1James Madison to George W. Featherstonhaugh, 13 March 1828 (Madison Papers)
I have duly recd. your letter of Feby. 28. and congratulate you on your return from your transatlantic visit, so rich in the Geological spoils of a foreign region, and with the laudable purpose of gathering like tributes from your own. To say nothing of this Continent, compared with the other, it cannot be doubted that the U. States rival in that kind of resources, any equal portion of the...
2George W. Featherstonehaugh to James Madison, 1 March 1829 (Madison Papers)
I have directed the Publisher to forward to you a little Work which has engaged some of my hours of a melancholy leisure this winter. Having almost lost every one that was dear to me, and my domestic happiness being entirely broken up, my mind turns willingly to Contemplative pursuits. If you have not read the original, my translation will in an imperfect manner, make you acquainted with some...
3James Madison to George W. Featherstonhaugh, 2 July 1829 (Madison Papers)
I can not at so late a day acknowledge the receipt of your favor of Mar. 1. without feeling that I owe an explanation of the delay. The truth is that it was at first occasioned by the idea that I should soon be able to combine with my thanks for the agreeable little volume accompanying your letter, those due for the important one from your own pen, and this cause of the delay was followed by...
4G. W. Featherstonhaugh to James Madison, 3 January 1830 (Madison Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive your Letter of the 2nd July, and immediately directed the Publisher of my Translation of Cicero’s Republic to forward you another Copy, the first not having reached you. Being comparatively so near to you, I meant on my arrival at this place to have paid a Visit to Richmond, that I might have had the very great gratification of paying my personal respects to you,...
5James Madison to George W. Featherstonhaugh, 7 January 1830 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your’s of the 3d. instant. A regard for consistency does not permit me to take the Step you wish in behalf of your Son’s views towards Westpoint. But I can not withold an expression of the pleasure I feel at the testimony borne by his Preceptor to his talents & worth. And the pleasure is enhanced by his relation to an old and intimate friend, whose able & patriotic labours I had...
6George W. Featherstonehaugh to James Madison, 4 December 1833 (Madison Papers)
I had the unfeigned pleasure of receiving your letter, respecting the proper manner of opening to the public the extent of the mineral resources of Virginia. I beg to assure you it is particularly gratifying to me, to find your opinion of the utility of a measure we have so frequently conversed about, entirely coinciding with my own. I sit down most willingly to give you a sketch of my opinion...
7James Madison to George W. Featherstonhaugh, 8 December 1833 (Madison Papers)
I have just recd. your of the 6th. I am glad to find the public attention in Virginia at length turning towards the mineral resources of the State, and that you are promoting it by the communications, which your Science & observations enable you to make. A Geological survey, skilfully conducted seems to be the most obvious & effectual preparation for the discoveries in view, as well in...
8George W. Featherstonehaugh to James Madison, 1 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
It was with much reluctance I gave up the idea of calling to see you on my way to the Mountains, but, I had never been through the Shenandoah Valley, and as we (My Wife, and my eldest Son) took our departure from Baltimore, I went to Harper’s Ferry by the way of the railroad, as far as Fredericktown in Maryland, and then took a Carriage to the Potomac. Following that fine Valley to Staunton,...
9James Madison to George W. Featherstonehaugh, 3 July 1835 (Madison Papers)
My increasing infirmities and fading vision have retarded my thanks for the copy of your valuable Geological Report, to which I have been obliged to give a perusal less careful than I am persuaded it merits, and I must add without a scientific capacity to do full justice to it. The survey must have been a very fatiguing task which I hope has not impaired your health, and that the result will...
10George W. Featherstonehaugh to James Madison, 15 July 1835 (Madison Papers)
The expressions of esteem contained in the letter you have taken the trouble to write me, are very dear to me: notwithstanding your advanced age I cherish the hope of being permitted to see you again, and of saying a few words to you on the Subject of my somewhat extended travels, which are rather out of the usual course. I am at present examining a very interesting Country, where the Potomac...