121From James Madison to Robert Smith, 12 April 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
12 April 1804, Department of State. “I have the honor to enclose a bill drawn upon me by Mr. Cathcart for five thousand two hundred & fifty dollars, which, from the accompanying letter of advice, appears to be intended to cover expenditures on account of the Navy Department. I shall refer the holder of the Bill to you for payment.” Letterbook copy ( DNA : RG 59, DL , vol. 14). 1 p. See...
122From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 23 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I had yesterday written & committed to the post office a letter in answer to yours of the 16th. on the measures to be pursued with respect to our Barbary affairs. this was grounded on the supposition that we might still be at peace with Marocco. your’s of the 20th. was recieved yesterday evening, and informs me of the declaration of War by the Emperor of Marocco. it was not very unexpected....
123From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 29 March 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday your’s of the 17th. suggesting the sending into the Mediterranean the Constitution or the Philadelphia to overawe the Barbary powers. our plan of keeping one or two frigates there with 4. schooners was concluded on great & general consideration, on the supposition that war with Tripoli alone would go on. your letter suggests no new fact changing the state of things. I...
124From John Adams to Robert Smith, 28 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
I have received with pleasure, the letter you did me the honor to write me, on the fifteenth of this month: and pray you to accept my thanks for the impression of a medal, presented to the late Commodore Edward Preble in pursuance of the resolution of Congress of the third of March, one thousand eight hundred and five. This medal, in honor of the Commodore and in commemoration of a Splendid...
125John D. Lewis and Others to Robert Smith, 1 April 1810 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
1 April 1810. The petitioners, Americans residing in Malta, urge that John Hudden Lander, “an Englishman by birth,” be appointed to replace the present consul, who is “negligent & inattentive in his Office” and who “neither speaks, writes, or understands the English language.” As Malta is a rendezvous for the Royal Navy, the interests of American seamen there “require consular interference.” Ms...
126From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 15 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
To the letter from mr Davy of the Committee of the Chamber of commerce of Philadelphia (which I now return you) I think you may say in answer that you had communicated it to the President & were authorised to say, that the government of the US. have no present views of forming new harbours for the reception of their vessels of war: that under the authority, & with the means, lately given by...
127Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 30 May 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
In the action brought against me by E. Livingston on the subject of the Batture , the counsel employed desire me, without delay, to furnish them with the grounds of defence, that they may be enabled to put in proper pleas. towards this it is indispensable that I should have a communication of such papers in the public offices as are material for either information or evidence of material...
128From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 4 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have no doubt that we ought to do here every thing which time will permit us to do; and consequently approve of building a brig and two gunboats here. There are weighty reasons requiring a gun boat in Lake Pontchartrain immediately. it is thought too that No. 1. tho not suited to the current of the Missisipi, may be well adapted to the lake, and being a stouter sea-boat than any we may build...
129From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 6 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your’s of the 1st. came to hand yesterday evening, and I this day inclose it to Garbut. I now inclose to you a letter from Thomas Paine with a model for using two guns in the head of a Gunboat instead of one. mr & mrs Madison are with me and well. I salute you affectionately DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
130From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 16 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Complaints multiply upon us of evasions of the embargo laws by fraud & force. these come from Newport, Portland, Machias, Nantucket, Martha’s vineyard Etc Etc as I do consider the severe enforcement of the embargo to be of an importance, not to be measured by money, for our future government as well as present objects, I think it will be adviseable that during this summer all the gunboats...
131From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 17 September 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The object of the present is merely to acknolege the reciept of yours of the 14th. and to mention that I have recieved a letter from mr Gallatin disapproving of the first order for the sailing of the John Adams, on general grounds & also on the special ground that the appropriations for that object were exhausted: further that mr Madison will be with me tomorrow, and that I will then take the...
132From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 31 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you Commodore Preble’s letter which gives us time enough to consider on his mission. he proposes a longer one than I had supposed necessary. the hogshead of wine was yesterday brought here. it is really a painful & embarrasing thing. to reject may be supposed to imply impure motives in the offer. to recieve leads to horrid abuse. the former however has been my rule, where the thing is...
133From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 17 March 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved a letter from the Secy. of state informing me that the Dey of Algiers refuses to [accept?] the money offered him in commutation for the naval stores [due] him and consequently it becomes necessary to send the stores immediately. as it is [certainly?] better for the public that the purchase of naval stores should [be in?] the hands of one set of agents, not only to avoid...
134From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 9 October 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Capt Truxton’s idea of a [gradual] relief of our frigates [presents] advantages. in addition to what he [mentions], the frigate going out [might] always carry supplies; the frigate relieved may always be any particular one which may have got damaged & need repairs. it puts it in our power to shift the officers at our will & without offence. [it] might, on the arrival of the one & before the...
135From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 12 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 6th. was recieved yesterday. on the 7th. inst. I had recieved one from Mella Menni declining going in the Franklin for reasons which were evidently not the genuine ones. at the same time I recieved a letter from mr Madison informing me that he had authorised Cathcart to charter a vessel at Boston, & in the mean time had taken advantage of one sailing from Alexandria to Boston...
136From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Smith, 19 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had under consideration the letter of Lieutt. Smith commander of Gun boat No. 1. from Charleston, respecting the capture of the Two friends, a registered ship, at the bar of Charleston. his idea, if that be his idea, of having a 16. gun brig with a regular officer to do the duty of the revenue cutter, is condemned by our own experience. the qualities which make a good officer of the...