1To James Madison from William Wirt, 26 April 1809 (Madison Papers)
I understand that Mr. Boyle has resigned the government of the Illinois territory, and that Ninian Edwards, the President of the court of Appeals of Kentucky, has been thought of and perhaps named to you, as a fit successor. Having known Mr. Edwards, personally, from the time he was fourteen years of age untill he grew up to manhood and having for several years past maintained an intimate...
2To James Madison from William Wirt, 10 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
Alexander McRae lately and for several years a member of the privy council and lieutenant Governor of this state, and Majr. John Clarke, as highly distinguished for his mechanical genius, are about to proceed to various parts of Europe on private business of considerable magnitude: such as is highly honorable to themselves and will, if they shall be successful, reflect benefit and lustre on...
3William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 10 July 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Alexander M c Rae esq r & Maj r John Clarke , two gentlemen, justly reputed for integrity and talents, and well known I believe, Sir, to you, are just about to embark for Europe , with views which I am authorized to state to you. In conjunction with severa l other gentlemen, they have formed a project of introducing m anu factures into Virginia
4William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 18 January 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
About four years ago you were so good as to state that if the life of Henry was not destined to come out very speedily you would endeavour to recollect what might be of service to it and that having run your course with him for more than twenty years and witnessed the part he bore in every great question you would perhaps be able to recal some interesting anecdotes. I do not refer to your...
5William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 24 May 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just recieved your favor of the 19 th and will, with very great pleasure, attend to its request and instructions. M r Wickham had previously made known your desire both to M r Hay and myself: he cannot join us in the defence although he is still unresolved to take the plaintiff’s case. You conjecture rightly as to the cause of action—it is Livingston’s expulsion from the batture by an...
6William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 27 June 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
Your last favor was brought to me from the post-office, too late, by some accident, to be answered by the returning mail. It gives me pleasure to assure you that succeeding interviews have completely removed the apprehensions expressed to my friend D. Carr in relation to this cause: and did I not know to whom my letter was addressed & by whom, alone, its contents are known, I should regret...
7William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 9 August 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
I have perused, with equal pleasure and conviction, your view of the question touching the batture at New Orleans : the copy is now returned. With such aid, I think it must be the fault of your counsel if they leave any room for candor to doubt or even for sophistry to cavil, with any hope of success. I had noted a few slight omissions which it will be necessary to supply in order to clear the...
8Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on William Wirt’s Comments on the Batture Statement, [ca. 20 August 1810] (Jefferson Papers)
Obj. that Joutel’s journal may not be admitted as evidence of the Charter to Crozat . Ans. I leave the establishment of this as legal evidence to the gentlemen in actual practice, who are so much more familiar with the authorities than I am. I have no doubt they will be able to shew that tho’ we may not resort to books of history for documents of a nature merely private, yet we may for those...
9William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 10 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I have your favors by the last mail and will attend to them with much pleasure. If any thing could be done for Colo. D. here, it would be by shewing the copy of your letter to him. I shall retain it for another mail that I may recieve your directions as to making use of it or not. You may rely upon it that D.’s name has no magic in it here: he is considered as the foe of M r Madison . And the...
10William Wirt to Thomas Jefferson, 17 April 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 15 in reply to mine of the 10 th inst. has been brought to me from the office this instant. The copy of your letter to D. has been shewn to one person only— W m H. Cabell . The effect of it was to dispose him to lend D. $500. And I wrote my letter in a persuasion produced by that incident, as well as by its effect on my own feelings, that with the use of that letter, something...