191To James Madison from John Francis Mercer, 12 November 1784 (Madison Papers)
Altho’ I should have blush’d to have met you, after having so long delay’d repaying the money you kindly advanc’d me, yet the sincere pleasure I felt in the expectation of again taking you by the hand effaced every other impression & my dissapointment was real when I learn’d that you had return’d to the South without my meeting you. After you left me in Congress—I was subjected to the...
192Import Duties, [14 April] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The Committee of the Whole proceeded to set the amount of duty on each of the enumerated articles, beginning with rum. Sherman proposed fifteen cents per gallon; Laurance preferred twelve cents. Mr. Madison . I would tax this article with as high a duty as can be collected, and I am sure if we judge from what we have heard and seen in the several parts of the union; that it is the sense of the...
193From James Madison to Tench Coxe, 20 January 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have received and forwarded your letter and pamphlet to Mr. King. The latest information from Boston makes it probable that every aid to the fœderal cause will be wanted there. The antifederal party have found such reinfor⟨ce⟩ments in the Insurgents, and the province of Maine which is afraid of creating obstacles to her separation, that there is the most serious reason to apprehend the...
194Virginia Delegates to Edmund Randolph, 25 July 1788 (Madison Papers)
We do ourselves the honor to inclose to your Excellency a paper which was put into our hands a few days ago by the Minister of France at a conference he had with us at his own request upon the case of Capt. Ferrier, the subject of a late Resolution of Congress. Your Excellency must have observed from that Resolution that Congress was careful to avoid a decision as to the Authority to which...
195To James Madison from Samuel A. Otis, 4 February 1789 (Madison Papers)
The notice you have been pleased to honor me with I hope will apologize for this freedom upon a subject quite personal. I had the fairest prospect when I parted from you of an election for one of the Districts of Massachusetts, but as my life has been clouded with dissappointment I failed here also in my expectations. I however contemplated the object rather as a precarious means of...
196To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 27 July 1788 (Madison Papers)
I have just risen from a violent bilious attack, which has vexed me for nearly a fortnight past. But as I am a victim at present to weakness only, I am indulged in the liberty of acknowledging the receipt of your favor of the 16th. instant. We hear nothing of the constitution on this side of the river. On the other indeed the discontents are said to be loud; but it does not appear that any of...
197To James Madison from John Leland, [ca. 15 February] 1789 (Madison Papers)
I congratulate you in your Appointment, as a Representative to Congress ; and if my Undertaking in the Cause conduced Nothing else towards it, it certainly gave Mr. Madison one Vote. I expect that Congress will be very busy for some years, in filling a continental Blank with a Code of general Laws; and I think it will be very Judicious to send those Laws very liberally into the States, that...
198To James Madison from George Muter, 23 September 1786 (Madison Papers)
There will be so many members of convention absent, principally from being engaged in the present expeditions against the Indians, that I am doubtfull there will not a sufficient number meet to chuse a president & proceed to business. It is probable therefore, that the question respecting a separation will not be determined at the ensuing meeting of Convention, & perhaps not before next...
199To James Madison from William Nelson, Jr., 7 May 1787 (Madison Papers)
In consequence of your polite promise to take charge of any letters that I might wish to send to my friend Mr. Short, I take the liberty of troubling you with the inclosed, and beg the favor of you, to have it put into the mail at New York, which goes by the French-packet. Mr. Wythe and Mr. Blair sailed from York this morning for the head of Elk. May not a favorable effect be hoped from the...
200From James Madison to George Washington, 14 January 1788 (Madison Papers)
The Daily Advertizer of this date contains several important articles of information, which need only be referred to. I inclose it with a few other late papers. Neither French nor English packet is yet arrived; and the present weather would prevent their getting in if they should be on the Coast. I have heard nothing of Consequence from Massachussetts since my last. The accounts from New...