261Naturalization, [3 February] 1790 (Madison Papers)
The first clause of the naturalization bill, requiring one year’s residence by aliens for citizenship and an additional residence of two years to be capable of holding either a state or federal office, was under consideration. Tucker moved to strike out the one-year residence requirement in order to permit aliens to purchase and hold lands immediately upon taking an oath of allegiance. Mr....
262Madison’s Rebuttal to “The Earth Belongs to the Living” Precept, 4 February 1790 (Editorial Note) (Madison Papers)
JM’s cogent reply to Jefferson’s famous 6 September 1789 letter with its radical proposition that “the earth belongs to the living, not to the dead,” now needs little introduction to the serious scholar. Yet there were generations of Americans who studied Jefferson without knowledge of Madison’s philosophical chiding of his fellow Virginian; an oversight corrected since the 1940s by the...
263From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 4 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. of Jany. inclosing one of Sepr. last did not get to hand till a few days ago. The idea which the latter evolves is a great one, and suggests many interesting reflections to legislators; particularly when contracting and providing for public debts. Whether it can be received in the extent your reasonings give it, is a question which I ought to turn more in my thoughts...
264To James Madison from Andrew Ellicott, [4 February] 1790 (Madison Papers)
Latitude Note These Longitudes though sufficiently correct for common Geographical purposes, will nevertheless be rendered more accurate, when the Meridional Tangent to the west end of Lake Ontario, is carried on to the north boundary of Pennsylvania. Longitude, from the Meridian of Philadelphia ° ′ ″ ° ′ ″ Fort Erie 48.. 53.. 17 N 3.. 39..
265To James Madison from Edward Carrington, 5 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
I am favored with yours of the 24. Ult. and am much releived by it from apprehensions that your indisposition, of which I had heard by several hands, was of so serious a Nature, as, at least to detain you on the way longer than it has. I hope you have perfectly recovered. I thank you for your remarks upon my appointment under the fedl Govt. I shall never pretend to an intire indifference upon...
266To James Madison from Walter Jones, 5 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
I have had Such advantage from our past correspondence, as to make it my Interest and Inclination to acknowledge it, and at the Same time to assure you of the pleasure I shall take in the renewal of it, So far as is perfectly convenient to you. We have as yet heard very little of the proceedings of your present Session, tho we doubt not that the most interesting Subjects will Come under yr....
267To James Madison from Tobias Lear, 7 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
In obedience to the command of the President of the United States, I have the honor to enclose you a letter from Peyton Short Esquire resigning his Commission of Collector of the Port of Louisville in Kentuckey, and to request that you will be so good as to consult with Mr. Brown, and any other Gentlemen from Virginia who are acquainted with characters in that part of the Country, upon a...
268From James Madison to Tobias Lear, 7 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
I have consulted with Mr. Brown on the subject of a Successor to Mr. Short. He is apprehensive that the reasons which induced Mr. S. to decline his appointment will have the same weight with any other person who could be recommended. He names Col: Richard Taylor as worthy of the appointment, and as not more likely to follow the example of Mr. Short, than any other fit person within his...
269Census, [8 February] 1790 (Madison Papers)
A six-month time limit was proposed to complete the census. Mr. Madison said, that some states had been in the practice of taking a census, but to others it was a new business; and this consideration should demand a longer time. But there was another consideration—the marshal might die, during the time of transacting his business; the President must be made acquainted with this, and it would...
270To James Madison from William Cavenough, 10 February 1790 (Madison Papers)
Pardon the liberty I take in addressing myself to you, who I have not the Honor to be Known to. My presuming on this freedom, is as much from the severity of my present unhappy Situation, as from a persuasion, that you are a Gentleman of Humanity who can make allowances for improprieties, which are the Offspring of Necessity and real distress: The World sir has severely frown’d upon me, and...