James Madison Papers

To James Madison from André Limozin, 26 January 1788

From André Limozin

Havre de Grace 26st1 January 1788.

Most Honored Sir

Mr Thoms Jefferson Ambassadr of the US at the Court of Versailles forwarded me the Letter your Excellency was so Kind as to honor me with the 8th Ulto, inclosing me Captain Fournier’s Bill of Lading for

2 Barrlls apples. } which were deliverd. in the most
2 dto cranberries pityfull Condition, the fruit being
intirely rotten
1 Box containing Fruit trees which I have forwarded to Mr Jefferson in a good order.2

The Kind Contents of your Excellencys Letter for which I shall be at all times Sincerely gratefull intitle me to take the Freedom to inclose you Copy of a Letter I address by the same conveyance as this to his Excy: Dr B Franklin containing my petition to Congress for a certain recompense or indemnity for my disbursements pains troubles & expences I have been at & which are related in my said Letter.3 I am in good hopes that Dr Franklin will not forget the promises he made me in my house to mentionn to Congress every particulars on that matter; therefore I dont doubt but he will Not refuse to lay my petition under the Consideration of Congress.

Give me leave to beg of your Excellency to render me the Service to favor me with your warm protection in that Circumstance, I am sensible that if all the Americans who have been here, could be Consulted every one would give their voice in the behalf of my petitions & that they would beg in my favor the most authentick instances of acknowledgement & gratitude however I submitt every thing to your Excellency’s Consideration, & Since your Excellency is so Kind as to return me so many thanks for the trifling troubles I have been at in complying the orders of my most worthy & Honored friend Mr Thomas Jefferson for whatever they might concern your Excellency, I can’t form the least doubt but my behavior in this Circumstance will likewise meet with your Excellency’s approbation. I have the honor to be with the highest regard Your Excellency’s Most obedient & very humble Servant,

Andre Limozin

RC (DLC). For the cover to this letter and the enclosure (PCC), see n. 3.

1Limozin apparently first wrote “21st” and then changed the date.

2See JM to Jefferson, 9 Dec. 1787; Limozin to Jefferson, 24 Jan. 1788 (Boyd, Papers of Jefferson description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (19 vols. to date; Princeton, 1950——). description ends , XII, 533).

3Limozin sought compensation for his expenses in aiding American prisoners who had come to Le Havre from England after the war. JM forwarded his copy of Limozin’s petition to Franklin on 20 Apr. 1788. JM’s covering letter to Franklin is the first of a group of papers relating to Limozin’s claim (PCC) that appear in the following sequence: JM to Franklin, 20 Apr. 1788; Limozin to John Jay, 26 Jan. 1788 (similar to Limozin’s letter to JM of the same date); copy of Limozin’s letter to Franklin, 26 Jan. 1788 (apparently the copy forwarded by JM); cover to Limozin’s letter to JM “pr the Juno Chs. Jenkins Mastr.,” 26 Jan. 1788. Franklin evidently enclosed these papers in his letter to Jay of 27 June 1788 (Diplomatic Correspondence of the U.S., I, 422).

Index Entries