James Madison Papers

Benjamin Grayson Orr to James Madison, 25 June 1802

From Benjamin Grayson Orr

Geo. Town 25th. June 1802.

Dear Sir

I am greatly surprized at Mr. Merewether Jones’s application to you about Plato.1 I know not how true his accot. may be, but this I know most perfectly that one of the Gentlemen to whom he says the mortgage was given was present when the sale was made to me & when I recd. him. They both saw me very frequently about that time & the servant in my possession. Mr Skelton Jones has been often at my house within the last twelve months & Mr Mere: Jones was here whilst I was last in Kentucky. On all these occasions perfect silence has been observed & the letter you enclosed me today2 is the first intimation I have ever recd. of a pretended right.

Ignorant of law I cannot decide what is to be done without enquiry. To yours & Mr. Walter Jones’s Judgment the case shall be submitted on sunday or monday next & all that I can at present assure you, is, that no loss, (or if I can help it, inconvenience,) shall be sustained by you on the occasion. Yours Dr Sir very respectfy.

Benj G. Orr

RC (DLC).

1Plato was a slave leased by JM from Orr in July 1801 for a period of five years (PJM-SS description begins Robert J. Brugger et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison: Secretary of State Series (Charlottesville, Va., 1986–). description ends , 1:482). See also Walter Jones to JM, 31 Oct. 1801 (PJM-SS description begins Robert J. Brugger et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison: Secretary of State Series (Charlottesville, Va., 1986–). description ends , 2:213).

2Letter not found.

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