183491James Madison to Nicholas P. Trist, 25 August 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. yours of the 20th. and inclose a fair copy of so much of Mr. Jefferson’s letter to me as relates to the resolutions of 98-99. The letter is dated Augt. 23d. not 28th but is so identical with the printed letter to Mr. W. C. Nicholas as to prove that one of the dates is erroneous. I return the letter of Mr. W. C. N. which I found in the letter of Mr. J. I find no letter from Mr. J....
183492James Madison to Edward Coles, 29 August 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have received, my dear Sir, your favor of the 17th. The motives to it are as precious to me, as its object is controvertible. You have certainly presented your views of the subject with great skill and great force. But you have not sufficiently adverted to the position I have assumed, and which has been accorded or rather assigned to me by others, of being withdrawn from party agitations, by...
183493Nicholas P. Trist to James Madison, 29 August 1834 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 25th came duly to hand. There was a reason for the application to G going from you which I intended, but forgot at the moment, to state. Of this, however, another time. Every day has been devoted to the examination of Mr. J’s papers: beginning at the beginning, & coming down regularly. I have almost got through, and at every step something occurs to confirm my own opinion, &...
183494James Madison to James Leander Cathcart, September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I recd. in the due time your letter of Aug. 11. But in my present condition I have been obliged to spare the use of the pen as much as possible, especially when an answer was not pressing, and I could give none that could be of much importance. It may well be supposed that at my age, and after a lapse of nearly 30 years, my memory must be a very fallible resort for information as to...
183495George W. Featherstonehaugh to James Madison, 1 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
It was with much reluctance I gave up the idea of calling to see you on my way to the Mountains, but, I had never been through the Shenandoah Valley, and as we (My Wife, and my eldest Son) took our departure from Baltimore, I went to Harper’s Ferry by the way of the railroad, as far as Fredericktown in Maryland, and then took a Carriage to the Potomac. Following that fine Valley to Staunton,...
183496James Madison to George Joy, 9 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have received your two letters of June 4th & 11th. with their enclosures. The letter to your brother records a touching incident in the life of Lafayette, a life which if history does it justice, will fill some of its most conspicuous & interesting pages. Observing that Mr. Adams had been designated by Congress to prepare an Obituary Memoir of the man so much admired and beloved by our...
183497James Madison to Aaron Vail, 9 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I inclose a letter for Mr. George Joy of London, which I request the favor of you to have delivered. I am anxious that it should not fail to reach him. In compliance with your letter of—I forwarded to you the autograph lines which were wished. I hope the letter got safely to hand. With cordial salutations FC (DLC) .
183498Samuel H. Smith to James Madison, 11 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
In transmitting the enclosed letter for Mrs. Madison, I cannot resist the impulse of my feelings in communicating to you my best wishes for your continued happiness, and for the improvement of your health, and that you may live to see the clouds dissipated that darken our political horison. With my best respects to Mrs. Madison I beg you to receive the assurances of my unabated consideration &...
183499Thomas Dyson Clark to James Madison, 12 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
Suffer me to ask a favour of you (as a Relic and a testimonial of that Regard that a father would have to his son) to write to me, your favour & Letter will be Transfixd with my father’s letters and writings. (Samuel Clark of the Revolutionary War who fought under the Immortal Layfeatte . Layfeatte is no more . the Great & Good Layfayaet is no more!! his last advice to us was, according to the...
183500Henry Phillips to James Madison, 14 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
It is with a great degree of diffidence that I intrude on your advanced age and retirement with this Epistle. But hope It will a sufficient apology for this intrusion when I say to you that I am but a youth and that my sole object in thus troubling you is to acquire information on a subject of the most vital importance to the safety of our beloved Country. Knowing full well from your venerable...
183501James Madison to Thomas R. Dew, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
J. M. presents his thanks to Professor Dew for the Copy of his Essay on Usury. The subject being very ably handled, will doubtless aid in dissipating the erroneous views of it which have so long prevailed. FC (DLC) .
183502James Madison to Henry D. Gilpin, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
J. M. with his respects to Mr. Gilpin acknowledges the receipt of his able & eloquent Speech on the 4th. of July. The delay in returning his thanks for it, has an apology in the decrepit state of his health, of which he is obliged in this as in other cases to avail himself. FC (DLC) .
183503James Madison to Samuel L. Southard, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison with his respects to Mr Southard returns him many thanks for his biographical discourse on Mr Wirt. The character of this meritorious Citizen is a rich theme for eloquent and instructive comments; of which the discourse is a signal & happy illustration. RC (NjP) ; FC (DLC) . In an unknown hand, signed by JM.
183504James Madison to William H. Winder [Jr.], 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I am sensible of the delay in acknowledging your letter of and regret it. But apart from the crippled condition of my health, which almost forbids the use of the pen, I could not forget that I was to speak of occurrences after a lapse of 20 years, & at an age in its 84th year; circumstances so readily and for the most part, justly referred to, as impairing the confidence due to recollections &...
183505Edward Coles to James Madison, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
In returning my thanks, which I do most heartily, for your letter of the 29th ulto, I must be permitted to express my regret that it was not quite as full as I could have wished. Perhaps my apprehension of ill consequences from the late usurpations and abuses of power by the President, & the great confidence I have in the soundness & influence of your opinions, may have led me to expect too...
183506Thomas Lehre Sr. to James Madison, 15 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have been much distress’d to hear, that you have lately been so ill as to be given over by your Physcians, since which, I am happy to learn from an authentic source, that you have got much better, & in a fair way of being restored to your usual state of health. God grant that your health may be renovated, & that you may live for many years, not only on account of yourself, family, & friends,...
183507Benjamin Waterhouse to James Madison, 17 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
Ever since certain evil minded persons entered the Navy-yard at Charlestown, and beheaded the full-length figure of President Jackson fixed on the stem of the renowned Ship Constitution, riot & midnight misrule had become in a measure epidemic. A Roman Catholic Convent or Nunnery, a spacious establishment, in the neighborhood of Bunker-hill, within cannon-shot of the centre of Boston, was...
183508James Madison to Isaac S. Lyon, 20 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
I must apologize for the great delay in acknowledging your letter of Apl. 20th, by referring, (now a common and necessary resort) to the feebleness of age, accompanied by severe & continued inroads on my health. My respect for your object, would make it very agreeable to me, to aid it in the way you mention. But on looking into the parcels of pamphlets I possess, I find none that would supply...
183509Mann Butler to James Madison, 21 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
On the credit of the inclosed letter of introduction from an ancient colleague of the early services of your great career, permit me to solicit, at your perfect ease and convenience, some attention to events in our history. It is not unknown to you, the deep excitement which in 1806 seized the public mind of Ky. in regard to early Spanish intrigues in 1788, to detach the State from the...
183510Nicholas P. Trist to James Madison, 25 September 1834 (Madison Papers)
Unless the day should be unfavorable, Mrs Trist & myself & children will set out to-morrow, to dine at Gordonsville, and reach Montpellier in the evening. Cornelia & Mary, and one of Mr. Randolph’s younger daughters (Cary Ann) will follow the next tuesday; and we propose all to leave you on the ensuing friday evening, so as to be in Washington the next day. I thought, when last with you, that...
183511Thomas B. Reily to James Madison, 2 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
Permit me to present you, through my friend Mr. Crabb, of Philadelphia, now on a patriotic pilgrimage to Montpelier, the portrait (lithographed) of that distinguished patriot Amos Kendall—who, for efficient emulation of your brilliant services in support of that Democracy whose applause hath made your name immortal—is now traduced and vilified as much even as you have been by that same spirit,...
183512James Madison to Edward Coles, 3 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have received yours of the 15th Sepr. and have commenced an answer; but interruptions of different sorts and my crippled fingers, make the progress very tedious. Tell me where an answer will catch you. Finding that I have in order to avoid the sale of Negroes sold land till the residue will not support them, concentered and increasing as they are, I have yeilded to the necessity of parting...
183513James Madison to Isaac A. Coles, 3 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
J. Madison with his best respects to Col: Coles, requests the favor of him to have the enclosed delivered to his brother, if in the neighbourhood. Should he have left it, and be out of immediate reach, Col C. will be so obliging as to return it to me, with a notice of the most expedient address for a letter to his brother. [printer’s fist] The enclosed letter contains a check on the B. Bank of...
183514J. H. Campbell to James Madison, 3 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
Being a Virginian and having had the pleasure in my Earlier days of often Seeing and hearing you together with the interest which I feel in the present political contest in the South must be my apology for obtruding myself upon you in this manner The good and wise I know may be always safely approached by the humblest of their fellow Citizens when instruction is their object Accompanying this...
183515Edward Coles to James Madison, 5 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 3d. instant enclosing me a Check on the Bank of Virginia at Fredericksburg for $2050. in payment of the principal and interest of the sum borrowed of me. Your Bond for which I return you enclosed—on the back of it you will perceive I have enterd the interest which you have from time to time paid on it. You will also perceive that I have endorsed on it the sum of...
183516James Madison to Edward Coles, 8 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have just received your letter of the 5th. with the Bond enclosed in it, and catch a fugitive opportunity of requesting by the Mail, that the small balance, may remain in your hands, applicable to some small object in Phila. Accept our joint wishes that health and happiness may attend you both; with our regret that we could not have the pleasure of personally expressing them. RC (NjP :...
183517George S. McKiernan to James Madison, 8 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
An individual, who is totally unknown to your Excellency, presumes to beg a slight favour, which lies only in your Excellency’s power to grant. As all he desires is a mere specimen of your Excellency’s hand writing an acknowledgement of the receipt of this letter, will be cherished as an invaluable treasure by one who has ever admired the wisdom, and sublime qualities of your Excellency. Your...
183518Jesse D. Elliott to James Madison, 10 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
Fully knowing the patriotic zeal with which you commenced & continued the last War with Great Britain, & perceiving, also, the support which you derived from the Frigate Constitution, I have the pleasure of forwarding to you a small relic of the old Ship, with the hope that it may long sustain you in the years of your declining age. I have the honor to be Sir: Very Respectfully Your Obdt Servt...
183519James Madison to Mann Butler, 11 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 21. Ult in which you wish to obtain my recollection of what passed between Mr. John Brown and me in 1788, on the overture of Gardoqui "that if the people of Kentucky would erect themselves into an independent State, and appoint a proper person to negociate with him, he had authority for that purpose and would enter into an arrangement with them for the...
183520Aaron Vail to James Madison, 14 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I received a few days ago your letter of the 9th Ultimo, with an enclosure for Mr George Joy, which I immediately forwarded to its destination— I should have sooner acknowledged the receipt of your former letter enclosing an Autograph for the Princess Victoria, which was received in good time; but waited to do so until I could communicate to you the satisfaction which the very kind and...
183521James Madison to Edward Coles, 15 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I have received my dear Sir, your letter of the 15th. ultimo. I did not anticipate a complaint that mine was not full enough; being an effort which in my present condition, I had rarely made. It was not my object to offer either a plenary or a public review of the agitated topics; but to satisfy a friend that I ought not in my 84th. year, and with a constitution crippled by disease, to put...
183522George Joy to James Madison, 21 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
I received with the greater satisfaction your kind letter of the 8th Ult. as those which it answered had not left England many days before I learnt by the papers that the state of your health was such as to leave it very problematical whether they would reach you at all; and though subsequent advices announced your convalescence, the accounts were not such as to flatter me with the hope of...
183523James Madison to Edward Everett, 22 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
(I have received the copy of your Eulogy on Lafayette; and tho’ obliged in my present condition to read but little at a time, have gone through it, and with great pleasure, finding a reward in every page as I proceeded. It is a fine picture finely framed, with a likeness faithful to the noble original; the more noble for having renounced the vain title. It cannot fail to be universally...
183524Edward Coles to James Madison, 22 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to my intention, made known to you, I should have deposited the $7. you overpaid me in the Bank to your credit; but having accidentally heard that there was a letter in the Post Office at Fredericksburg for me, I called and received yours of the 8th instant, and in compliance with the request therein contained have brought on with me the seven dollars, and hold them applicable to any...
183525Ambrose Spencer to James Madison, 22 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
My neighbor & friend E. C. Delavan Esqr. of this City, being about to proceed to Virginia, & the vicinity of your residence, I have taken the liberty altho’ personally unknown to you, to offer him this letter of introduction—Mr. Delavan’s devotion to the great cause of temperance, would indeed supersede the necessity of any introduction; but I confess I take an interest, in an interview...
183526Edward Coles to James Madison, 31 October 1834 (Madison Papers)
In returning you my grateful acknowledgements for your highly prized letter of the 15th instant, I cannot refrain, though very reluctant to give you trouble, from making a few remarks in reply, and in explanation of what you call my "one sided view of subjects which ought to be viewed on both sides whatever be the decision on them". In asking your opinion of, and invoking your interposition to...
183527John Hartwell Cocke to James Madison, 2 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Permit me to introduce to your acquaintance Edwd. C. Delavan Esqr. Chairman of the Executive Comtee of the New York State temperance Society. Mr. Delavan has visited our State, to be present at the temperance Convention which has taken place here—He anticipates some advantages to this great cause, if he can obtain the assurance of your countenance in its favour—He is more-over desirous of...
183528[Edward Livingston] to James Madison, 4 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Grateful as I was for your letter considered as a mark of your kindness and esteem, it gave me yet greater pleasure as a proof of the restoration of that health which is the object of so much solicitude to your Country and I have the further satisfaction to learn through Mr Ingersoll that it continues to improve, long may this be the Case, long may you remain to enjoy the veneration which your...
183529Peter Gray to James Madison, 6 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Honl. James Madison 1834 To Peter Gray Agt. Dr. Mar. 6. For North American Review 1834 ..... $5.-- Above you have bill for North American Review, 1834, for which please I would be obliged to you, to forward the amt as soon as convenient. My Father, who has given me all his book agencies, sends his respects to you, Yrs. very Respectfully. RC (DLC) .
183530James Madison to Edward Coles, 15 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
For the lateness of this acknowledgment of your letter of the 31 Ult: my dear Sir, I must plead my crippled condition which has not mended, and more than usual calls on my attention. It would seem that neither of us have seized precisely the views of the other, in our comments on the political questions which have agitated the public. I retain the opinion in which I am glad you agree, that...
183531Richard Henry Wilde to James Madison, 16 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
I should have to reproach myself severely for not replying to your kind note of April 11th. if my omission has arisen from negligence & not good intentions. Having never designed or expected to draw from you the slightest notice of my humble efforts, by sending you the Speech I did, I scrupled intruding again on your repose by a letter which it was to be feared would seem to require an answer,...
183532William A. Chamberlin to James Madison, 17 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Permit me to ask from Your venerable hand some small incident in Your publick life in Your own hand writing that I my Keep it as and Consistent as one of this Best treasures that I Can be possed of It would be truly gratifing to me and my friends to have in my possession the hand Writing of One truly great and honourable as your honour. I am with great Respt your humble and Ob Sert RC (DLC) .
183533Anson S. Miller to James Madison, 20 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
One of your fellow Citizens of the north who is a stranger to your (person but who has Cherished the highest respect for your Character from his earliest years) has long been desirous of soliciting your advice in a matter of the highest importance to himself and has as long hesitated lest he might be guilty of an impropriety—Considering his own youth and your very advanced age. However relying...
183534James Madison: Testimonial, 27 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Being satisfied from observation and experience, as well as from medical testimony, that ardent spirit as a drink, is not only needless, but hurtful; and that entire disuse of it would tend to promote the health, the virtue and happiness of the community, we hereby express our conviction, that would the citizens of the United States, and especially the Young Men , discontinue the use of it,...
183535James Madison: On Nullification, December 1834 (Madison Papers)
Altho’ the Legislature of Virginia declared at a late Session almost unanimously, that S. Carolina was not supported in her doctrine of nullification by the Resolutions of 1798, it appears that those Resolutions are still appealed to as expressly or constructively favoring the doctrine That the doctrine of nullification may be clearly understood, it must be taken as laid down in the Report of...
183536James Madison to Unknown, re majority governments, December 1834 (Madison Papers)
You justly take alarm at the new doctrine that a majority Govt. is of all Govts. the most oppressive. The doctrine strikes at the root of Republicanism, and if pursued into its consequences, must terminate in absolute monarchy, with a standing military force; such alone being impartial between its subjects, and alone capable of overpowering majorities as well as minorities. But it is said that...
183537James Madison to [Unknown], December 1834 (Madison Papers)
Having alluded to the Supreme Court of the U. S. as a Constitutional resort in deciding questions of Jurisdiction between the U. S. and the individual States a few remarks may be proper shewing the sense and degree in which that character is more particularly ascribed to that Department of the Govt. As the Legislative, Executive & Judicial Departments of the U. S. are co-ordinate, and each...
183538Memorandum of checks drawn on Bank of Fredericksburg, December 1834 (Madison Papers)
Deposit 5400 + 600 (check every Memorandum of checks drawn on the Bank of Fredericksburg on the fund recd. from Mr Taylor. No. 1. fav. of W. Allen $1500 2. J. C. Payne 400 3. E. Coles.....2050 octb 4. J. Ballard & Co. ..... 200 10 5. Js. Shepherd ..... 80 10 6. Eras: T. Rose .... 250 17. 7 Docr. Grymes ..... 15 20. 8. D & M. Cutts ... 45 31. 9. Jas. Cowherd .... 1047 Nov 11. 20. Peter Gray...
183539Notes on Nullification, December 1834 (Madison Papers)
Altho’ the Legislature of Virginia at a late Session declared almost unanimously, that South Carolina was not supported in her doctrine of nullification by the Resolutions of 1798 it appears that those Resolutions are still appealed to as expressly or constructively favoring the doctrine. That the doctrine of nullification may be clearly understood, it must be taken as laid down in the Report...
183540John Hartwell Cocke to James Madison, 17 December 1834 (Madison Papers)
In a letter I received from my Friend Mr. Delavan, soon after his late visit to Montpelier, he requested me to inform you, of the success of his application to Mr. Adams and the President to follow your Example in giving their countenance to the temperance reformation: but immediately after getting his letter, I perceived the information referred to, was carried to you through many channels of...