Description:

James Monroe
Oak Hill, VA, January 26, 1830
James Monroe to James Madison on Traveling Home from Virginia Constitutional Convention
AL

James Monroe (1758-1831). Autograph Letter Fragment to James Madison that includes 214 words in James Monroe's hand. 1 p, 7.5" x 7.5", Oak Hill, Virginia, January 26, 1830. Bottom of sheet clipped away; irregular bottom edge; general toning - else near fine.

From October 5, 1829, to January 15, 1830, delegates met in Richmond for the Virginia Constitutional Convention. In what one scholar dubbed the "last gathering of giants," the convention included among its 96 members three past or future presidents (James Madison, James Monroe, John Tyler), sitting Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Marshall, seven U.S. Senators, fifteen U.S. representatives, and four governors. Madison represented Orange County, while Monroe represented Loudoun County. The Convention elected James Monroe as its presiding officer, but he withdrew on December 8 due to his failing health. The result of the Convention was a new state constitution that upheld slaveowners' disproportionate political power.

A newspaper report from Norfolk on January 15, 1830, announced that "The venerable Ex-President JAMES MONROE, with the members of his family who arrived with him, in the Steamboat Hampton, on Tuesday night, left here yesterday morning in the Steamboat Norfolk, for Washington City, via Baltimore. His health continued very feeble."

On January 21, 1830, James Madison wrote to James Monroe, "The Nat. Intelligr. of the 19th. gave us the pleasure of finding that you had arrived at Washington in safety, and advancing in convalescence. We left Richd. full of anxiety, produced by the reported effect of what happened to the Steamboat, on your feeble condition I hope this will find you at Oakhill with continued improvement in yr. health and happy in that of Mrs. Monroe & all around you, in all wch. Mrs. M. cordially joins me. Let me have an early confirming these anticipations. We reach home the 5th. day after leaving Richd. much fatigued, and with Horses almost broken down, by the almost impassable state of the roads."

In this response, Monroe confirms that he had arrived at his plantation, Oak Hill, and that his wife's health had improved. Monroe's wife, Elizabeth, died eight months later, on September 30, 1830, at Oak Hill. Her death and the death two days earlier of his son-in-law and advisor, George Hay, were severe blows to Monroe. He moved to live with his daughter in New York City, where he died on July 4, 1831, the third president to die on Independence Day.

Complete Transcript
"Oak Hill Jany 26, 1830.
Dear Sir
I had the pleasure to receive by the last mail, your letter of the 21s, advising of your safe arrival home, with Mrs Madison, after a fatiguing journey of five days. We were much longer on our route, & exposed to serious difficulties, & delays, on James river & on the bay, in the first instance by running on a bar of sand, & in the second by the fracture, of a part of the machinery, of another boat, in which we embarked for Baltimore. From the first we were relieved by Com: Barron, who brought up, a steam boat, & took us to his house, where we rested a day, in the navy yard. We found Mrs Monroes health, in a better state, than it was, when I left her, but she is still weak, & not free from complaint. Mine is better, than when we parted, but my convalescence is slow. I rejoice however to have been restored, to the shelter of my own roof, & care of my own family, tho' I can never forget, the kindness shown me, by Mr Stanard, & other friends in Richmond. Your health I trust is good, for it had much improved while we were together - Mrs Madison"

James Monroe (1758-1831) was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and he attended the College of William and Mary before dropping out to serve as an officer in the Revolutionary War. He studied law under Thomas Jefferson from 1780 to 1783, and served as a delegate to the Continental Congress. He represented Virginia as a U.S. Senator (1790-94) and twice served as governor of Virginia (1799-1802, 1811). From 1794 to 1796, Monroe served as the U.S. minister to France. In 1803, he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase for President Jefferson and then served as ambassador to the United Kingdom (1803-1807).

Monroe served as President James Madison's Secretary of State (1811-1817) and briefly as Secretary of War (1814-1815). Elected President in 1816 and again in 1820, receiving 231 out of 232 electoral votes in his reelection bid, his party's ascendancy was heralded as the Era of Good Feelings. His administration is notable for the recognition of the new Latin American republics and, of course, the Monroe Doctrine, written by his Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. In Monroe's Annual Message of 1823, he responded to European threats of encroachment on Latin American land by declaring that the American continents, "by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power." Although Monroe could do little to back up these statements, the doctrine influenced American foreign policy through the rest of the century. Through the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, the United States gained Florida and a clearer demarcation of its border with New Spain in the West. Monroe retired to Monroe Hill, now part of the University of Virginia, and Oak Hill, his plantation in Loudoun County, for the remainder of his life.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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