Washington, 11th April, 1878.
My dear Sir,—In March, 1836, I was the guest of Mr. Madison for several days. He knew the object of my visit, and kept me at his side during many hours of each day, sometimes starting topics, sometimes answering my questions and allowing me to take down his words from his lips in his presence. The memorandum annexed is, for the most part, in his own words, and committed to paper as they were uttered.
Ever yours,
George Bancroft.
[Memorandum.] March, 1836.—Madison was a friend of peace. But he told me “that the British left no option; that war was made necessary; that under the circumstances of the negotiations with England war was unavoidable.” He further said, “he knew the unprepared state of the country, but he esteemed it necessary to throw forward the flag of the country, sure that the people would press onward and defend it.”
[114] Vol. ii. p. 611.
[115] All these papers will be found in Niles’s Register for 1845, and in the New York Courier and Enquirer.
[116] Gallatin’s Writings, vol. iii. p. 538.
[117] Gallatin’s Writings, i. 526.
[118] See Gallatin’s Writings, iii. 283, ff.
[119] See both letters in Gallatin’s Writings, vol. i. pp. 562, 576.