31From James Madison to James Madison, Sr., 8 December 1779 (Madison Papers)
Having an opportunity by Mr. Collins I add a few lines to those I sent by Col. Burnley on the Subject of your’s by him. The Assembly have not yet concluded their plan for complying with the requisitions from Congress. It may be relied on that that can not be done without very heavy taxes on every species of property. Indeed it is thought questionable whether it will not be found absolutely...
32From James Madison to Benjamin Harrison, 16 [December] 1779 (Madison Papers)
Being notified that the General Assembly have honoured me with a delegation to serve this commonwealth in general Congress, I beg the favour of you Sir to communicate to them my acceptance thereof, and my assurances that as far as fidelity and zeal can supply the place of abilities the interests of my Country shall be punctually promoted. I have the honor to be with great respect Yr. Most Obt...
33Notes on Territorial Claim of New Hampshire, 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( LC : Madison Papers, Vol. 91). Undated memorandum docketed by JM, “Livermore’s state[ment] of the Territorial claim of N Hampshire.” To give this memorandum even an approximate date depends upon what JM meant by “state[ment].” If it signifies an oral statement to which JM listened and upon which he took this obviously hurried note, it must date between 20 March 1780, when he first entered...
34From James Madison to James Madison, Sr., 20 March 1780 (Madison Papers)
FC ( LC : Madison Papers). In this retained copy, JM omitted “Hon’d Sir,” his usual salutation when writing to his father. The extreme badness of the roads and frequency of rains rendered my journey so slow that I did not reach this place till saturday last. The only public intelligence I have to communicate is that the great and progressive depreciation of the paper currency had introduced...
35From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 27–28 March 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Nothing under the title of news has occurred since I wrote last week by express except that the Enemy on the 1st. of March remained in the neighbourhood of Charlestown in the same posture as when the preceding account came away. From the best intelligence from that quarter there seems to be great encouragement to hope that Clinton’s operations will be again...
36To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 27–28 March 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Nothing under the title of news has occurred since I wrote last week by express except that the Enemy on the 1st. of March remained in the neighbourhood of Charlestown in the same posture as when the preceding account came away. From the best intelligence from that quarter there seems to be great encouragement to hope that Clinton’s operations will be again frustrated. Our great apprehensions...
37William Ellery and JM to the Committee of Congress at Washington’s Headquarters, 5 May 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text (John Sanderson, ed., Biography of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence [2d ed.; 5 vols.; Philadelphia, 1828], I, 388–89). Nothing is said there of its source except that it had “fallen into our hands.” References to the existence of the letter are made in Brant, Madison Irving Brant, James Madison (6 vols.; Indianapolis and New York, 1941–61). , I, 90; Burnett, Letters...
38From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 6 May 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The manuscript is much faded and barely legible. In his old age JM evidently selected this letter for inclusion in the first printed edition of his papers. With this purpose in mind he added at the beginning of the first paragraph and at the close of the long final one a bracket and quotation mark. Apparently at eight places in the letter he crossed out a word or...
39To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 6 May 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I am sorry I can give you no other account of our public situation than that it continues equally perplexed and alarming as when I lately gave you a sketch of it. Our army has as yet been kept from starving and public measures from a total stagnation by draughts on the States for the unpaid requisitions. The great amount of these you may judge of from the share that has fallen to Virginia. The...
40From James Madison to John Page[?], 8 May 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC (University of Chicago Library). Docketed: “James Madison, Philadelph[ia,] May 8th 1780” in a hand which resembles that of John Page. By yesterday’s post I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 27th. Ulto. The price of Dunlap’s paper I understand will be 204 Drs. per annum besides the gratification to the Post which will be not much less. But if there were less objection against...
41From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 2 June 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I have written several private letters to you since my arrival here, which as they contained matters that I should be sorry should fall into other hands, I could wish to know had been received. If your Excellency has written any acknowledgments of them, they have never reached me. Mr. Griffin tells me he has seen several letters just recd. by Mr. Bingham from...
42To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 2 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have written several private letters to you since my arrival here, which as they contained matters that I should be sorry should fall into other hands, I could wish to know had been received. If your Excellency has written any acknowledgements of them, they have never reached me. Mr. Griffin tells me he has seen several letters just received by Mr. Bingham from Martinique which give...
43From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 6 June 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). A Vessel from West Florida has brought to the President of Congress intelligence from Govr. Galvez of the surrender of Mobile. No other particulars than those contained in the inclosed paper are mentioned, except the verbal report of the Capt. that the Garrison consisted of about 800 including inhabitants &c. Seven or eight vessels have just arrived from the W....
44To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 6 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A Vessel from West Florida has brought to the President of Congress intelligence from Govr. Galvez of the surrender of Mobile. No other particulars than that contained in the inclosed paper are mentioned, except the verbal report of the Capt. that the Garrison consisted of about 800 including inhabitants &c. Seven or eight vessels have just arrived from the W. Indies as you will also observe...
45From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 23 June 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Nothing material has taken place since my last. The fact is confirmed that Clinton has returned to N.Y. with part of the Southern army, and has joined Kniphausen. They are at present maneuvering for purposes not absolutely known, but most probably in order to draw Gnl Washington to an action in which they suppose he may be disabled to give the necessary co-operation...
46To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 23 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Nothing material has taken place since my last. The fact is confirmed that Clinton has returned to N.Y. with part of the Southern army, and has joined Kniphausen. They are at present man[oeuvering] for purposes not absolutely known, but most probably in order to draw Genl. Washington to an action in which they suppose he may be disabled to give the necessary co-operation to the french...
47Committee Report on Letter from Nathanael Greene, [22 July] 1780 (Madison Papers)
FC ( NA : PCC , No. 19, II, 449–51). This report is in JM’s hand. The Committee to whom was referred the letter of the 19th. of June last from General Greene, desiring the sense of Congress on his responsibility as Q. M. General for the expenditures of his Agents submit the following report. They conceive it to be essential to the public interest as well as incident to the nature of all...
48Committee Report on Letter from Jonathan Trumbull, [29 July] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 20, I, 261). In JM’s hand. Docketed by Charles Thomson “Report of the Comee on the letter of May 1. 1780 from Govr Trumbull—Delivered July 29. 1780 passd.” The Committee to whom was referred the letter from Governor Trumbull of May 1. 1780, report as their opinion that Jeremiah Wadsworth late commissary general be directed to make sale of the public sugars stated in the...
49Committee Report on Letter to Rochambeau, [17? August] 1780 (Madison Papers)
Draft ( NA : PCC , No. 78, XVIII, 319–20). Proposed reply to be made by the president of Congress to the Comte de Rochambeau’s letter to him of 3 August 1780. Except for minor amendments noted below, the letter was drafted by JM between 12 and 17 August 1780. The Committee to whom was referred the letter of the 3d. inst: from le Compte de Rochambeau, report the following answer to be given by...
50Certification That Six States Have Complied with 18 March 1780 Resolutions of Congress, 5 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS (Virginia State Library). The text is in JM’s hand. We, Delegates from the Commonwealth of Virginia do certify that Congress have received authenticated copies of Acts of the Legislatures of the following States, complying with their resolutions of the 18th. of March last relative to the public finances, viz. 1. An Act of the Legislature of Maryland passed the 12th. day of June 1780....
51From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 12 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). The address sheet is missing, but Pendleton wrote on the letter: “James Maddison, Esqr. Sepr. 12. 1780.” Although the originals of most of the letters from Pendleton to JM have not been found (see headnote to Pendleton to JM, 27 August 1780 ), JM’s letters to Pendleton, insofar as their present location is known, are with one exception in two repositories—the Library...
52Resolutions Respecting Vermont Lands, [16 September] 1780 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 20, II, 249–52). These resolutions were merely one episode in an exceedingly difficult and prolonged controversy into which Congress was first drawn on 8 May 1776 ( Journals of the Continental Congress , IV, 334–35, 405). During the war, the concern of Congress about the dispute among New Hampshire, New York, and, to a lesser degree, Massachusetts over jurisdiction and land...
53From James Madison to Joseph Jones, 19 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Wishing to recover his letters to Jones, JM wrote for them on 21 October 1817 to James Monroe , the nephew of Jones and custodian of his papers. Monroe returned eleven, all dated in 1780. Of these, the one given below is the earliest. JM, or some other person at an undetermined time, bracketed portions of these letters for publication. The last two paragraphs of this...
54From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 19 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I was in hopes when I wrote my last that I should be able by this post to congratulate you on the arrival of the french fleet from the W. Indies But so far is this from being the case, that it comes from authority which seems to have a just claim to our faith that Admiral Rodney is actually at the Hook with 12. Sail of the line & 4 frigates. It is still said however...
RC (Mrs. Henry M. Sage, Albany, N.Y., 1958). The inclosed is a state of my receipts and expences from the 20 of March to the 20 of Sepr. being two complete quarters. I am sensible that the law directs that it should have been transmitted at the end of the first quarter, but my account of extra expences, being mixed with that of some Gentlemen of the family who were absent, I could not then do...
56Expense Account as Delegate in Congress, [25 September] 1780 (Madison Papers)
Dr. James Madison Junr. in account with the Commo[n]wealth of Virginia Cr. 1779 Dollars 1780 Dollars December To cash received from the Treasury of Virginia. 6666⅔ March 20 By ferriages in travelling to Philadelphia 122 By allowance of 2 dollars per mile for do 520 1780 April 7 To the moity of a draught on the Auditors for 30,000 dollars in favor of S. C. Morris by C. Griffin & J. Madison Jr....
57From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 26 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Although the cover sheet is missing with the name of the addressee, “Madison Jas.” is written above the date in Jefferson’s hand. I am at length able to give you some answer on the subject of the map in the hands of Dr. Smith. As the Docr. lived out of Town and it was difficult to know when he was to be found in it, and as I supposed the request would go with greater...
58From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 26 September 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Yesterday’s post disappointed me of the expected pleasure of a line from you. I hope the next will not fail to make amends for it. I have nothing to add to the inclosed paper except that Ternay is yet unreinforced, Graves at Sea no one knows where or for what purpose, and Rodney with 10 Ships of the line still at the Hook, though according to some private accounts he...
59To Thomas Jefferson from James Madison, 26 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I am at length able to give you some answer on the subject of the map in the hands of Dr. Smith . As the Doctor lived out of Town and it was difficult to know when he was to be found in it, and as I supposed the request would go with greater weight through Mr. Rittenhouse, I asked the favor of him to speak to the Doctor on the subject. Through forgetfulness or want of opportunity he failed to...
60From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 3 October 1780 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). I had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 25 ulo. yesterday and am sorry it is not yet in my power to gratify your hopes with any prospect of a successful issue to this campaign. The reports of the approach or arrival of a French fleet continue to be circulated, and to prove groundless. If any foreign operations are undertaken on the continent it will probably be...