To James Madison from Daniel Carroll, 25 November 1791
From Daniel Carroll
George Town Novr. 25th. 1791
My dear Sir
I have now only time to acknowledge the receipt of yr. favor 25th. Instant,1 & to mention an incident which has given me great concern. Mr. D Carrolls of Duddington2 new house is pulld down or in a great degree so by Majr. L’Enfant’s directions without consulting the Commissioner—he first wrote to Mr Carroll, who went to Annapolis & obtaind an injungtion from Chancery—before his return the business was done. I hope this may not injure our application to the Assembly3—we shall do what we can to prevent that opperation. Pray mention to Mr Jefferson that the Commsrs. fear that they will not have time to answer his letter of the 21st. until next Post. Majr. Ellicot desires us to say the same for him. Yrs Dr sr &ca.
Danl Carroll
RC (DLC). Addressed by Carroll, franked, and postmarked, “BALT, NOV 27.” Docketed by JM.
1. Letter not found. Carroll should have written “ultimo,” as JM must have written the letter on 25 Oct., not 25 Nov.
2. Daniel Carroll of Duddington (1764–1849) was a nephew of the writer. For the details of this incident, see Geiger, Daniel Carroll, pp. 176–77.
3. The general assemblies of Maryland and Virginia had passed resolutions pledging loans for the construction of public buildings in the federal district. The commissioners applied for these funds, but the states were slow to respond (ibid., p. 171 and n. 130; John Dawson to JM, 17 Dec. 1789, and Carroll to JM, 26 Nov. 1790, and enclosure, , XII, 461–62 and n. 1; XIII, 306–8 and n. 1; Thomas Harwood to Jefferson, 27 Aug. 1791 [DLC: Jefferson Papers]).