From James Madison to Daniel Dodge, 28 March 1807 (Abstract)
To Daniel Dodge, 28 March 1807 (Abstract)
§ To Daniel Dodge. 28 March 1807, Department of State. “In reply to your letter of the 23d. inst., which has been duly received, it gives me much concern to inform you, that Dr. Davis, Consul of the United States at Tripoli, in a letter from Leghorn dated Decr. 10th. 1806, confirms the account which had reached you of the death of Dr. Dodge, your Brother.
“Dr. Davis says that ‘by a Greek Vessel which arrived a few days since advices have been received from Tunis to the 10th. Novr. & from Tripoli to the 31st: Octr. which give us the melancholy news of the death of Dr. James Dodge (on the 10th. of Octr.) our late Charge des Affairs at Tunis’:1 It is presumed that the property which he left has been placed in the hand of some confidential person, according to the XIXth. Art: of our Treaty with Tunis, and that an inventory of it will be transmitted to this Department.2 In this case no time will be lost in communicating to you the information which shall be given. In the mean time, I recommend that you address yourself to Col. Lear, Consul General of the United States at Algiers, on the subject.
“If anything shall be found due from the public to the estate of the deceased on an adjustment of his accounts, it will be paid at the Treasury to his representative.”
Letterbook copy (DNA: RG 59, DL, vol. 15).
1. JM quoted from George Davis to JM, 10 Dec. 1806.
2. The nineteenth article of the 1797–99 U.S. Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Tunis stipulated that if a citizen of either nation were to die in the other nation without a will, the consul or vakeel would take possession of and inventory the deceased’s effects; in the absence of a consul, the effects would “be deposited in the hands of a confidential person of the place” for delivery “to those to whom they of right belong” (Miller, Treaties, 2:386, 411–12).