To James Madison from Elihu F. Marshall, 23 February 1820
From Elihu F. Marshall
Saratoga Springs 23d. of 2 month 1820.
Friend Madison
I hope thou wilt excuse me for intruding on thee by sending thee a copy of the “American Tutor’s Assistant”1 and requesting thee to peruse it. I should not perhaps have done it had I not considered that thou art one that feelest interested in the Literature of the United States. Therefore wilt thou be pleased to examine the Book and send me thy sentiments thereon? By complying with the above request thou wilt very much oblige Thine &c
E. F. Marshall2
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. Elihu F. Marshall, A Spelling Book of the English Language: or The American Tutor’s Assistant; Intended Particularly for the Use of “Common Schools.” The Pronunciation Being Adapted to the Much Approved Principles of J. Walker, 2d ed. (Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 1820; Shoemaker 2110).
2. Elihu F. Marshall (d. 1840), a Quaker born in Easton, New York, moved to Rochester, where he became a writer, printer, and bookseller best known for his spelling book (see n. 1 above). He established a weekly newspaper, the Rochester Album, in 1825 and published the paper until it merged with the Rochester Telegraph a few years later (Pittsfield Sun, 24 Sept. 1840; Frederick Follett, History of the Press of Western New-York … [Rochester, N.Y., 1847], 47, 49).