Madison, James, 1751-1836 to James Monroe
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01096.01 Author/Creator: Madison, James, 1751-1836 Place Written: Washington, District of Columbia Type: Letter signed Date: March 31, 1807 Pagination: 5 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy
Madison opposes a British order made in Council on January 7, 1807 prohibiting neutral nations from trading with France, which Madison deems a retaliatory "violation of those rules of law and of justice which are binding on all nations." Discusses the scope and injustice of this order at length. Madison claims this letter, along with other materials provided to Monroe, who was serving as minister plenipotentiary of the United States, contained the information necessary for Monroe to make "representations to the British Government...in order to produce a proper revision of the order." Instructs Madison that if Napoleon's Berlin Decree will not apply to U.S. trade, then he should "insist on an immediate revocation of the [British] order." Also notes that he sent a copy of President Jefferson's proclamation suspending non-importation, an indicator of "amicable policy towards Great Britain" and a desire to negotiate a resolution. The British order was a response to Napoleon's Berlin decree, and led to the Embargo Act of 1807 (and eventually to the War of 1812). Letter sent with a clerical copy of Madison's letter to David Erskine, British Minister Plenipotentiary (see GLC01096.02).
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