1Creation of the National Capital, 6 April 1791 (Editorial Note) (Madison Papers)
In the 1790 legislative skirmish over the national capital, JM led the fight for the Potomac site, but once that battle was won the executive branch took charge. Thereafter, JM was not officially involved in planning the new federal district. His interest, however, never flagged, and he was frequently consulted from the summer of 1790 onward (Memorandum on the Residence Bill, ca. 29 Aug. 1790,...
2To James Madison from Daniel Carroll, 6 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have flatterd myself with hopes of receiving a line from you with information of the time you woud be at this place. On enquiry however I find it incertain whether you wou’d not turn yr. face to the East. Shou’d that not be the Case, I claim yr. promise of letting me know when I may expect to see you, & hope you will arrange matters so as not to be in a hurry to proceed when you get to this...
3To James Madison from the Right Reverend James Madison, 10 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
I am greatly obliged for your Favours by Col. Griffin. The Pleasure, wh. I receive from your Communications, is always particularly agreable; I often wish they were more frequent, but I know the Constancy of your Attention to Matters of more Moment; and it is with real Concern, that I hear your Attention to them has been the means of impairing your Health. I hope however, it will be...
4From James Madison to Daniel Carroll, 10 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 10 April 1791. Acknowledged in Carroll to JM, 23 Apr. 1791 . JM apparently sought details of the land acquisitions within the area set aside for the federal district on the Potomac.
5From James Madison to Ambrose Madison, 11 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
I herewith inclose by a conveyance to Fredericksburg three pamphlets as requested by my father, the other by yourself: to which is added a list of the seeds &c sent lately to Mr Maury, according to the information contained in my last. I have not heard from you in answer to my letter on the subject of Tobacco. I have informed Mr Maury of my request to you to forward a few of the Hhds to this...
6From James Madison to James Monroe, 12 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your note of the 8th. March left in Philada. was not put into my hands till the 24th. I immediately took the proper steps for complying with the desire of Mr. Brackenridge, and now inclose the information obtained for him. The Books are to be had according to the Editions & prices annexed to his list of Mr. Rice of this City. Should Mr. Brackenridge be satisfied with them, which in most...
7To James Madison from Richard Bland Lee, 17 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
I wrote to you immediately on my return to Virginia relative to my projected peregrination with you thro’ the Eastern States. I had then doubts whether I should be able to accomplish this design. Various circumstances have since occurred—to compel me to relinquish a journey so useful and agreeable and a companion so delectable. I please myself however with the hope that it will be in all...
8Memorandum to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 18 April] 1791 (Madison Papers)
Substance of a Conversation held by Js. Madison Jr with Col: Beckwith, at the desire of Mr. Jefferson— Last evening offered the first opportunity of breaking to Col B—— the subject for which he has been thought a proper channel to the Governour of Canada. It was explicitly made known to him, that besides its being generally understood that the N. W. Indians were supplied with the means of war...
9From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 18 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 18 April 1791. Noted by JM in his list of letters to Jefferson as relating to the “conversation with Beckwith” (DLC: Rives Collection, Madison Papers).
10To James Madison from Edward Carrington, 20 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Until I was informed of the intention of the President to pass through this City, I had not been here for several weeks. The consequence was that your letter of the 27th. Feby. as well as many others were in the post Office a considerable time before I got them, and that which you was good enough to favor me with by Mr. Giles I did not receive until I met him a few days ago. I confess myself...
11To James Madison from Daniel Carroll, 23 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Yr. favor of the 10th Instant came to hand. The Commissioners were then met to take deeds from the parties according to the articles I inclosd to you. There occur’d a dificulty—some of the parties were of opinion that the lines of the propos’d city shou’d not contain more than within the Limits expresd by the president at the time of the accomodation (abt 4000 Ac[r]es), others contended that...
12From James Madison to James Madison, Sr., 23 April 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 23 April 1791. Acknowledged in letter from JM’s father of 11 May 1791 . Recommends sending tobacco to Thomas Leiper of Philadelphia for sale if prices in Virginia do not rise, and probably suggests that a power of attorney be executed to convert loan office certificates held in the father’s name into U.S. treasury notes.
13Notes on Hudson Valley Lodgings, [post 24 April] 1791 (Madison Papers)
Best Taverns over the Bridge Kings bridge—New House Crowtons—A Widow Purdie Peekskill—Excellent Fish kill—2d. Tavern near a new Church good beds—bad dinner— Near this a curious spring noted by Colles in his chart enquire of it for Ct. Andriani Poughkepsie—Capt: Weeks— Reinbeck X—very bad— Red Hook—very good Claverack—best accommodations 1 mile beyond at a
14From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 1 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Finding on my arrival at Princeton that both Docr. Witherspoon & Smith had made excursions in the Vacation, I had no motive to detain me there; and accordingly pursuing my journey I arrived here the day after I left Philada. My first object was to see Dorhman. He continues to wear the face of honesty, and to profess much anxiety to discharge the claims of Mazzei; but acknowledges that all his...
15To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 9 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 1st. came to hand on the 3d. Mr. Freneau has not followed it: I suppose therefore he has changed his mind back again, for which I am really sorry. I have now before me a huge bundle of letters, the only business between me & my departure. I think I can be through them by the end of the week, in which case I will be with you by Tuesday or Wednesday, if nothing new comes in to...
16To James Madison from Ambrose Madison, 9 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 9 May 1791. Acknowledged in JM to his brother, 19 May 1791 . Concerns tobacco consignments and the possibility of dealing with a Philadelphia merchant. Perhaps the letter was forwarded to Philadelphia merchant Thomas Leiper.
17To James Madison from James Madison, Sr., 11 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 23d. Ulto. in which you say you think I should have done well if I had sent a few Hhds. Tobo. to Mr Leiper: if Tobo. does not take a rise here; will it be too late to send it to him in June or July; if it will not, I probably may send him 12 or 13 Hhds. I have at Richmond; and 3 or 4 at Fredg if he will give the price you mention’d to me. I intend to send this letter...
18From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 12 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. was recd. last evening. To my thanks for the several inclosures I must add a request that the letter to Baynton which came in one of them may be handed to him by one of your servants. The directory will point out his habitation. I had seen Payne’s pamphlet with the preface of the Philada. Editor. It immediately occurred that you were brought into the Frontispiece in the...
19To James Madison from Thomas Leiper, ca. 18 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. Ca. 18 May 1791. Mentioned in JM to Ambrose Madison, 19 May 1791 . Answers JM’s brother’s query of 9 May 1791 regarding the marketing of tobacco in Philadelphia, with an apparent offer to handle consignments from both James Madison, Sr., and Ambrose Madison.
20From James Madison to Ambrose Madison, 19 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 9th. instant found me in this City. I immediately wrote to Mr. Leiper & this day recd his answer on the subject of Tobo. which I inclose. I think you & my father wd. do well to send your tobo. to him as soon as you can, takin⟨g⟩ care to send none but of the most respectable quality. I cannot comply here with my father’s request as to the raisins & Tamarinds. Before I left Philada....
21To James Madison from Ambrose Madison, ca. 29 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. Ca. 29 May 1791. Acknowledged in JM’s letter to his father, 2 July 1791 . Appears to touch on the possible sale of Orange County tobacco in Philadelphia.
22To James Madison from James Madison, Sr., 29 May 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 29 May 1791. Acknowledged in JM’s letter to his father, 2 July 1791 . Evidently makes further inquiries concerning the sale of tobacco and prices paid in the Philadelphia market.
23Notes on the Lake Country Tour, [31 May–7 June] 1791 (Madison Papers)
Until recent times historians interpreted the trip JM and Jefferson took to Lakes George and Champlain, as well as their swing through New England and across the Long Island Sound, as a politically motivated journey. Beguiled by the contemporary commentaries of Federalists, students of the period argued that the two Virginians sought northern support for their opposition to the Hamiltonian...
24To James Madison from Robert Pleasants, 6 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
Being appointed by a late Meeting of the Humane, or Abolition society in this State, to procure a presentation of their Memorial to Congress, on the Subject of the Slave trade; and believing thou art a friend to general liberty, I conclude it will not be disagreable to thee to endeavour to prevent, as fare as may be in thy power, the Cruelties, and inhuman treatment, which, to the disgrace of...
25To James Madison from George Nicholas, 20 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have delayed answering your favor by Mr Brown until this time that I might have an opportunity of informing you of the success of our volunteer expedition against the Indians. On the 23d. of May in the evening Genl. Scott moved from the N. W. side of the Ohio with about eight hundred mounted volunteers. On the first of June in the afternoon he entered the Indian town. He was discovered that...
26To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
I arrived here on Sunday evening. Yesterday I sent your note to Lieper who immediately called & paid the 200 Dollars, which I have exchanged for a post note & now inclose. I mentioned to the Atty. Gen. that I had a note on him, & afterwards sent it to him, saying nothing as to time. I inclose you also a post note for 35. Dollars to make up my deficit of expences (25.94 D.) to pay mr. Elsworth...
27From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 23 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
I received your favor of the 21st. yesterday, inclosing post notes for 235 dollars. I shall obtain the bills of Mrs. Elsworth & the Smith this afternoon and will let you know the amount of them. There is a bill also from the Taylor amounting to £6–7. which I shall pay. The articles for which it is due are in my hands and will be forwarded by the first opportunity. If a good one should fall...
28From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 27 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
By a Capt: Simms who setts off this afternoon in the Stage for Philadelphia I forward the Bundle of Cloaths from the Taylor. His bill is inclosed with that of Mrs. Elsworth including the payment to the Smith. I have seen Col: Smith more than once. He would have opened his budget fully to me, but I declined giving him the trouble. He has written to the President a state of all his conversations...
29To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 28 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 23d. has been duly recieved. The parcel from the taylor will probably come safely by the stage. With respect to the edition of Hamilton More’s book I took pains to satisfy myself of the best edition when I was in a better situation than I now am, to do it with success. The result was that the 6th. edn. was the last published under the examination of the author, & that the...
30From James Madison to Ambrose Madison, ca. 29 June 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. Ca. 29 June 1791. Mentioned in JM’s letter to his father, 2 July 1791 . Answers his brother’s queries concerning the tobacco market in Philadelphia and also gives a report on his trip to the lake regions in Vermont and through New England with Jefferson as a companion.
31From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 1 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I recd. yesterday your’s of the 28th. and this morning called on Col: Smith from whom I obtained the pamphlet & map, herewith inclosed. The former you are to keep. The latter being the last copy is to be sent back to him after satisfying yourself with it. With respect to the Map of S. America he says that it was obtained from the Engraver by Pitt & Grenville during the squabble with Spain, and...
32From James Madison to James Madison, Sr., 2 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 29th. of May never came to hand till yesterday when it fell in with me at this place. My brother’s of nearly the same date had done so a few days before. My answer to his went by the last mail. I refer to it for the information yours requests. I had indeed long before advised you both to ship to Leiper all the good Tobacco of your Crops. It is certainly the best you can do...
33To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 6 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have duly recieved your favours of June 27. & July 1. The last came only this morning. I now return Colo. Smith’s map with my acknolegements for the pamphlet & sight of the map. I inclose you a 60. Dollar bill, & beg the favor of you to remit 30. Dollars with the inclosed letter to Prince, also, as I see Maple sugar, grained , advertised for sale at New York in boxes of 400 lb. each, if they...
34From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 10 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 6th. came to hand on friday. I went yesterday to the person who advertised the Maple Sugar for the purpose of executing your commission on that subject. He tells me that the cargo is not yet arrived from Albany, but is every hour expected; that it will not be sold in parcels of less than 15 or 16 hundred lb. & only at Auction, but that the purchasers will of course deal it...
35To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 10 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your indisposition at the date of your last, and hearing nothing from you since, make me fear it has continued. The object of the present is merely to know how you do, & from another hand, if you are not well enough. We have little new but what you will see in the public papers. You see there the swarm of anti-publicolas. The disavowal by a Printer only does not appear to satisfy. We have no...
36To James Madison from Fontaine Maury, 10 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
On the other side you have a State of your a/c which if found right please pay the amount to my order in favor of Messrs. Philips Cramond & Co of Philadelphia at 30 days sight. Two hhds of your Tobacco are Shiped on board the Ship Venus, Edward Flin Master, & Consigned to Mr James Maury of Liverpool. I will thank you to inform me if any thing hath been done in the business you were so good as...
37From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 13 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I received last evening your kind enquiries after my health. My last will have informed you of the state of it then. I continue to be incommoded by several different shapes taken by the bile; but not in a degree that can now be called serious. If the present excessive heat should not augment the energy of the cause, I consider myself as in a good way to get rid soon of its effects. Beckley has...
38To James Madison from Edmund Pendleton, 13 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of troubling you once more in behalf of my Nephew Nathaniel Pendleton junr. of Georgia, who wishes to succeed Mr. Rutlidge in the Office he has resigned as a Judge of the Supreme Fœdral Court. He supposes a resident in the Southern district will be appointed, and that from Georgia, as the Carolinas have been already gratified; in which case he hopes his present rank of...
39To James Madison from Edward Carrington, 15 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I have heard of your return from your Northern excursion, and hope you met every gratification in it that you wished. Our Census is compleated, that is to say, the returns are all in, and are now under examination & correction. In their uncorrected State, they have been cast up, and amount to upwards of 740,000, producing a Net number after deducting 2/5ths. of Slaves of above 600,000. This...
40To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 21 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favors of July 10. & 13. have been duly recieved and I now return the pamphlet inclosed in the latter, with thanks for the perusal. The author has the appearance of knowing better what has past in England than in America. As to the latter to be sure he has been ignorant enough. I am sincerely sorry that Freneau has declined coming here. Tho’ the printing business be sufficiently full...
41To James Madison from Edmund Randolph, 21 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Altho’ I have not put you to the expence of postage by inquiries after your health, I have not omitted to avail myself of information thro’ Mr. Jefferson. I learn with sincere satisfaction, that you have emerged from your late attack; but I wish, that you would prevent a return in the fall by an abstinence from study. I need not relate to you, that since the standard of republicanism has been...
42From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 21 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 21 July 1791. Acknowledged in Jefferson to JM, 24 July 1791 . In his list of letters to Jefferson (DLC: Rives Collection, Madison Papers), JM noted that this letter, like that of 13 July, concerned “Publicola.” Perhaps this was JM’s letter of 21 July to an unspecified correspondent, listed in Stan. V. Henkels Catalogue No. 694 (1892), p. 262.
43From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 24 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 21st. came to hand last evening. It was meant that you should keep the pamphlet inclosed in it. I have seen Freneau, and, as well as Col: H. Lee, have pressed the establishment of himself in Philada. where alone his talents can do the good or reap the profit of which they are capable. Though leaning strongly agst. the measure, under the influence of little objections which...
44To James Madison from Daniel Carroll, 24 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Yr. favor from N. York gave me pleasure, as every token of yr. remembrance of me allways will. Finding that you relinquish yr. tour to the East, I presume this will meet you in Philada. where you will hear all matters respecting the federal City &ca. Cou’d I have foreseen all the anxiety this business has given me from its commencement in Congress to its present Stage, I shou’d have shrunk...
45To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 24 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Yours of the 21st. came to hand yesterday. I will keep my eye on the advertisements for Halifax. The time of my journey to Virginia is rendered doubtful by the incertainty whether the President goes there or not. It is rather thought he will not. If so, I shall go later & stay a shorter time. I presume I may set out about the beginning of September, & shall hope your company going & coming....
46The Origins of Freneau’s National Gazette, 25 July 1791 (Editorial Note) (Madison Papers)
Alarmed by the blatant partisanship of John Fenno’s Gazette of the United States , which JM and Jefferson grew to distrust after the publisher’s support of Alexander Hamilton became more apparent in the winter of 1790–91, the two republicans began seeking a journalistic counterbalance. Philip Freneau seemed to have all the qualifications. He was a trustworthy republican (Freneau and JM had...
47To James Madison from Philip Freneau, 25 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
Some business detains me here a day or two longer from returning to New York. When I come, which I expect will be on Thursday, if you should not have left the city, I will give You a decisive answer relative to printing my paper at the Seat of Govt. instead of N. York. If I can get Mr. Childs to be connected with me on a tolerable plan, I believe I shall sacrifice other considerations, and...
48From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 26 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I am just in possession of your favor of the 24 inst: & thank you for the pamphlet which I shall look over without delay. Mr. Dorhman has this moment handed me a letter to Mazzei which will give him the change of prospect as to the balance of the debt. I really believe D’s misfortune to have been great & real. Mazzei must rest contented with his ultimate security in the land which I consider...
49To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 27 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I inclose you the pamphlet desired in your’s of July 24. Also the one on Weights & measures recieved through you, of which having another copy, be pleased to keep it. In turning over some papers I came across my journal through France, & Italy, and fancied you might be willing to acquire of that country a knowlege at second hand which you refuse to acquire at the first. It is written in the...
50To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 28 July 1791 (Madison Papers)
I this moment recieve yours of the 26th. The sugar of which you inclose a sample would by no means answer my purpose, which was to send it to Monticello, in order, by a proof of it’s quality, to recommend attention to the tree to my neighbors. In my letter of yesterday I forgot to tell you there is a brig here to sail for Halif[a]x in 10. days. She is under repair, & therefore may possibly...