From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 12 April 1825
To Thomas Jefferson
Montpellier Apl. 12. 1825
Dear Sir
The letter for Judge Barbour inclosed in your last to me,1 did not reach him, till his return on saturday evening from his visit to Culpeper. Yesterday he called on me, on his way to his Court in this County. I found that he adhered to his purpose last communicated, and that such would be his answer to you. There can be no chance therefore of obtaining him for the University, unless the vacancy should be very inconveniently prolonged, and his mind should, in the mean time, undergo an improbable change. For the present, our situation is distressing. Do you know any thing of Judge Dade?2 It is said that he is not a little distinguished among his brethren of the Superior Courts, not only for Law, but other intellectual acquirements. He was a Commissioner with us at Rockfish Gap, when the site of the Central College was fixed. The outside of his character at least appeared to advantage. I am told that he lost somewhat of his popularity with the Assembly some years ago, by some unreasonable item in his acct. with the public; but without more knowledge of the case than I have, no judgment can be formed of it. Mr. Cabell is probably acquainted with that & every thing else necessary to an appreciation of both the Judge & the man. Affecy. yours
James Madison
RC in two parts (first part DLC; second part ViU: Special Collections); draft (DLC). RC docketed by Jefferson “recd. Apr. 13.” Minor differences between the copies have not been noted.
1. See Jefferson to JM, 29 Mar. 1825, and n. 1.
2. Here the RC is torn in two: The first half ends at part of the name “Dad”; the second half begins with the remainder of the name at “e?.” William Alexander Gibbons Dade (ca. 1782–1829) was a Prince William County, Virginia, lawyer who served one term in the House of Delegates, 1807–8, and in the Senate, 1812 and 1813. He was elected a judge of the General Court in 1813, and in addition was judge of the Third Circuit Court, serving in both capacities until his death (Kneebone et al., Dictionary of Virginia Biography, 3:659–60). For Dade’s attendance at the Rockfish Gap meeting, see , 1:324–25.