To James Madison from John Dawson, 25 February 1794
From John Dawson
Richd Feby. 25: 94.
Dear Sir!
I am favourd with your letter. It may have been politic to pos[t]pone the resolutions offerd by you, but realy I cannot at this distance see through it.
On the last evening a meeting of a number of Citizens was to have been held in this place to declare to their representative their opinions of his vote.1 What the[y] did I know not but presume it will be immediately forwarded to him, & will no doubt be warmly in favour of the resolutions.
I am very anxious to hear some thing about our new French minister, & of what has become of Genet.2 Yrs. sincerely
J Dawson
RC (DLC).
1. Federalist Samuel Griffin, whose constituency included Richmond, was one of three Virginians who voted with the minority when the House of Representatives on 5 Feb. postponed consideration of JM’s commercial discrimination resolutions. Federalists hoped to defeat the resolutions by forcing an immediate vote (, 3d Cong., 1st sess., 431–32; JM’s speeches of 5 Feb. 1794, nn.; JM to Jefferson, 2 Mar. 1794).
2. Fauchet brought orders from the French government for Genet’s arrest. The former French minister sought asylum and settled in the U.S.