Details
MADISON, DOLLEY PAYNE. Autograph letter signed ("D. P. Madison") to Dr. Thomas Park in Philadelphia, Washington, 10 February 1807. 2 pages, 4to, integral address leaf in D. Madison's hand, WITH JAMES MADISON'S FREE FRANK AND SIGNATURE, a sheet pasted down to margin of address leaf, obscuring return address (apparently in Madison's hand).
REPORTING THE ARREST OF AARON BURR
Two years before Madison's election, whle he was Secretary of State under Jefferson, Dolley Madison was already the unofficial first lady. Writing to a family friend regarding the rental of her son's house, she imparts the startling news of the arrest of Aaron Burr in Mississippi. "...If I was a politician I would collect for you a great deal of news--as it is, I will send you the little scrap which I have this moment listened to---Col. Burr had arrived on the 12. Jan.ry within 40 miles of Natches from whence he announced, in a letter to the Governor the innocence of his purposes which were agricultural, & warning him not to interrupt them--intimating that the use of force might produce a civil war. The Governor had his Militia ready, & was determined if possible, to take him prisoner--this information was communicated to Congress this morn.g by the President...".
Aaron Burr, who had introduced James Madison to his future wife, had been engaged in a last-ditch effort to regain power after his disgrace following his duel with Hamilton, through a confused and intricate attempt to seize Spanish territories west of the Mississippi. Betrayed by an associate, General James Wilkinson, commander of the army on the Mississippi, who was wary of Burr's real intentions, he was arrested as described in this letter. The charge of treason was later dropped, but the suspicion that Burr's ultimate goal was a western secession from the Union was never fully allayed--not surprisingly, given the chronic ambiguity of Burr's statements--as evidenced by the one reported in this letter.
REPORTING THE ARREST OF AARON BURR
Two years before Madison's election, whle he was Secretary of State under Jefferson, Dolley Madison was already the unofficial first lady. Writing to a family friend regarding the rental of her son's house, she imparts the startling news of the arrest of Aaron Burr in Mississippi. "...If I was a politician I would collect for you a great deal of news--as it is, I will send you the little scrap which I have this moment listened to---Col. Burr had arrived on the 12. Jan.ry within 40 miles of Natches from whence he announced, in a letter to the Governor the innocence of his purposes which were agricultural, & warning him not to interrupt them--intimating that the use of force might produce a civil war. The Governor had his Militia ready, & was determined if possible, to take him prisoner--this information was communicated to Congress this morn.g by the President...".
Aaron Burr, who had introduced James Madison to his future wife, had been engaged in a last-ditch effort to regain power after his disgrace following his duel with Hamilton, through a confused and intricate attempt to seize Spanish territories west of the Mississippi. Betrayed by an associate, General James Wilkinson, commander of the army on the Mississippi, who was wary of Burr's real intentions, he was arrested as described in this letter. The charge of treason was later dropped, but the suspicion that Burr's ultimate goal was a western secession from the Union was never fully allayed--not surprisingly, given the chronic ambiguity of Burr's statements--as evidenced by the one reported in this letter.