AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED, PHILADELPHIA, 4 MARCH 1811, FROM WILLIAM DUANE TO AN UNKNOWN RECIPIENT DISCUSSING TURMOIL IN THE MADISON WHITE HOUSE: "... IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MISTAKE THE OPERATION OF MEASURES AS THEY ARE NOW GOING ON. MR. MADISON'S HOUSE IS A SCENE OF ODIOUS INTRIGUE. WASHINGTON A SCENE OF DISSIPATION AND EXTRAVAGANCE WHICH THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE COURTS OF EUROPE SAY THEY DO NOT EQUAL. IN THE CABINET, MR. GALLATIN WITH ALL THE POWERFUL AND FLEXIBLE FACULTIES WHICH HE POSSESSES AND KNOWS SO DEXTEROUSLY TO APPLY ON ONE SIDE; THE SMITHS WITH AN EQUALLY POWERFUL INFLUENCE... BETWEEN THEM MR. MADISON IS LIKE A MAN WITH HIS HEAD IN A NOOSE, AND THESE PARTIES HOLDING EACH OF THEM AN END OF THE ROPE--HE MUST SELECT OR PERISH BETWEEN THEM. . . . IT IS WELL KNOWN AT THE PRESD'TS HOUSE THAT THE SMITHS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED IN AN INTRIGUE AGAINST MR. M." SECRETARY OF THE NAVY PAUL HAMILTON "HAS BEEN SICKENED TO THE SOUL TO SEE WHAT HE HAS SEEN. THESE THINGS AND A THOUSAND OTHERS HAVE MADE ME ALMOST DESPAIR OF THE REPUBLIC, AND HUNDREDS OF THE BEST MEN IN THE NATION FEEL THE SAME SAD EMOTIONS... BUT TO GO ON, I AM REALLY AT A LOSS HOW TO ACT, I CANNOT BE A HYPOCRITE NOR A TRAITOR TO THE PRINCIPLES OF MY LIFE - AND I SEE THE COUNSELS OF THE COUNTRY RUSHING INTO THE ARMS OF FEDERALISM.../ YRS WM. DUANE." .
9 3/4" x 7 3/4". [4] pp, on two loose leaves of unlined paper, completely in ink manuscript. Small corner chip to first leaf [one letter barely touched upon]. Thin strip of mounting tape in margin of final page just touching signature. The paper is quite thin, resulting in some... More