The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
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TO JAMES MONROE. |
 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO JAMES MONROE.
I have the pleasure this moment of receiving yours
you will be able to set out at so early a day for
Washington. To the advantage of preventing an
inconvenient chasm in the public business, will be
added the opportunity of a provident attention
to the accomodations required by your establishment
here. The House occupied by Mr. Smith is
the best in the place, and I believe is not yet out of
reach. He means also to dispose of certain portions
of his furniture which might suit your purpose.
These considerations taken together recommend
strongly that you should not wait for the receipt of
your commission, but consider what has passed between
us, as sufficient ground for a communication
to the council. The actual receipt of the commission
cannot be a necessary preliminary. As well as I
recollect I did not receive mine, as Secretary of State
till it was handed to me on the spot, by Mr. Jefferson.
In case of appointments at a great distance, it might
be extremely inconvenient for any other course to
be observed. It is the more desireable that you
should not wait for your commission, as I find that
consistent with the understanding & arrangement
here, & that your arrival would of consequence be
thrown forward till the beginning of the next week.
I might indeed, as the law authorizes, provide an
interim Functionary, for the current business requiring
his signature, & not admitting delay; but
there are objections to this resort where it can be
avoided. I hope therefore you will find no difficulty
in the mode of anticipation recommended; the more
especially as your communication to the council
may be delayed till tuesday morning the time proposed
for your setting out, and at which time your
commission will have been formally consummated,
& ready to be delivered.
Accept assurances of my sincere esteem & friendship
Madison caused Richard Brent, Senator from Virginia, to write to
Monroe and ask him if he would accept the Secretaryship of State.
March 18th Monroe replied favorably. (Writings of Monroe, v., 178.)
Madison wrote to Jefferson April I: "You will have inferred the change
Which is taking place in the Dept. of State. Col. Monroe agrees to
succeed Mr. Smith, who declines however the mission to Russia, at
first not unfavorably looked at. I was willing, notwithstanding many
trying circumstances, to have smoothed the transaction as much as
possible, but it will be pretty sure to end in secret hostility, if not open
warfare. On account of my great esteem & regard for common friends
such a result is truly painful to me. For the rest, I feel myself on firm
ground, as well in the public opinion as in my own consciousness.
| The writings of James Madison, | |