The Papers of James Madison: 13 October 1815-30 April 1816

The tenth volume of the Presidential Series covers the period from Madison’s return to Washington from Montpelier in October 1815 to the publication of the incendiary letters of the pseudonymous Americanus throughout April 1816. In the months between, Madison fielded requests for support from rebel governments in Spanish America, urged his diplomats to stand firm on U.S. claims in the settlement of post- war boundary disputes with Great Britain, and contemplated retaliation for British restrictions on American trade with its West Indian colonies. Increasingly, however, his attention was focused on domestic issues. These included putting in place a viable financial system with a central bank at its core, which Madison had come to believe was a necessity; increasing the nation’s revenue stream through reductions in military expenditures; exports of American goods; and the imposition of tariffs on foreign imports that threatened domestic manufactures. He was, furthermore, required to remove squatters from the public lands and to referee disputes between white settlers and Indian nations over their post-1815 boundaries. He supervised the Commissioners for the Public Buildings as they rebuilt the capital and issued pardons to those who had committed petty crimes or who had violated U.S. revenue laws.