30541Thomas Jefferson to John Barnes, 27 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 17 th & 18 th were recieved only the last night, having loitered some where a week, altho’ there are 3. days of departure from Washington of the post for Milton every week. that of the 24 th of March covering your account was recieved in due time, but being occupied constantly out of doors from an early breakfast to a late dinner every day, writing, as with other country...
30542John Graham to Thomas Jefferson, 27 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I was this day honored by your Letter of the 25 th In st and shall immediately write to Mr Robert Graham that you wish him to keep the wild Geese which he promised you, until you can send to him for them. Mr Graham lives about a mile below Dumfries on the South side of the Creek, on which the Town stands. Permit me, Sir, to offer my Congratulations on the success of the measures dictated by...
30543Isham Lewis to Thomas Jefferson, 27 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
The great desire which I feel to be placed in some employ whereby, I may secure to myself the happiness derivable from the idea of enjoying the fruits of well spent industry and the difficulty I find in attaining this object unassisted by any influentiel friend has induced me to beg the favour of your endeavours in my behalf, I am in hopes you will be less disposed to think hard of this...
30544Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 27 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 24 th came to hand last night. the correspondence between mr Smith & mr Erskine had been recieved three days before. I sincerely congratulate you on the change it has produced in our situation. it is the source of very general joy here, & could it have arrived one month sooner would have had important effects not only on the elections of other states, but of this also, from which...
30545From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 26 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
THE gentlemen of the Senate informed me, that they came to confer with me on the subject of the nomination of Mr. Murray to France; that there was a considerable dissatisfaction with it, and they desired to know for what reasons I had preferred Mr. Murray to so many others abroad and at home. My answer to the gentlemen was, that I thought Mr. Murray a gentleman of talents, address and...
30546To James Madison from William Wirt, 26 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I understand that Mr. Boyle has resigned the government of the Illinois territory, and that Ninian Edwards, the President of the court of Appeals of Kentucky, has been thought of and perhaps named to you, as a fit successor. Having known Mr. Edwards, personally, from the time he was fourteen years of age untill he grew up to manhood and having for several years past maintained an intimate...
30547To James Madison from Jonathan Bull and Others, ca. 26 April 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
Ca. 26 April 1809. Urges JM to appoint Henry Seymour as federal marshal for Connecticut. His father has been a staunch Republican in the state Senate and was recently defeated by vindictive Federalists. Young Seymour, like his father, is “a firm supporter of the Administration.” RC ( DNA : RG 59, Letters of Application, 1809–17). 2 pp. Signed by Bull and thirteen other Hartford merchants....
30548From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 25 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
A few words more on the subject of pressing. In strictness, we have nothing to do with the question, whether impressments of seamen in England are legal or illegal. Whatever iniquity or inhumanity that government may inflict on their own subjects, we have no authority to call them to an account for it. But when they extend that power to us, a foreign nation, it is natural for us, and it is our...
30549To James Madison from Charles Haumont, 25 April 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 April 1809, Sapelo Island, Georgia. Haumont congratulates JM on becoming president. He claims to have served with the French forces during the Yorktown campaign aboard the frigate Concorde . French is now a fashionable language being taught in America, yet the most popular instruction book is defective. Haumont wishes to publish a French grammar that will be useful in American schools, but...
30550Thomas Jefferson to John Graham, 25 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
A gentleman of Dumfries of your name, & I think he was your brother , was so kind as to promise me a pair of wild geese, & to say he would take some occasion of sending them to Washington by water. I would now prefer their remaining where they are, as being so much nearer than Washington , & I will send for them as soon as the roads are good. not knowing the Christian name of mr Graham nor...
30551Thomas Jefferson to Étienne Lemaire, 25 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
You were so kind, my good friend, as to offer to execute any little commissions for me in Philadelphia ; and it is certain there will at times be some small articles which I can only get good from there, and so well chosen by nobody as yourself. I trouble you at present to send me a box of good sallad oil, and some Vanilla. the Vanilla may come by post, but the oil must be addressed to Mess rs...
30552John MacGowty to Thomas Jefferson, 25 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
here is a number of high Federal Characters that wish to misrepresent the causes of our difficulties, with the other Nations and say that the french Nation was the first that did take our shipping and Property, Both in their Ports and at sea, therefore Sir I have said to a number of these Characters that the french did not take any of our vessles and Cargoes, that was true american property...
30553William Roscoe to Thomas Jefferson, 25 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I presume upon your well known partiality to liberal & scientific pursuits, to introduce to your notice M r Jn o Bradbury , a Fellow of the Linnean Society who has undertaken a tour thro’ the province of Louisiana , for the purpose of collecting the various specimens of Natural History which it may be found to furnish. Among those who have encouraged his undertaking, in which he will be...
30554Augustus B. Woodward to Thomas Jefferson, 25 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to transmit to you, Sir, a work on the Executive of the United States . In every constitution formed in America , during the æra of the revolution, a council was attached to the executive. It is even a part of the British constitution. The federal constitution is the first without it. It is certainly of less importance in the State governments, than in that of the Union. You...
30555From John Adams to William Cunningham, 24 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
I received your favour of March 31 in due time: But I am become all at once and very unexpectedly a man of business and of so much importance in the world that I have not found time to acknowledge it till now. You say your sensibilities were exquisately touched by my last letter to you and my Letter to Wright and Lyman which you received at the same time. The word Sensibilities has a very...
30556To John Adams from Joseph Adams, 24 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
these from your friend and cusen Joseph Adams that went from Braintree to Uxbridge in the year 1755 in february— to Mr John Adams Esq and former president of the united States Sir these lines may inform you that I am as well as can be expected for an old man in the 79th yare of my age through the goodness of god I am contineued to this day hoping these Lines will find you and your family well...
30557From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 24 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your favor of the 19th. You will see in the newspapers the result of the Advances made by G. B. Attempts were made to give shapes to the arrangement implying inconsistency and blame on our part. They were however met in a proper manner & readily abandoned; leaving these charges in their full force, as they now bear on the other side. The B. Cabinet must have changed its course...
30558From James Madison to the Mother Superior of the Ursuline Convent, 24 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I have received your letter of the 11h of March, with the sentiments due for the respect and confidence which it expresses, on behalf of the pious Institution which you superintend. In a Country where all rights, religious as well as civil, are protected by the laws, and guaranteed by an enlightened public opinion, the best of securities exists for the tranquility and esteem of those, whose...
30559To James Madison from John Tyler, 24 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I receiv’d your favor which enclos’d the Correspondence with the Minister of G. B. out of which a full Redress of all our Injuries and Insults may grow, unless public faith, which has been so long the Sport of the old World, shou’d again be violated. I rejoice much at the prospect of a peace with that Nation and all others but I see also a difficulty in going clear of Alliances which may...
30560From James Madison to James Dinsmore, [ca. 24 April 1809] (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 17th. and will attend to the bill of Articles inclosed in it. I can furnish you with the $500 whenever you chuse to draw on me, or to signify that it be sent. ⟨You⟩ may dispose of the Porch at the S. W. end of the House as my Mother pleases. The area to the S. Wing may be omitted; but Mr. Chisolm, must run up the wall so as to have a proper face, when the area...
30561To James Madison from an Unidentified Correspondent, 24 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
Rais’d by the honorable Suffrages of the American people, to the most dignified state amongst mankind, conjecture, is now lost in certainty and it may fairly be pronounced, that you were born for the benefit of the human family. It would be superfluous to attempt to show by any species of argument, that to those who have assisted in raising you to an emenence, to which they believ’d you were...
30562George Jefferson to Thomas Jefferson, 24 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I hope that you will have received the trunk N o 28, as it certainly is not here. I thought I had been particular in counting the last packages sent you, but suppose I may have made a mistake, & that perhaps has caused you to make one.—I find from referring to the bill of lading, that there were only 3 trunks, N os 26, 27, & 28.—I have no recollection of having received one at any other time—&...
30563James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 24 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have rec d your favor of the 19 th . You will see in the newspapers the result of the Advances made by G.B. Attempts were made to give shapes to the arrangement implying inconsistency and blame on our part. They were however met in a proper manner & readily abandoned; leaving these charges in their full force, as they now bear on the other side. The B. Cabinet must have changed its course...
30564William W. Hening to Thomas Jefferson, 23 April 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I have not sooner acknowledged the receipt of the MSS which you were so obliging as to send me, because I was unwilling to trespass for a moment on your time, which was incessantly occupied with the cares of government, and in an honest endeavour to avert those evils with which the injustice of the two great belligerent powers of Europe seemed to threaten us.—Permit me to congratulate you on...
30565To John Adams from George Bourne, 22 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
During some time past my time has been devoted to writing the History of Mr. Jefferson’s administration with an historical sketch of the affairs of the Union from the period of the adoption of the Federal Constitution: as the sale of the work in Massachusetts will be considerably enhanced by the Sanction of your name—I have intruded upon your politeness to ask permission to place it at the...
30566From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 22 April 1809 (Adams Papers)
WHEN I had received that authentic act of the sovereign authority of France, a copy of which is inserted in my last letter to you, communicated by their Secretary of State, through their Secretary of Legation and Charge des Affaires and our Minister at the Hague, fully complying with all my requisitions, upon mature deliberation I determined to nominate a Minister to France. Some of the...
30567From James Madison to Caesar A. Rodney, 22 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I return the letter from Mr. Duane to you. I find by one from Mr. Dallas to the Secretary of State, that the affair of Olmstead has passed off without the threatened collisions of force. It is bad eno’ as it is; but a blessing compared with such a result. I do not send you because superfluous, a copy of what has passed with respect to our B. affairs. It will either produce a settlement of our...
30568From James Madison to Charles Thomson, 22 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having just recd. the 4th. & last Volume of your Translation of the Septuagint, I beg leave to make my acknowledgments complete for the valuable mark of your friendship afforded by such a present. I have not been able to look much into the text of the translation, much less to compare it with the original; but I know too well your erudition & accuracy, not to rely more on these, than I should...
30569To James Madison from “H.” [John H. Douglass], 22 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
The double conduct of De Witt Clinton has so far weakened the republican party in this State, as to render the election extreemly doubtful. Many of his old friends with Cheetham were so far drawn out of the ranks, that they cannot get in Again & now despise him more than the federal party. The Honble. Mathew Lyon Esqr. is doing us much injury. He is exposing De Witts intrigues relative to the...
30570To James Madison from the Tennessee General Assembly, 22 April 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 April 1809, Knoxville. A joint resolution notes that the country has long been assailed by the belligerents of Europe, “and we are at length placed in a situation … [where] an appeal to the sword in defence of our rights cannot be much longer deferred.” Within the nation differences of opinion exist, but “the great mass of our fellow citizens in every part of the union are equally devoted...