151To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 26 May 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
The session begins to draw to a close. The 3d. of June is agreed on by both houses as the day on which it shall end, and I believe the agreement will be executed. The inclosed paper will shew you the state of things with Engld. This incursion into our country has no pretext to be calld or considered otherwise than an actual invasion, and as such presume it will be treated by the President...
152To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 27 May 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Early yesterday morning and immediately after my last was written I was called on by Mr. R. to answer the question “whether I would accept the legation to France?” The proposition as you will readily conceive surprised me, for I really thought I was among the last men to whom it would be made, and so observed. He said the President was resolved to send a republican character to that nation;...
153To George Washington from James Monroe, 1 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
I was presented yesterday evening by Mr Randolph with the commission of Minister for the French republick, which you were pleas’d with the approbation of the Senate, to confer on me. As I had previously intimated to him in consequence of a conversation I had with him the day before the nomination was presented, that I would accept this trust, I have only now to request that you will consider...
154To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 6 June 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my appointment I have been extremely occupied in a variety of respects. I had likewise flattered myself with the hope I should see you before my departure till within a day or two past—but of this I now begin to despair. I shall sail from Bal: for which place I sit out in 4. days hence. Tis possible the vessel may not be ready altho I am advised she is. I feel extremely anxious upon the...
155Power of Attorney from James Monroe, 17 June 1794 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Madison will be pleased to receive from Genl. Wilkinson, or draw on him for the sum of three hundred dolrs. or thereabouts (due me by him) according as the Genl. shall direct. He will likewise receive whatever is obtained from Genl. Bradley from the sale of our Vermont property, or otherwise from the sale or upon acct. of it. He will likewise be pleased, in case he is applied to, give...
156To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 17 June 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
The urgent pressure of the Executive for my immediate departure has deprived me of the pleasure of seeing you before I sailed. I sincerely regret this for many reasons but we cannot controul impossibilities. Will you forward me a cypher, and letters for your friends remaining in Paris to the care of Mr. R. as soon as possible. They may probably reach Paris as soon as I shall. I beg you to add...
157To James Madison from James Monroe, 2 September 1794 (Madison Papers)
To morrow will make one month since our arrival here, and such have been my ingagments that altho’ I resolved that I wod. begin a letter to you every succeeding day yet when the day arrived it was not in power heretofore. You will readily conceive the variety of the objects to which I have been forced to attend, many of which requiring the utmost effort of my judgment, all delicate and...
158To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 7 September 1794 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been here rather more than a month and so much engaged with the duties which devolved on me immediately that I have not yet been able [to] send a single private letter to America. It happened that I took my station a few days after Robertspierre had left his in the Convention, by means of the guillitin, so that every thing was in commotion, as was natural upon such an event; but it was...
159To James Madison from James Monroe, 20 September 1794 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Swan of Boston who has resided for some years past in this city in the character of a Merchant & in which line he has been extensively engaged will present you this. He leaves this for the purpose of purchasing & shipping to this country the productions of ours & relies much on the advances to be made by our govt. for the means. He will I understand be sole agent in that line of this...
160To George Washington from James Monroe, 19 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure some weeks past to receive your favor of the 25. of June and should have answered it sooner, had any safe private opportunity offered for Bordeaux from whence vessels most frequently sail for America. I called the evening after its receit on Mr Morris, & put your letter for him into his hands so that he recd it unopened. He left this about the beginng of octr for...
161To James Madison from James Monroe, 30 November 1794 (Madison Papers)
By not hearing from you before this I conclude I shall not untill after you shall have commenc’d the session in Phila. Indeed I calculate upon hearing at the same time from Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Jones, for surely they will not decline writing by you to be forwarded thence with your communications. I therefore wait the lapse of sufficient time to bring yr. letters here with that kind of...
162To James Madison from James Monroe, 18 December 1794 (Madison Papers)
I enclose you three letters one for Mr. R. and the other two for whom ever you may think it best to direct them. You will in case they are delivered take a copy of one for yr.self, for I have not had time to write you nor indeed is it necessary on that subject as I send them open to yr. inspection. You will know whether there is any thing in the report & act accordingly either by presenting or...
163To James Madison from James Monroe, 18 December 1794 (Madison Papers)
I have addressed to your care a letter for Mr. R. & two others, to be addressed by you according to circumstances either to Langdon, Burr, Butler, Ross or any other person in case you shod. deem it proper to be presented at all & sent them in a packet by Havre. This which covers one for Mr. R. is to go by Bordeaux. I submit it entirely to you either to present or suppress it as the state of...
164To James Madison from James Monroe, 18 February 1795 (Madison Papers)
I was yesterday favored with yours of the 4th. of Decr. the only one yet recd. I had perfectly an[ti]cipated the secret causes & motives of the western business, and was extremely happy to find that the patriotism of the people in every quarter, left to its own voluntary impulse and without any information that was calculated to stimulate it, was sufficient to triumph over the schemes of...
165To James Madison from James Monroe, 25 February 1795 (Madison Papers)
Being under the necessity of explaining the motives of my conduct upon my arrival, to the Executive, & in consequence of presenting a statmt. of the circumstances under which I acted, I have thought I could not better convey my ideas to you on that head than by enclosing a copy of the paper. This will of course be kept from Mr. R. because of his official station, & all others from whom it...
166To James Madison from James Monroe, 13 June 1795 (Madison Papers)
I was sometime since favd. with yours of the 11. of March being the second since I left America. You were I presume soon after the date of that in possession of several from me, of two more especially which opened fully the state of things here under the impression of Mr. Jay’s treaty, and which state has not been essentially varied since: for as all communication upon the subject of that...
167Enclosure: Sketch of the State of Affairs in France, 23 June 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Your first enquiry will be, upon what basis does the revolution rest? Has it yet weathered the storms that have beaten against it, and taking all circumstances into view that merit consideration, is there ground for a well founded hope that it will terminate happily for France and of course for mankind? I will give you concisely the actual state of things, by comparing which with those great...
168To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 27 June 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Of the above hasty view I have sent a copy to one or two other friends. Since it was written the committee have reported a plan of government as suggested of 2. branches, the one to be called a council of 500. consisting of so many members, the other of 250. called the council of antients. The age of the 1st. to be 30. and of the 2d. 40. They are to be chosen each for 2. years but to be...
169To James Madison from James Monroe, 28 June 1795 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. from you 3. letters of which that of the sixth of April was the last. Dr. Edwards by whom it was sent has not yet arrived in Paris so that I am yet to receive his communications upon the state of our affairs. The cypher was recd. in this last letter, and by which I have been highly gratified for it will greatly facilitate our future correspondence. Since my last the committee of...
170To James Madison from James Monroe, 30 June 1795 (Madison Papers)
I send herewith a copy of the constitution reported by the committee of 11. & which will be discussed in the course of a few days. A doubt arises with many upon the propriety of the executive organizn., & some wish and with a view of strengthening it that the number be reduc’d to 3—but this wod. certainly produce the opposit effect, for the annual rotation by the with-drawal of one & the...
171To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 3 July 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Having written you very fully three days since I have nothing to add at present to the details then given except that in an unexpected rencounter the other day the French have lost 3. ships and by the shameful misconduct of the officers commanding them or some of them. They have in consequence dismissed the Comy. of Marine which I think converts the loss of the ships into a signal victory, in...
172To James Madison from James Monroe, [ca. 23 July] 1795 (Madison Papers)
I received yours of the 26. of march and had before received those of the 4th. of Decr. 11 of march and 6th. of April which comprize all that I have received since my arrival here. I am happy to hear that you judged it expedient to deliver my letter of the 18th. of Decr. to Mr. R. because I think it could in no view do any harm, & might possibly in a particular view do some good. I wait with...
173To James Madison from James Monroe, 26 July 1795 (Madison Papers)
I had began a long letter to you in cypher, it appearing the British have commenc’d seizing my letters, but which not being complete I forward the enclosed by the present private opportunity, & which being on the moment of departure prohibits more being added than that the comn. is intended as a friendly deposit in your hands & for the purpose of guarding my reputation from unjust attacks...
174To James Madison from James Monroe, 5 August 1795 (Madison Papers)
Soon after my arrival here last year I found it necessary to appoint some one consul provisionally & in consequence appointed Mr. Skipwith to that office & announc’d him to this govt. as well as our own: but before this step was known the President had nominated a Mr. Pitcairn for that place. Mr. P. being by birth a British subject & having latterly become an American citizen & in consequence...
175To James Madison from James Monroe, 8 September 1795 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 2d. of May is the last with which I have been favd., tho most probably this is owing to the seizure of our vessels by the British & the free use I hear they make of my correspondence. Since my last to you Mr. Masons copy of the treaty with such proceedings of the senate upon it as were published up to the 3. of July have arrived here: and since which we have seen the discussions...
176To James Madison from James Monroe, 23 October 1795 (Madison Papers)
I send you herewith an invoice of the articles purchased for you according to yr request & by wh. the duties will be paid. The price will I fear exceed what you expected, for by Dr. Edwards acct. the reports in America were very erroneous in this respect. It is however in my opinion comparatively with what is usual in America very cheap. In the bed there are abt. 80. French ells of Damask...
177To James Madison from James Monroe, 24 October 1795 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you yesterday with a view of sending the letter by the same vessel which takes the articles we have purchased for you—but as an excellent opportunity, that of Mr. Murray a very worthy young man, offers, I shall avail myself of it not only to send the letter of yesterday but to add something to it. Perhaps these articles may likewise be sent by the same opportunity, altho the vessel...
178To James Madison from James Monroe, 29 October 1795 (Madison Papers)
To day the members of the Directoire are to be chosen. Yesterday the two houses were organised and the prospect is that the present will be a propitious Era in the history of the revolution. The spirit of dissention seems already to be checked by the seperation of the members into different chambers. If suitable men are put into the Directoire the happiest effects must result from the change,...
179To James Madison from James Monroe, 8 November 1795 (Madison Papers)
The gentn. (Mr Murray) by whom my letters are forwarded was detained longer by contrary winds in Engld. than was expected. I endeavor however to repr. the injury of delay in my other communications by adding to them what intervenes before his departure. The govt. is now completely organised in all its departments, & its effect the happiest that can be conceived upon the publick opinion. What...
180To Thomas Jefferson from James Monroe, 18 November 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 26. of May did not reach me till lately, owing as I presume to its having been committed to some private hand and by whom it was retained to be delivered personally till that prospect was abandoned. I was extremely gratified by it as it led me into a society which is very dear to me and often uppermost in my mind. I have indeed much to reproach myself for not having written...