To James Madison from James Barbour, 14 February 1824
From James Barbour
Washington Feby. 14th. 24
Dear Sir
In reply to yours of the 11th. I beg leave to inform you that I presented again to Mr. Barbour your claim, who has promised to meet it in a few weeks. Should he do so I will advise you of it immediately. On the subject of our note to the Bank Mr. Allen informed me that as the Mr Taliaferros1 did not present a satisfactory note the old one was continued. He had written them on the subject. I have heard nothing from him since. The moment I do I will take the needful measures.
| We have here, as you may well suppose, a troubled Scene—Offering but little consolation to one who feels only for his Country. We Shall meet to night about 70 strong.2 Add to these about 20 more who either from principle or fear will not attend—which is about Mr. Crawford’s Strength. Take the following scale of the Strength of the different Candidates as presenting something near the fact—and State of parties—Crawford | 93 |
| Adams | 38 |
| Clay | 32 |
| Calhoun | 25 |
| Jackson | 23 |
| 211 | |
| Doubtful | 9 |
| Fedlst. say | 40 |
| Absent | 1 |
| 261. |
I should not be surprized if Mr Gallatin should be recommended by our party for the Vice Presidency. I offer you my best respects
James Barbour
RC (DLC).
1. Baldwin and Hay Taliaferro Jr. made a part of the association of shareholders of the Swift Run Gap Turnpike Company (see James Barbour to JM, 7 Dec. 1823, and n. 1). Hay Taliaferro Jr. (1757–1834) was the proprietor of Rose Hill in Orange County, Virginia, the plantation bequeathed to him by his father, Lawrence Taliaferro (William Buckner McGroarty, “The Family Register of Nicholas Taliaferro,” 2nd ser., 1 [1921]: 160–61; Richmond Enquirer, 27 Feb. 1834).
2. In a caucus of the Republican members of Congress on 14 Feb. 1824, William Harris Crawford received sixty-four votes, John Quincy Adams, two votes, and Andrew Jackson and Nathaniel Macon, one vote each, for president. Albert Gallatin received fifty-seven votes for vice president, with eight others receiving at least one vote (Daily National Intelligencer, 16 Feb. 1824).