Skip to main content

The Papers of James Madison, Volume 7

3 May 1783-29 February 1784

During the first six of the ten months covered by this volume, Madison completed his initial period of service as a delegate from Virginia in the Congress of the Confederation. His correspondence with Thomas Jefferson and Edmund Randolph, as well as his other papers, reveal the mounting difficulties besetting him and his fellow nationalists who sought to preserve a union among the thirteen states. The major problems, which included demobilizing the discontented army, obtaining public revenue, funding the Confederation debt, pressing the British to evacuate their military posts, enforcing the preliminary articles of peace, creating a public domain in the West, locating a provisional or permanent capital of the Confederation, and negotiating commercial treaties with European powers, fostered sectionalism, factionalism, and an emphasis upon state sovereignty. As a prominent member of Congress, Madison sought legislative and constitutional remedies for this menacing divisiveness. To him the maintenence of the new nation embodied "the greatest trust ever confided to a political society," for it was "the last and fairest experiment in favor of the rights of human nature."

Early in December, after an absence of over three years, Madison returned to Montpelier, his father’s estate. There during the winter of 1783-1784, he studied law, renewed old friendships, and canvassed the residents of Orange County for support of his candidacy for election to the House of Delegates of the Virginia General Assembly.

maintenance

522 pages | 0.00 x 0.00 | © 1971

History: American History

Table of Contents

Illustrations
Introduction
Editorial Note
Editorial Method
Abbreviations
Short Titles for Books
Chronology

1783
From Jacquelin Ambler, 3 May
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 3 May
Thomas Walke to Virginia Delegates, 3 May
Virginia Delegates to Bernardo de Gálvez, 4 May
From Edmund Pendleton, 4 May
Notes on Debates, 5 May
Notes on Debates, 6 May
To Theodorick Bland, 6 May
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 6 May
To Thomas Jefferson, 6 May
To Edmund Randolph, 6 May
Notes on Debates, 7 May
From Thomas Jefferson, 7 May
Notes on Debates, 8 May
Motion of Instruction to the President, [9 May]
Notes on Debates, 9 May
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 9 May
From Edmund Randolph, 9 May
From Jacquelin Ambler, 10 May
From Edmund Pendleton, 10 May
Notes on Debates, 12-13 May
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 13 May - Missing Letter
To Thomas Jefferson, 13 May
To Edmund Randolph, 13 May
Notes on Debates, 14 May
Notes on Debates, 15 May
From Edmund Randolph, 15 May
Notes on Debates, 16-17 May
From Jacquelin Ambler, 17 May
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 17 May
From Edmund Pendleton, 17 May
Notes on Debates, 19 May
Motion of Instructions to Peace Commissioners, [20 May]
Notes on Debates, 20 May
Virginia Debates to Benjamin Harrison, [20 May]
To Thomas Jefferson, 20 May
To Edmund Randolph, [20] May
Notes on Debates, 21-22 May
Motion of Instruction to Francis Dana, [22 May]
Notes on Debates, 23 May
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Treaty of Commerce, 23-24 May
From Jacquelin Ambler, 24 May
From David Jameson, 24 May
From Edmund Randolph, 24 May
From Joseph Jones, 25 May
Notes on Debates, 26 May
From Edmund Pendleton, 26 May
Notes on Debates, 27 May
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 27 May
To James Madison, Sr., 27 May
To Edmund Randolph, 27 May
Notes on Debates, 28 May
Summary of Accounts with Virginia, [28 May]
Virginia Delegates to Virginia Auditors of Public Accounts, 28 May
Statement of Receipts from Treasurer of Virginia, [28 May]
Notes on Debates, 29 May
Notes on Debates, 30 May
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 31 May
To Joseph Jones, 31 May
From Jacquelin Ambler, 1 June
From Thomas Jefferson, 1 June
Notes on Debates, 2 June
From Edmund Pendleton, 2 June
Notes on Debates, 3 June
To Edmund Randolph, 3 June
Notes on Debates, 4 June
From the Reverend James Madison, 4 June
From Edmund Randolph, 4 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Contracts 4 and 7 June
Notes on Debates, 5 June
To James Madison, Sr., 5 June
Notes on Debates, 6 June
From Jacquelin Ambler, 7 June
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 7 June
From Joseph Jones, 8 June
Notes on Debates, 9 June
From Edmund Pendleton, 9 June
Notes on Debates, 10 June
To Thomas Jefferson, 10 June
To Edmund Randolph, 10 June
Notes on Debates, 11 June
Report on Rights of Neutral Nations, [12 June]
Notes on Debates, 12 June
Notes on Debates, 13 June
From Jacquelin Ambler, 14 June
From Joseph Jones, 14 June
From Edmund Randolph, 14 June
Notes on Debates, 16 June
From Edmund Randolph Pendleton, 16 June
Receipt of Robert Scot, 16 June
Notes on Debates, 17 June
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 17 June
From Thomas Jefferson, 17 June
To Edmund Randolph, 17 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Fortifications, 17 June
Notes on Debates, 18 June
Notes on Debates, 19 June
Notes on Debates, 20 June
John Beckley to Edmund Randolph, [20 June]
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 20 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Guards for Public Buildings, [20 June]
Notes on Debates, 21 June
From Joseph Jones, 21 June
From Edmund Randolph, 21 June
From Theodorick Bland, [22 June]
From Edmund Pendleton, 23 June
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 24 June
To Edmund Randolph, 24 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Demobilization of Troops, 26-27 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Ship "Cornorant," 26-27 June
Instruction to Virginia Delegates in re Cession of Western Lands, 27 June
From Joseph Jones, 28 June
From Edmund Randolph, 28 June
Instructions to Virginia Delegates in re Permanent Site for Congress, 28 June
From Alexander Hamilton, 29 June - Note on Letter
From Edmund Pendleton, 30 June
To Edmund Randolph, 30 June
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 4 July
From Jacqueline Ambler, 5 July
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 5 [July]
From Alexander Hamilton, 6 July
To Edmund Randolph, 8 July
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 12 July
From Edmund Randolph, 12 July
From Joseph Jones, 14 July
From Edmund Pendleton, 14 July
To Edmund Randolph, 15 July
From David Jameson, 16 July
To John Francis Mercer, 16 July
To Thomas Jefferson, 17 July
From Edmund Randolph, 18 July
From Robert R. Livingston, 19 July
From Joseph Jones, 21 July
From Edmund Pendleton, 21 July
To Edmund Randolph, 21 July
Report on Treaty with Sweden, [24 July]
Report on Memorial from Merchants of Hamburg, [26 July]
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, [26] July
Motion in re Armed Vessels of Virginia, [28 July]
Report on Maryland’s Payment to Troops, [28 July]
From Joseph Jones, 28 July
To Edmund Pendleton, [28 July]
From Edmund Pendleton, 28 July
To Edmund Randolph, [28 July]
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 1 August
From Joseph Jones, 4 August
From Edmund Pendleton, 4 August
To Edmund Randolph, 5 August
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 9 August
From Benjamin Hawkins, 9 August
To Thomas Jefferson, 11 August
From Edmund Pendleton, 11 August
To Edmund Randolph, 12 August
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 14-15 August
From John Francis Mercer, [14 August]
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 15 August
From Edmund Pendleton, 18 August
To Edmund Randolph, 18 August
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 23 August
From Edmund Randolph, 23 August
To Edmund Randolph, 24 August
From Edmund Pendleton, 25 August
From the Reverent James Madison, 27 August
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 28 August
To James Madison, Sr., 30 August
To Edmund Randolph, 30 August
From Thomas Jefferson, 31 August
From Edmund Pendleton, 1 September
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 8 September
To James Madison, Sr., 8 September
To Edmund Pendleton, 8 September
To Edmund Randolph, 8 September
From Elnathan Haskell, 12 September
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 13 September - Missing Letter
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 13 September
To Edmund Randolph, 13 September
From Edmund Randolph, 13 September (First)
From Edmund Randolph, 13 September (Second)
Note on "The North-American," No. 1 and No. 2, 17 September and 8 October
Report on Memorial of Massachusetts General Court, [19 September]
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 19 September
Virginia Delegates to Benjamin Harrison, 20 September
To Thomas Jefferson, 20 September
To Edmund Randolph, 20 September
Motion in re Jurisdiction of Congress over Permanent Site, [22 September]
Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 26 September
Be

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press