February 1798 (Madison Papers)
We are very thankful for the articles yr.self & Mrs. M. were so good as send us. They are really rarities and of importance in our present situation. We shod. however be very sorry if you reduc’d yr. own stock so as to feel the want of them. We send you two mattresses—one of hair & another of wool. 4. dozen of the better kind of diaper napkins & 2. of infr., very useful for common purposes. 4....
44To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 8 February 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 25th. Ult. since which yours of the 21st. has been recieved. Bache had put 500. copies of Monroe’s book on board a vessel, which was stopped by the early & unexpected freezing of the river. He then tried in vain to get them sent on by fifties at a time by the stage. The river is now open here, the vessels have fallen down and if they can get through the ice below, the...
45To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 15 February 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 8th. We have still not a word from our envoys. This long silence (if they have been silent) proves things are not going on very roughly. If they have not been silent, it proves their information if made public would check the disposition to arm. I had flattered myself, from the progress of the public sentiment against arming, that the same progress had taken place in...
46To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 February 1798 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 12th. is recieved. I wrote you last on the 15th. but the letter getting misplaced, will only go by this post. We still hear nothing from our Envoys. Whether the Executive hear we know not. But if war were to be apprehended, it is impossible our envoys should not find means of putting us on our guard, or that the Executive should hold back their information. No news therefore is...
47To James Madison from John Dawson, 1 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I thank you for your letter without date, & have had the enclosure deliverd agreeably to your request. The degrading business between Griswold and Lyon has at length come to an end, without even an censure on either—those gentlemen who were so loud in favour of the expulsion of Lyon, voted against even a censure, when it was to expand to their favourite Griswold, who had committed a more...
48To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 22d. since which I have received yours without date, but probably of about the 18th. or 19th. An arrival to the Eastward brings us some news which you will see detailed in the papers. The new partition of Europe is sketched, but how far authentic we know not. It has some probability in it’s form. The French appear busy in their preparations for the invasion of England:...
49To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 15 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 2d. inst. Your’s of the 4th. is now at hand. The public papers will give you the news of Europe. The French decree making the vessel friendly or enemy according to the hands by which the cargo was manufactured has produced a great sensation among the merchants here. It’s operation is not yet perhaps well understood; but probably it will put our shipping out of...
50To James Madison from Henry Tazewell, 18 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
Soon after my arrival here, I recd. your favour with several inclosures. The inclosed Letters were delivered, as directed, and I should have acknowledged the receipt of your Letter at an earlier period—but for an indisposition which has kept me very much confined during the whole Winter. As the Weather becomes more mild, and the Climate more like that to which I have been accustomed—my health...
51Circular Letter from John Dawson, 20 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
After fourteen days delay, on yesterday the President sent to us the inclosed important, intemperate, and unconstitutional Message, which is referred to a Committee of the whole on the State of the Union. Circumstances prove clearly to my mind, that the fixed policy of our Administration will involve us in the war on the part of Great-Britain—an event which I very much dread, but which I fear...
52To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 15th. Since that, yours of the 12th. is recieved. Since that too a great change has taken place in the appearance of our political atmosphere. The merchants, as before, continue, a respectable part of them, to wish to avoid arming. The French decree operated on them as a sedative, producing more alarm than resentment. On the Representatives differently. It excited...
53To James Madison from John Dawson, 29 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I have recievd your favour & attended immediately to its contents. We are now in committee of the whole on the president’s message of the 19th. Int., on which three resolutions which I presume you have seen, have been brought forward & I believe will be agreed to—it certainly will be highly important to collect the sentiments of the people, & forward them as soon as possible. New England...
54To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 29 March 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 21st. Your’s of the 12th. therein acknoleged is the last recd. The measure I suggested in mine of adjourning for consultation with their constituents was not brought forward; but on Tuesday 3. resolutions were moved which you will see in the public papers. They were offered in committee to prevent their being suppressed by the previous question, & in the commee. on the...
55To James Madison from John Dawson, 5 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I have recievd your favour of the 26th. ultimo, & now enclose you an insurance & a letter for Mrs. Madison, to whom I beg you to present me with much respect. You have seen that on the 19th. of the last month the president sent to us a message, & that in consequence of a request from our house his instructions, & all the despatches from our commissioners were sent to us confidentially —for...
56To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 5 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 29th. ult. since which I have no letter from you. These acknolegements regularly made and attended to will shew whether any of my letters are intercepted, and the impression of my seal on wax (which shall be constant hereafter) will discover whether they are opened by the way. The nature of some of my communications furnishes ground of inquietude for their safe...
57To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
So much of the communications from our envoys has got abroad, & so partially that there can now be no ground for reconsideration with the Senate. I may therefore consistently with duty do what every member of the body is doing. Still I would rather you would use the communication with reserve till you see the whole papers. The first impressions from them are very disagreeable & confused....
58To James Madison from John Dawson, 12 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I herewith enclose you a copy of the late communications from our envoys [in] Paris —& send a copy of the instructions to your brother William—both have been publishd by the Senate contrary to the sense of a very large majority of our house—I leave it to you to determine on their object. Altho things have an unpleasant aspect, owing in my judgement, to the infamy of some individuals, & to the...
59To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 12 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you two letters on the 5th. inst. since which I have recd yours of the 2d. I send you, in a separate package, the instructions to our envoys & their communications. You will find that my representation of their contents, from memory, was substantially just. The public mind appears still in a state of astonishment. There never was a moment in which the aid of an able pen was so...
60To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 19 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 12th. & then acknoleged your last at hand of the 2d inst. The sensations first occasioned by the late publications have been kept up and increased at this place. A petition from the merchants & traders & others was so industriously pushed as to have obtained a very extensive signature. The same measure is pursuing in New York. As the election of their governor comes on...