To James Madison from Jacquelin Ambler, 22 March 1783
From Jacquelin Ambler
RC (LC: Madison Papers). Addressed to “The Honobl. James Madison of Congress Philadelphia.” Docketed by JM, “Mar: 22 1783. J. A. bala. due at end of 1782 £865–8–3 Virga. currency.”
Richmond Virga. 22. Mar 83
Dear Sir
The Auditors have at length adjusted your Accot. on their Books to the 31st December last; the Bal[ance] then due you from the Commonwealth appears to be £865.. 8.. 3.1 By last Mail I transmitted you Bills on Phila. to the amount of £500. Virga. Curry. with a request that you would inform me by the succeeding Post how it might be divided among the Gentlemen Delegates, that such might be duly charged in the Auditor’s Books.2 Mr. Ross was so obliging as to assist me in this remittance otherwise it would have been out of my power to have made one for that Sum.3 Some difficulties have arisen with respect to the settlement of the Sherifs Accounts with the Auditors which will probably keep the Treasury low until the Meeting of the Assembly.4
I congratulate you on the agreeable prospect which the late Accounts from Europe give us of a general Peace.5 God grant it may be long & happy.
Yr. affect Servt
J. Ambler
1. Delegates to Harrison, 21 Jan., and n. 3; Ambler to JM, 8 Feb. 1783, and nn. 2, 3. This balance, also shown at the close of the credit column of the treasurer’s record of JM’s account, was the amount which Virginia still owed JM at the close of 1782 for his services as a delegate in Congress during the preceding three years and as reimbursement for a few miscellaneous expenses incurred by him in Philadelphia on the state’s behalf. From time to time during those years the treasurer of Virginia had forwarded to him a total of £1613 5s. 9d. (Commonwealth of Virginia in Accompt with James Madison, junr., MS in Va. State Library).
2. Harrison to Delegates, 20 Mar. 1783, and n. 3. One of the two “Bills” was drawn on Samuel Inglis and Company and the other on William Turnbull and Company, both of Philadelphia (Commonwealth of Virginia in Accompt with James Madison, junr., MS in Va. State Library). See also , II, 172, n. 2; V, 148; 150, n. 16; Receipt of Delegates, 27 Mar. 1783; , 3d ser., XVI, 321–22.
3. David Ross (, III, 60, n. 8).
4. Ibid., V, 182, n. 1; , III, 459; Ambler to JM, 1 Feb., and nn. 6, 7; 8 Feb. 1783.