James Madison Papers

To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 22 November 1805

From Thomas Jefferson

Nov. 22. 05.

Will you be so good as to give this a severe correction both as to stile & matter, & as early a one as you can, because there remains little enough time to submit it to our brethren successively, to have copies made &c.1 Think also what documents it requires, & especially as to Spanish affairs. Before we promise a subsequent communication on that subject, it would be well to agree on it’s substance, form, and accompaniments, that we may not be embarrassed by promising too much.

RC (DLC: Rives Collection, Madison Papers). Unsigned. In Jefferson’s hand.

1The enclosure presumably was a draft of Jefferson’s fifth annual message to Congress, 3 Dec. 1805 (Ford, Writings of Thomas Jefferson, description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed., The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (10 vols.; New York, 1892–99). description ends 8:384–96). For his 6 Dec. 1805 message and its enclosures dealing with Spanish depredations on American commerce and the failed negotiations at Madrid, see ASP, Foreign Relations, description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States… (38 vols.; Washington, 1832–61). description ends 2:613–95.

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