To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne, 5 July 1805 (Abstract)
From William C. C. Claiborne, 5 July 1805 (Abstract)
§ From William C. C. Claiborne. 5 July 1805, New Orleans. “In a former Letter, I advised you of the departure of Captain Carmick for Pensacola with a communication from me to Governor Folch upon the Subject of the Post Road through West Florida.1 Captain Carmick was detained much longer than was expected, and has returned without Governor Folch’s Answer. A Copy of Captain Carmicks Letter to me on the occasion is herewith enclosed;2 He was detained at Pensacola by the Spanish Authorities, and I am inclined to think that to their Jealousy and Suspicion, may be attributed the loss of the Dispatches with which the Captain was charged. I learn however, that Governor Folch had no objection to the Post Route, and that his protection would be afforded the Post Riders.
“I fear it will be some time before this new Route will become Safe and expeditious; The Rider a Mr. Abrahams has been twice here, and he represents the road from thence to Fort Stoddart, as being difficult and often interrupted by High Waters.”
RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 59, TP, Orleans, vol. 7); letterbook copy and letterbook copy of enclosure (Ms-Ar: Claiborne Executive Journal, vol. 15). RC 1 p.; in a clerk’s hand, emended and signed by Claiborne; docketed by Wagner as received 13 Aug. For enclosure, see n. 2.
1. See Claiborne to JM, 29 Apr. 1805, 9:300.
2. The enclosure (3 pp.; printed in 3:113–14) is a copy of Daniel Carmick to Claiborne, 4 July 1805, saying that he had delivered Claiborne’s letter to Juan Vicente Folch at Pensacola on 2 June and had requested a prompt response so he could return on a ship leaving on 6 June; that after receiving Folch’s letters, he was denied a passport until a privateer Folch was outfitting was ready for sea; that he at last left overland without a passport for Mobile, where he arrived on 30 June and, after embarking for New Orleans, discovered that his pocketbook with Folch’s letters was missing and had probably been stolen at Mobile. He said he continued on to Pass Christian, where he sent a message to Folch explaining the situation and asking for duplicates of the missing dispatches.