To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne, 19 November 1806
From William C. C. Claiborne
NO. Nov. 19. 1806.
Sir
A gentleman of high rank writes me from Natches under date of the 12 instant—“You are surrounded by dangers of which you dream not—and the destruction of the american Union is seriously menaced: the storm will probably burst upon New Orleans: You have spies on your every movement and disposition.”1
In a few days I shall be at liberty to write you more fully: for the present suffice it to say that every thing here is apparently tranquil: But if dangers arise I shall perish or triumph over the enemies of my Country.
I have not received a letter from you since July last. I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Sir, your mo. obt. Servt.
William C. C. Claiborne
RC, two copies (DLC: Burr Conspiracy Collection); letterbook copy (Ms-Ar: Claiborne Executive Journal, vol. 16). Both RCs in a clerk’s hand, signed by Claiborne; encoded by Claiborne’s clerk in a State Department code; key not found. First RC, marked “(Duplicate),” postmarked at Charleston, S.C., 13 Dec. Italicized words are those that were encoded; copytext is Wagner’s interlinear decoding. Second RC postmarked at New Orleans, 20 Nov. Letterbook copy dated 18 November 1806.
1. Quotation is from James Wilkinson to Claiborne, 12 Nov. 1806 (printed in Rowland, Claiborne Letter Books, 4:55–56).