James Monroe
Washington, D.C., April 19, 1813
James Monroe During War of 1812: "You know but little of the heavy pressure…"
ALS

Fine content autograph letter signed as Secretary of State under James Madison. 2pp 7.75" x 9.5", Washington, D.C., April 19, 1813. Monroe writes a confiding letter to his personal physician Charles Everett, who was recently elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, a post he would again hold from 1819-1820. The letter is boldly written and exhibits show-through, while ink erosion affects just one word of text. Very good condition.

On June 13, 1812, President James Madison, with the support of Monroe, instructed Congress to declare war on Britain. Although Monroe initially fulfilled the role of Secretary of War in addition to his duties as Secretary of State, he was replaced in February 1813 by his long-time rival John Armstrong.

It is during the early stages of Armstrong's tenure and during which glimpses of his misjudgment of the British begin to emerge, that Monroe writes, in most part: "…I have rec'd your letter of the 16th & sincerely rejoice at the proof which the county has afforded of its confidence in you. It is undoubtedly the strongest it can give and is one which puts down all the little attempts to injure you. You complain of my not writing you, without being aware that you are open to the same complaint. You have never written me, although I have expected from you, only, hints of my private concerns, which are so highly interesting to me. I have not heard a word from Mr. Alexander for two months or more, & I know about or much of them, as I when I was abroad. In fact they have been a source of trouble & distress to me heretofore, which I hope will cease under the auspices of Mr. Alexr. You know but little of the heavy pressure which has borne on me, since I have been here, & of the few consoling circumstances that have occurred; to diminish any part of it; or even in that respect, you would have found a sufficient motive, to have declined any complaint. I have written rarely a letter to any one, & had I had time, I have had no little inclination for it. I have therefore done all that I could in favor of P. Marks, but as I perceive [?] without effect. I inclose you a letter from him to Col. Goodwyn, to whom I advised, in a letter to Mr. Shelly, his application some time since. I will write you again on his subject….".

Monroe adds, in a postscript: "I did not know that any opposition to Mr. [Hugh?] Nelson was contemplate. I am happy it has received its merited vote." It possibly refers to a congressional resolution introduced by Virginia representative Hugh Nelson the prior year, that would provide Revolutionary War soldiers on the Virginia Line with land warrants that were already promised to them by the Virginia Legislature on January 2, 1781.

This letter is published in the Papers of James Monroe, Vol. 6.

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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7.75" x 9.5"