Browse Items (1928 total)

JM intended to sell slave Ralph and his wife to Colonel Mercer; JM's overseer has mistreated Ralph and he has come to Washington; sending Ralph to Noland to be delivered to Mercer; sending German indentures to Oak Hill and hopes they will work out…

offers appointment as secretary of war

will delay any further negotiation until Onis receives full authority to conclude a treaty settling all points in contention between the United States and Spain

notification of election as vice president

orders black cloth for a suit

disappointed that Onis lacks authority to negotiate a treaty in relation to the cession of Florida and the determination of boundaries between the United States and the Spanish possessions; inquires if Onis is prepared to negotiation American claims…

instructions as agent to Buenos Aires, Chile and Peru

Onis's position on cession of Florida to the United States is unacceptable and makes further negotiation on the subject pointless; inquires if Onis is prepared to negotiate on American claims for compensation from Spain

introduces Samuel Gouverneur; asks recipient to assist him in his studies

privateers are secretly outfitted in American ports; purport to be merchant ships but once out of port arm themselves and sail as privateers; government officials are alert to the illegal outfitting of privateers but it is hard to detect

recommendations for enforcement of laws against the arming and equipping of foreign ships in American ports

instructions to prosecute all persons involving in outfitting the South American privateer Mangoree at Baltimore

praises his book Historical Sketches of the Late War; thanks Thomson for favorable account of his actions

rejects offer of portion of coast of Labrador or portion of coast of Newfoundland for use of American fishermen

James Madison has asked Congress to extend the range of the neutrality law to prevent abuses by privateers outfitting in American ports