To James Madison from James Innes, 5 November 1794
From James Innes
Wednesday one oClock Nov 5th. [1794]
my dear Sir
Since I saw you this morning it has been communicated to me as the wish of the president that I should spend this afternoon with him1—as he is more at leisure than he probably may be hereafter to communicate to me the objects of my Western mission. I take the liberty therefore of sending you my apology for not waiting upon you on to day which I hope may be considerd in its proper light—and not viewed as a mark of Inattention from one, who will never fail to be with the most sincere respect & Esteem yr friend & Sert
Jas: Innes.
RC (DLC). Dated 5 Nov. 1791 in the Index to the James Madison Papers. Date here assigned on the basis of circumstances described in n. 1.
1. Edmund Randolph had asked Innes, attorney general of Virginia, to explain to Kentucky officials the administration’s plans for Thomas Pinckney’s mission to negotiate with Spain for navigation rights on the Mississippi River. Innes met with Washington on 5 Nov. 1794 to discuss his impending journey to Kentucky. He carried to that state JM’s letters of 15 Nov. to John Lee and Hubbard Taylor (Reardon, Edmund Randolph, pp. 278–79, 451 nn. 62, 66, 67; , 17:283–84 n. 2; for correspondence between Innes and Gov. Isaac Shelby of Kentucky, see Philadelphia Gazette of the U.S., 21–23 Apr. 1795).