1815/04/08

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Harrison Smith re: costs of moving Jefferson's library to Congress

Written as President. Jefferson sold his library to the nation (for what became the institution known as the Library of Congress) after the British burned the capitol. "Jos: D." is Jefferson's coachman, Joseph Dougherty. The Madison papers identified Dougherty's cargo as the books in Jefferson's library.

GLC02793.011

1816/02/25

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother Nelly Conway Madison re: money for her and Dolley's health

Sending $400. Written as President. Signed "Yr affe. son." The Madison Papers reports that this letter is one of three surviving letters of Madison to his mother. Normally Dolley Madison would write to his mother, but apparently she had been quite ill.

GLC02793.012

1813/09/20

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Dearborn

President Madison writes to General Dearborn, commander of the United States army during the War of 1812, to discuss war plans and British policy. He also mentions problems with Massachusetts Governor Caleb Strong, who had refused to call out the state militia to support the war. Number 142 appears on the top of p. 1. Attached to booklet which also contains an engraving of Madison by H.B. Hall and Sons in New York.

GLC02538

1819/09/02

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Spencer Roane

Responds to Judge Roane's critical comments on the Supreme Court's decision in McCulloch v. Maryland. Contends that the case "did not call for the general & abstract doctrine interwoven with the decision," preferring that the court evaluate the meaning of the law from particular decisions, not abstractions. Worries about growing legislative powers of the federal government, the doctrine of expediency implied by the ruling, and the institution of a broad "rule of [constitutional] construction." Argues that much misinterpretation of the Constitution arises from "the use made of the…

GLC02945

1810/07/05

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to Simon Snyder

Responds favorably to receiving a letter from Governor Snyder about the resolutions passed by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania supporting President Madison's stand against Britain. Describes them as "expected from a state, which, has given, so many proofs of its readiness to maintain the rights and honor of the nation, against foreign aggressions..."

GLC05745

1815/12/09

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Broadside

Title: Gazette and American---Extra.

This document is a newspaper extra dated Saturday morning, 9 December 1815. It includes a transcript of the Presidential State of the Union Address by James Madison. The speech was originally given in Washington, D.C. on 5 December 1815. Docketed on verso, "B.P. Robinson, Prov. R.I."

GLC05784

1814/09/04

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Printed document signed

Title: [Commission of Winfield Scott as Major General during the War of 1812]

This document is a record of the commission of Winfield Scott. It is signed by Madison as president and countersigned by James Monroe as secretary of state. The promotion was a brevet "for his distinguished services in the successive Conflicts of Chippewa & Niagara, and for his uniform gallantry and good conduct as an officer." The document is partially printed. It is encased in mylar and mounted.

GLC04735

1828/11/28

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown re: transmitting a sample of Patrick Henry's handwriting

Madison notes that Henry "must, it would appear, have been in early life when the letter was written."

GLC04842.30

1808/07/21

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gilbert M. Lafayette re: difficulties in selling land in New Orleans

"In this country and especially under existing circumstances,

GLC07173.03

1801/01/28

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gilbert M. Lafayette re: assessment of Lafayette's interests on Mississippi

and in New Orleans; relations between US and France

GLC07173.04

1804/03/13

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: Certifying true copy of act for land south of Tenn.

Accompanied by an attached manuscript copy of the act.

GLC07173.05

1803/11/12

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: To: Aaron Burr

Submitting 12th Amendment to Aaron Burr. Signed in third person with Burr's docketing.

GLC07977

1816/06/29

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: To: James Monroe

Barbary piracy and its connection to Spain with respect to recently captured ships. With Monroe's docketing.

GLC07978

1801/07/16

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to Griffith Evans re: requesting expense report from Board of Commissioners

Madison asks for a detailed expense report. Evans had been secretary of the Board. Very minor losses affecting letters on the address leaf.

GLC06758

1801/05/27

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to David Lenox re: transmitting documents on impressed American seamen

Transmitting documents (not included) concerning impressed seamen Edmund Fish, Sylvester Richmond, Zadoch Howard and James Hall.

GLC06696

1822/04/18

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Hill re: thanks for report of Committee of Commerce, reciprocity

Written in the third person, signed in the text at the beginning.

GLC06695.01

1782/08/06

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edmund Pendleton re: waiting foreign dispatches on peace talks; selling slave

Awaiting news of peace talks and personal advice regarding impossibility of selling a slave. Madison notes that while European newspapers "teem with paragraphs relative to pacific negotiations" but past British policy "should always restrain our hopes of peace from circumscribing our preparations for war." In July 1782 the Earl of Sherlburne took over the ministry and in early August he agreed to enter formal negotiations with the Americans. Madison also talks about selling a slave: "Upon recollection, it will be impossible to dispose of the slave in this state[,] there being a legal…

GLC06757

1788/01/27

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. Trist re: draft of letter opposing Constitution, political news

Also mentions the election of Cyrus Griffen as president of Congress and Thomas Jefferson's opinion of the Marchioness. (Losses on page 1 affecting text.)

GLC06560

February 19, 1808

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to William Pinkney

Indicates that he is sending a series of gazettes reporting on congressional proceedings, which "will give you a view of our internal affairs." Explains the route by which Mr. Nourse will deliver them to London so that Pinkney can arrange other correspondence to Paris and his own government. Discusses a previous letter concerning the Embargo Act of 1807 and a British decree made on 11 November 1807. Also comments on communications from David Erskine, the British Minister Plenipotentiary, concerning Napoleon's Berlin Decree, the British retaliation, and their effects on neutral maritime…

GLC03419

1811/09/30

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Cutts

Urges the Massachusetts congressman to visit Washington, D.C., discusses foreign policy and affairs regarding Britain and France. The War of 1812 began the following year.

GLC05348

1809/08/22

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Letter signed

Title: to Representatives re: reply to representatives of Michigan Territory

GLC07817

1821/08/02

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Q. Adams re: thanks for Fourth of July oration

GLC07806

1811/06/21

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: To: Elbridge Gerry.

Growing crisis between the U.S. and Great Britain-marked "private."

GLC07951

1829/04/14

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to B[enjamin] Romaine, Esq.

Expressing his views on impending Constitutional reforms. In part: "On the subject that of Constitutional Reforms....it will be well for the States who are latest in performing the task, not to lose sight of the advantage which that circumstance gives them. There is a pretty general concurrence here as to the chief defects in the Constitution which is about to be revised. I wish there may be an equal one in the proper remedies. I hope, at least, that everything tending to undermine the General Constitution will be avoided with the same care which guards against encroachments on the…

GLC07873

1824/03/23

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Cooper re: free trade, danger of oppression in government

GLC07843