1Robert R. Livingston to Virginia Delegates, 15 March 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of a clerk, except for Livingston’s signature. Addressed to “The Honorable The Delegates for the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Docketed, “Ro. Livingston enclosing Aubrey Memorial.” The file copy of the letter is in NA : PCC , No. 119, III, 241. I have the honor to enclose a translation of a Memorial from Lewis Auby transmitted to me by Dr. Franklin with a...
2To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 19 July 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Cover missing. Docketed by JM over the date line, “Livingston R. R,” and in the right margin at the close of the letter, “Rob. Livingston July 19. 1783.” The draft copy, among the Robert R. Livingston Papers in the New-York Historical Society, frequently varies in text from that received by JM. I have this moment been informed that the definitive treaty is concluded,...
Abstract. Ca. 20 February 1791, New York. A cover addressed to JM, with Livingston’s article, “Thoughts on Coinage,” clipped from the 19 Feb. 1791 N.Y. Daily Advertiser and pasted on the verso. “Robert R. Livingston” written across top of clipping. Livingston sent the same article to Jefferson on 20 Feb. 1791 and enclosed a letter which, among other matters, deplored “a territorial division of...
4To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 20 October 1793 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Adair the bearer of this having done me the favor to spend a few days here I found so much pleasure in his society that I am persuaded that I shall do you a mutual favor in bringing you acquainted with each other. He proposes to pass some months in Virginia. You will find him extremely well informed on most subjects & particularly so in every branch of natural history & chymistry. He will...
5To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 30 January 1795 (Madison Papers)
You will probably think when you have read this that I avail myself of slight circumstances to open a correspondence with you And perhaps it will be candid to own thus, that desire has had no little influence upon my pen. I do not find that you have at Philadelphia any direct intelligence from Mr Jay it may therefore be useful to you to know the intelligence we have recd a little more...
6To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 6 July 1795 (Madison Papers)
I sincerely condole with you on the ratification of the treaty which sacrafices every essential interest & prostrates the honor of our country. I had indeed little hope of Mr. Jays rendering us any essential service. His hatred to France & the violence with which he entered into the system of the ministerialists whose views have long appeared to me to be such as I do not chuse to explain but...
7To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 16 November 1795 (Madison Papers)
I am much pleased to find from yours of the 10th. Augt. that your State are in sentiment with you & every other American patriot on the subject of the treaty. Here unhappily a greater diversity of sentiment prevails, or rather the violence of party stifles all sentiment. The leaders find an interest in deceiving the ignorant & those who have supported Mr. Jay are ready to catch at any thing to...
8To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 30 May 1801 (Madison Papers)
Next to the pleasure of paying my respects to the President, & seeing my friends, my object in Visiting this place was to receive your instructions, & any information you may think it proper to afford me on the subject of my mission, as well as to assertain the time & manner of my departure, that I may make my domestic arrangments accord with them. I will do myself the honor to wait upon you...
9To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 13 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
At Philadelphia Mr: Latrobe and Mr: Rosevelt shewed me proposals that they were about submitting to your inspection and consideration relative to the mint and requested me to state to you my opinion thereon it is certain that the Coin we now make is very imperfect & that the manner of Coining is more expensive than that they proposed if we must Coin (which by the by I have always Considered as...
10To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 1 July 1801 (Madison Papers)
Since leaving Washington I have maturly reflected on the principles adopted by the President on the subject of neutral rights. The more I consider them, the more sound they appear to me. It has always been my opinion that the law of nations must necessarily take its complextion from the existing circumstances of nations, & must of course change with those circumstances. When the revenues of...
11To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 16 September 1801 (Madison Papers)
I write to you in haste from the post Office where I have this moment recd your favor of the 4th. I have been much embarrassed since the ar[r]ival of the Maryland, as to the steps I was to persue, I knew that the treaty was not ratified, & as my departure seemed to depend on that event, I was at a loss to determine whether the president might not find it necessary to call the Senate before I...
12To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 28 September 1801 (Madison Papers)
On the rect of your favor of the 4th. I broke up my family & came to this place where I am arranging every thing for my departure. I have not however yet recd my despatches commission &c. Within five days after their arrival I shall be on board. I find from all the inquiries I can make here, that there will be little or no saving in point of time between sending the ship to Havre or Bourdeux....
13To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 8 October 1801 (Madison Papers)
Some fatality seems to attend my geting away. After waiting impatiently for my dispatches in this place (where both my family & ships crew incur some risk of the yellow fever) & having just recd them, I prepared to embark on saturday, when the ship in coming round the battery, with a pilot on board of 20 years standing, in fine weather, struck upon a bank that was well known to every body...
14To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 9 October 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
9 October 1801, New York. In accordance with his letter of “yesterday & this day,” has drawn on JM for $9,000 in favor of David Gelston, who advanced the money for his outfit. RC ( DNA : RG 59, DD , France, vol. 8). 1 p.; docketed by Wagner as received 13 Oct.
15To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 10 October 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
10 October 1801, New York. Reports Boston “got off the rocks last night” undamaged and will be ready to sail by Tuesday [13 Oct.]. In postscript, states that accounts from France confirm British capture of Cairo; believes Alexandria will follow. Notes that yellow fever in city has ceased. RC ( DNA : RG 59, DD , France, vol. 8). 1 p.; docketed by Wagner. The Boston finally sailed on 15 Oct....
16To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 12 November 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have just now landed here after a verry boisterous passage, ’tho Havre would been more convenient to me, yet as this port accorded better with the future destination of the frigate I preferred it. I found here a Seventy four, several frigates & a number of transports with troops on board, destined for St. Domingo; they sail as soon as the wind is fair as does also a large Armament from...
17To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 22 November 1801 (Madison Papers)
I arrived this evening from L’Orient at this place, I have yet seen nobody here from whom I could collect any sort of information of what is doing at Paris. At L’Orient I met with Genl. Desfourneaux who is going with the armament that sails from that place for St. Domingo. He told me that it was probable that either Adet or Mr. De Puissay (who was Aid to the Marquis La Fayette & his fellow...
18To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 10 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
I arrived here after a fatiguing journey, of near four hundred miles, on the evening of the 3d. inst. I sent Mr. Sumter the next day to the minister of foreign affairs, to inform him of my arrival & to request an audience; which he gave me the next day. On the 6th. I had my public audience from the First Consul, to whom I presented my letter of credence & the address (a copy of which is...
19To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 12 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
In addition to what I wrote you yesterday I have only to mention that I am more & more confirmed notwithstanding what I there say of the minister’s assurances that Louisiana is a favorite object and that they will be unwilling to part with it on the conditions I mentioned. Speaking of the means of paying their debts to one of their Ministers yesterday I hinted at this. His reply was “none but...
20To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 31 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have so lat[e]ly written to you that I have little to add but what is contained in my letters to you & one to the president which he will communicate to you. I enclose a letter which I send by this conveyance to Mr. King (this going round by England) which I hope you will approve. This business of Luissania is very disagreeable as far as I can learn to Spain, if it should be equaly so to...
21To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 13 January 1802 (Madison Papers)
My former letters left you little doubt on the subject of the cession of Louisiana, by the enclosed copy of the late treaty between France & Spain you will find that it is a transaction of pretty long standing. The absence of the minister, prevents my applying to him for the former treaty, which he will hardly know how to give me after absolutely denying that any had been formed on the...
22To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 26 January 1802 (Madison Papers)
Since my last of the 13th. inst, a duplicate of which has been forwarded, nothing extraordinary has occurred, unless it be the completion of the act I Mentioned. The Senate are now designating what members of the Tribunat & Corps legislatif shall stay in which they say is not the same thing as designating who are to go out however none of the opposition members will stay in. This is considered...
23To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 30 January 1802 (Madison Papers)
I have just sent my Letters by a private hand to Havre. This may overtake them & inform you that Bonaparte is chosen president of the Cisalpine republic, & has accepted for as long a time as his services may be necessary. The constitution is not yet known. The presidentcy is either for life or for 20 years, I believe the latter. However disagreeable this may be to the great powers, they will...
24To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 15 February 1802 (Madison Papers)
Nothing extraordinary has occurred since my last. The definitive treaty is not yet signed. It is asserted some difficulties are started on account of reinstating France in her former commercial situation with respect to Turkey, the British claiming similar advantages in consequence of their last treaty. It is also reported that Russia is not satisfied with the new order of things in the...
25To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 26 February 1802 (Madison Papers)
I have written to you by the way of havre & by that conveyance you will receive packets &c. but as I would wish to omit no opportunit[y] I send this to L’Orient from whence I am told that a vessel is about to sail for Norfolk. You will find by the notes I sent you at different times that the administration here preserve the most absolute silence as to every point on which I press them & I am...
26To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, [14] March 1802 (Madison Papers)
I yesterday recieved the duplicate and triplicate of your letter of the 19th. december last the original not having come to hand. This is the first and only letter I have been honored with from you since my arrival. I immediately sent one of the copies of the Presidents proclamation to the Minister of Foreign Relations with the enclosed note no. 1. I had before anticipated the inconveniences...
27To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 15 March 1802 (Madison Papers)
After closing my packet I recd the note of which the within is a copy. It amounts to nothing, but it must serve to keep me quiet a few days longer—till they see what turn the business takes at Amiens which becomes more & more doubtful. The bad news from St Domingo also renders it necessary to keep us in suspence. I have already expressed my fear that American property in the Islands will not...
28To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 22 March 1802 (Madison Papers)
I have nothing to add to the letters just sent you by the way of Baltimore but the enclosed note just recieved —from this you will find that the construction given to the second article of the convention differs materially from ours & will if supported greatly narrow the ground of our claims. You will also see in it rather an evasion of the points I have pressed them upon than an answer to...
29To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 27 March 1802 (Madison Papers)
The vessel not going so soon as was expected gives me an opportunity of informing you that the definitive treaty was signed the day before yesterday differing very little from the preliminary Articles. You will find it in the enclosed papers. It is however understood that Martinique is to remain with the british till the debts are ⟨paid for French prisoners.⟩ I send you a note (No 1) from the...
30To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 24 April 1802 (Madison Papers)
I send with this duplicates of my two last letters & the notes that have since passed between me & the minister on the subject of prizes tho I found much clamor on my arrival I confess I have found less reason for it than I expected there are not more than four or five cases on which we have any just cause of complaint. The Winyaw mentioned in my note was evidently british property covered by...