1From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 13 March 1815 (Madison Papers)
In pursuance of the authority vested in me by Law, I do hereby request and authorise you, during the absence of the Secy of War, to perform the Duties of that office. RC (owned by Alexander D. Wainwright, Princeton, N.J., 1957). In a clerk’s hand, signed and dated by JM . JM nominated William Harris Crawford as secretary of war on 2 Mar. 1815, and the Senate confirmed the appointment the...
2From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 14 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I recd. by the Mail of this morning your two letters of the 11th. & 12th. instant, with the several papers to which they refer. That of the 9th. came to hand yesterday. The construction of the 5 Sect: of the Act fixing the Mil: Establishment is not without difficulty. Do not the terms & interpretation of former Acts of Congs. determine the question whether “men” means privates &c. only, or...
3From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 16 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I receive by the Mail of this morning your two letters of the 13 & 14. The letter for Genl. Jackson, cannot be improved, and I lose no time in returning it. The cases recommended by Gen. Scott for brevets, are strong ones, and I suppose cannot well be rejected. I am aware with you however that these honorary commissions, already so much multiplied, are in danger of losing their value. If you...
4From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 18 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your two letters of the 15 & 16. inst: I approve the transfers you propose, in the army appropriations, and will give the formal sanction to them, as soon as I receive the usual document for signature. I approve also the course you have in view for winding up the affairs of the Army, and am glad to find that you will be able so far to overcome the pecuniary difficulties. I have...
5From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 19 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have at length run thro’ the trial of Gen: Wilkinson, and send it to you, with an approbation of the sentence of the Court. I send also the trial of Capt: Hanson with a decision conformable to the sentence & recommendation of the Court in his case. Affe. respects RC ( CSmH ). Docketed by Dallas. For Maj. Gen. James Wilkinson’s 1815 court-martial, see Henry Dearborn to JM , 26 Jan. 1815 ,...
6From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 20 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have just recd. yours of . I wish that the arrival of Brown, may have been followed by a compromise satisfactory to Ripley. If it should not, the case of the latter becomes unpleasant in several respects. Can a Court of Enquiry be refused if he insists on it? I am led to believe that if disappointed altogether, he will think himself bound to lay his case before the public. It must be...
7From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 23 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 20th. and return the correspondence with Genl: Ripley. I hope it will be followed by all the advantages which it promises. I rcd. yesterday from Mr. Graham a blank brevet Commission for him. It was suggested that a reference might be inserted to the Resolution of Congs. Unless some valuable purpose wd. be attained by it, it may be best to decline a precedent which...
8From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 25 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
The Mail due yesterday having failed I did not receive till this morning your communications dated on the 2 2d. inst. As it appears that no legal consideration is opposed to the appt. of Bissel & Smith to Regts. their just claims to that arrangement can not be doubted. The brevets to them may be issued when you chuse. It has been mentioned that Smith wd. gladly accept the Creek agency, which...
9From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 28 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
I am just favored with yours of the 25th. The paper inclosed in it is returned without delay. It is well adapted to its delicate object. I have merely noted for your consideration, a change of expression in page 3. “the enjoyment of undisturbed rights &a;” not being secured , like the renown of the Army; and another in page 4th. in order to guard agst. the criticisms of those who may not have...
10From James Madison to Alexander J. Dallas, 29 April 1815 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed letter, tho’ anonymous, makes statements & references, in a manner which is embarrassing at the present moment. Should the posture of the military arrangements, admit nothing farther, the location of the officer thus criminated, ought at least to be influenced by the representations, unless these be invalidated in some mode or other, before the final allotments be made to military...