RC (DLC); at foot of text: “The President”; endorsed by TJ as received from the State Department on 16 Aug. and so recorded in SJL as received from Orange with Madison’s letters of 14 and 16 Aug., notation: “lres of Armstrong, Merry Monroe, Claiborne, Sevier, Rhea, Clinton, Jones, Vail, Airth, Skipwith, Paris Commrs. Livingston, Gavino, Wickelhousen, Swan, Bp. Madison”; see also endorsement of Madison to TJ, 16 Aug. Enclosures: (1) John Armstrong to Madison, New York, 6 Aug.; Armstrong assumes recent dispatches from Robert R. Livingston will contain information regarding “the change in the Style of the French Government”; Armstrong wrote Jacob Wagner at the State Department on 4 Aug. suggesting that a second letter of credence be prepared accommodating the change; he also mentions the seizure of the American merchant ship Eugenia, recently returned from Bordeaux, by a British warship off New York harbor (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:564-5). (2) James Monroe to Madison, London, 22 May, reporting “material changes” in the British ministry, including William Pitt replacing Henry Addington as prime minister and Lord Harrowby replacing Hawkesbury as foreign secretary; Monroe met briefly with Harrowby and hopes to confer again soon; Livingston is in London “on a trip of amusemt,” which some in Britain believe has a “political motive”; Monroe doubts this, but the visit nevertheless places him “in rather an unpleasant dilemma”; the “business at Paris” is in an embarrassed situation; Monroe hopes it will be settled without delay and has confidence in Fulwar Skipwith as agent and the integrity, if not the ability, of the American commissioners; he encloses a declaration by the emperor of Russia regarding French infractions against the Electorate of Baden (same, 241-3). (3) Probably William C. C. Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 27 June, regarding a recent “riot” in the vicinity of Baton Rouge (same, 379-80; see also Claiborne to TJ, 26 June). (4) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 28 June, stating that summer heat has forced him to curtail his office hours and hire additional clerks; his secretary, Joseph Briggs, is sick with fever and John Watkins is unwell, so he is without an assistant; he is now “engaged in completing a temporary organization of the militia” in New Orleans (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:393). (5) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 29 June, stating that the memorial to Congress regarding the government of Louisiana is being prepared by Edward Livingston; it will be translated into French and presented for approval at a town meeting next Sunday evening; Claiborne understands the memorial is “quite voluminous” and may be considered a “severe Philippic” against Congress; he had hoped Livingston would be a welcome acquisition to Louisiana, but now fears he will become “a troublesome member of our political society”; Claiborne still considers Louisiana unprepared for representative government (same, 395-6). (6) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 1 July; this day, a meeting of New Orleans residents and some nearby farmers has considered the memorial to Congress, which demands immediate statehood for Louisiana; the language of the memorial is respectful, but its tenor “commanding and inflammatory”; the abolition of the slave trade and division of Louisiana are particular grievances; after the reading, the memorial was signed by about 140 persons; Claiborne will forward a copy to Madison; another meeting will take place to elect persons to carry it to Washington; Edward Livingston, Daniel Clark, and Evan Jones are the only Americans taking part in the business (same, 405-6). (7) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 3 July, reporting that the “Free People of Colour” have manifested dissatisfaction at not being invited to the recent meeting to approve the memorial to Congress; an “influential character” among them prepared an address calling for a separate meeting, but a printer “very prudently” declined publishing it; Claiborne believes that the free people of color are well attached to the new government and any “disquietude” can be avoided with “advice,” although Claiborne is willing to use other means if necessary; governing Louisiana, especially New Orleans, will require prudence to avoid “tumult and confusion”; the population is so diverse that Claiborne fears no government will give general satisfaction; he regrets that public meetings were called, believing them influenced by “mischievous” persons without permanent interest in the territory (same, 417). (8) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 5 July, describing an elaborate and well-attended Fourth of July celebration at New Orleans, which included orations (in French and English) and militia parades; Claiborne presented the militia with a standard and authorized its benediction in a Catholic church; several influential free persons of color have been dissuaded from holding a public meeting; a meeting of whites will be held on Sunday next, but Claiborne places confidence in the ability of Mayor James Pitot to maintain the peace; Claiborne describes Louisianians as “a zealous people,” but generally peaceful and well disposed; had the African slave trade been continued for a few years, Claiborne believes that no complaints against Congress would have been heard, as there is “almost an universal sentiment in favour of this inhuman traffic”; those who “think and talk on political subjects” understand that Louisiana is not ready for statehood, and electing a second legislative council will meet their expectations (same, 421-3). (9) Probably Claiborne to Madison, New Orleans, 7 July; the recent discontent among the “people of Colour” has caused alarm among some of the white citizens, who have determined to hold no more meetings after the one that is planned for tomorrow, which Claiborne believes will be sparsely attended; Louisianians are “extremely credulous” and vulnerable to manipulation; they are also jealous of Americans and view themselves “as a distant and acquired branch of our family”; yet Claiborne is confident that “a little experience under the American Government” will transform Louisianians into good citizens (same, 428-9). (10) John Sevier to Madison, Knoxville, 27 July, stating that an act adopting the Twelfth Amendment has undergone two readings in the Tennessee legislature; Sevier believes it will be unanimously ratified “this day” (same, 527). (11) John Rhea to Madison, Knoxville, 27 July, announcing that the Tennessee legislature has “this day” unanimously ratified the Twelfth Amendment (same, 527n). (12) DeWitt Clinton to Madison, New York, 30 July, enclosing a newspaper report regarding the seizure of an American brig from Bordeaux by the British frigate Cambrian on Thursday last off Sandy Hook; the same warship recently impressed six passengers from another vessel (same, 536). (13) Aaron Vail to Madison, L’Orient, 12 May, recommending his nephew, James Vail, for appointment as commercial agent at Nantes (same, 214; see also Vail to TJ, 12 May). (14) David Airth to Madison, Gothenburg, 2 Jan. 1804; as vice consul, Airth has observed the increase in American trade at Gothenburg and suggests a renewal of the 1783 commercial treaty between the United States and Sweden, which has expired; the previous consul had secured a 30 percent reduction in duties on goods imported and exported by American vessels, which Airth proposes should be confirmed; Gothenburg’s location is ideal for establishing a deposit for Russian goods, which would allow American vessels to avoid the Baltic; Airth also submits the advantage of appointing one U.S. minister for Sweden, Denmark, and Russia (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 6:278-9). (15) Fulwar Skipwith to Madison, Paris, 9 May, complaining that Robert R. Livingston has unjustly appropriated half of his salary “to the emolument of an Agent, who he has thought proper to appoint to perform Certain official duties”; to reduce the amount of correspondence, Skipwith suggested to Livingston that they should only consider representations that have been forwarded through American consuls in Europe; Skipwith’s responsibilities as agent have become oppressive and caused him “real expence”; he has furnished the U.S. commissioners with a statement of claims not included in the original plan for settlement, which have been presented to the French council of liquidation and amount to slightly less than 10 million livres in principal; these claims are better supported by vouchers and pertain chiefly to supplies rendered in the West Indies (same, 7:201-2; see also Madison to TJ, 15 Apr.). (16) John Mercer, Isaac Cox Barnet, and William Maclure to Madison, Paris, 17 Apr., enclosing copies of their correspondence with Livingston (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:76). (17) Mercer, Barnet, and Maclure to Madison, Paris, 24 Apr., reporting that they have recommended the liquidation of 147 claims and rejected 57; the French have resuscitated 13 of the rejected claims; the U.S. commissioners have not been informed if any of the recommended claims have been liquidated and are therefore unable to ascertain whether claims in the projected settlement will exceed or fall short of 20 million livres; they fear their commission will expire before the remainder of the claims have been settled (same, 105-6). (18) Mercer, Barnet, and Maclure to Madison, Paris, 5 May, enclosing copies of additional correspondence between them and Livingston (same, 165). (19) John Gavino to Madison, Gibraltar, 10 May, forwarding a report that Tunis has declared war on the United States and recommending that a U.S. frigate be stationed in the Strait of Gibraltar to prevent the passage of Tunisian or Tripolitan cruisers (same, 203-4). (20) Frederick Jacob Wichelhausen to Madison, Bremen, 17 Mch., referring to his previous report on “the conduct of the Bremen Senate toward foreign consuls” and forwarding a copy of the Prussian court’s instructions to its consul as a guide for crafting a possible American response; he also suggests that American vessels be informed of navigational changes at the entrance to Jade Bay (same, 6:597). (21) James Swan to Madison, Paris, 5 May, regarding the settlement of his claim on the French government; Swan complains that the American claims commissioners apparently consider him ineligible for compensation under the convention of 1803 because he was involved in a commission business in Paris during the 1790s; if this is the case, Swan argues, then every American who did business with France in Europe should likewise be deemed ineligible (same, 7:165-7). Other enclosures not identified.