James Madison Papers

James Madison to George Tucker, 22 June 1836

June 27. 1836.

My dear Sir.

I have received your letter of June 17th. with the paper enclosed in it.

Apart from the value put on such a mark of respect from you in a dedication of your "Life of Mr. Jefferson" to me, I could only be governed in accepting it by my confidence in your capacity to do justice to a character so interesting to his country and to the world; and I may be permitted to add with whose principles of liberty and political career mine have been so extensively congenial.

It could not escape me that a feeling of personal friendship has mingled itself greatly with the credit you allow to my public services. I am at the same time justified by my consciousness in saying, that an ardent zeal was always felt to make up for deficiencies in them by a sincere and stedfast co-operation in promoting such a reconstruction of our political system as would provide for the permanent liberty and happiness of the United States. And that of the many good fruits it has produced which have well rewarded the efforts and anxieties that led to it, no one has been a more rejoicing witness than myself. With cordial Salutations on the near approach to the end of your undertaking.

J. M.

Draft (DLC).

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