To James Madison from Richard Morris, 10 March 1789

From Richard Morris

Green Springs Mar. 10th. 1789

Sir

The post at the point of fork it is supposed will be sold to the continent by this state as a place of arms.1 The charge of it, the victualling the men necessary to keep the arms in proper order, should such an event take place, would be an object of attention to me; & as it is convenient, in point [of] situation, should be glad of the appointment. The gentleman who holds it, under the state, I was informed a few days past meant to resign his office.2 Mr. Page & yourself, being the only members from this state, who were personally acquainted with my conduct, whilst in public service, (he more particularly & for a greater length of time than yourself) are the only persons to whom I shall apply, resting my success intirely on your approbation or disapprobation of my former conduct. I am Sir yr. obedt. hb St.

Rd Morris

RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.

1. See PJM description begins William T. Hutchinson et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (vols. 1–10, Chicago, 1962–77; vols. 11—, Charlottesville, Va., 1977—). description ends , IX, 312, 313 n. 4. The arsenal at Point of Fork (now Columbia, in Fluvanna County) remained a state establishment until it was deactivated in 1801 (Richard Crouch, “The Point of Fork Arsenal: Fluvanna County’s Revolutionary Landmark,” Bulletin of the Fluvanna County Historical Society, No. 4 [1967], pp. 1–12).

2. The state commissary of military stores at Point of Fork was Elias Langham (1759–1830), who had risen to the rank of first lieutenant in the Continental army. He unsuccessfully solicited a federal appointment and continued as commissary at Point of Fork during the 1790s. He later moved west and served in the Ohio legislature (Heitman, Historical Register Continental description begins F. B. Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution (Washington, 1914). description ends , p. 256; DAR Patriot Index, p. 401; JCSV description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds., Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia (4 vols. to date; Richmond, 1931—). description ends , IV, 10; CVSP description begins William P. Palmer et al., eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts (11 vols.; Richmond, 1875–93). description ends , IV, 203, 273–74; V, 625–26; VII, 498–99; Langham to JM, 15 Mar. and 11 Apr. 1789; Nelson W. Evans, A History of Scioto County, Ohio, Together with a Pioneer Record of Southern Ohio [Portsmouth, Ohio, 1903], p. 209).

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Source Project: Madison Papers
Title: To James Madison from Richard Morris, 10 March 1789
Author: Morris, Richard
Recipient: Madison, James
Date: 10 March 1789

Reference

Cite as: “To James Madison from Richard Morris, 10 March 1789,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-12-02-0011. [Original source: The Papers of James Madison, vol. 12, 2 March 1789 – 20 January 1790 and supplement 24 October 1775 – 24 January 1789, ed. Charles F. Hobson and Robert A. Rutland. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1979, pp. 9–10.]