From James Madison to William Bradford, 17 March 1775
To William Bradford
Virginia 17th March 1775.
Dear Sir,
This I expect will be delivered to you by the Revd. Mr Samuel Smith1 who will inform you of every thing respecting our affairs that I could let you know by Letter. I wrote to you very lately by Mr David Hoops in answer to yours contain[in]g a few lines from Mr Irvin.2 If it should fail of coming to you it will be proper I should know of it because I there mentioned what I desired as to Dunlap & the Collection of papers I wanted & would not now unnecessarally trouble you with a repetition. Inclosed you have a small pitance for reimbursing you for your layings out on my account for the time past and any other trifles you may be kind enough to send me. Mr Smith will return he says about the middle of June and will bring ferguson3 for me, if you will put it in his hands and any thing else that he can conveniently carry[.] I have the pleasure to hear by him that our friend Mr Wallace is not in that perilous state, I was induced by a false rumour to make you beleive he was.4
1. Samuel Stanhope Smith.
2. The “few lines” from Nathaniel Irwin have not been found.
3. For Ferguson’s essay, see Bradford to JM, 4 January 1775, n. 1; and JM to Bradford, [early March 1775].
4. Caleb Wallace (JM to Bradford, 26 November 1774). Here Bradford ended his file copy of this letter, the only version of it known to be extant.