A Colored Man's Reminiscences Of James Madison

Paul Jennings

• Publisher: HarperTorch
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781443435635
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Biographies
• Index: History

This short memoir details Paul Jenning's memories and impressions of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison. Jennings was born into slavery and in his childhood was trained as a body servant and footman to James Madison. When Madison was elected, Jennings travelled with him to the White House, and his experiences there were translated into this narrative after he purchased his freedom years later.

Published in 1865, A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison was the first White House memoir to be published. The memoir is still studied by American historians today, and is considered an important source speaking to social history, American politics and the nature of slavery in the nineteenth century.

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Reminiscences of Madison

About ten years before Mr. Madison was President, he and Colonel Monroe were rival candidates for the Legislature. Mr. Madison was anxious to be elected, and sent his chariot to bring up a Scotchman to the polls, who lived in the neighborhood. But when brought up, he cried out: “Put me down for Colonel Monroe, for he was the first man that took me by the hand in this country.” Colonel Monroe was elected, and his friends joked Mr. Madison pretty hard about his Scotch friend, and I have heard Mr. Madison and Colonel Monroe have many a hearty laugh over the subject, for years after.

When Mr. Madison was chosen President, we came on and moved into the White House; the east room was not finished, and Pennsylvania Avenue was not paved, but was always in an awful condition from either mud or dust. The city was a dreary place.

Mr. Robert Smith was then Secretary of State, but as he and Mr. Madison could not agree, he was removed, and Colonel Monroe appointed to his place. Dr. Eustis was Secretary of War—rather a rough, blustering man; Mr. Gallatin, a tip-top man, was Secretary of the Treasury; and Mr. Hamilton, of South Carolina, a pleasant gentleman, who thought Mr. Madison could do nothing wrong, and who always concurred in everything he said, was Secretary of the Navy.

Before the war of 1812 was declared, there were frequent consultations at the White House as to the expediency of doing it. Colonel Monroe was always fierce for it, so were Messrs. Lowndes, Giles, Poydrass, and Pope—all Southerners; all his Secretaries were likewise in favor of it.

Soon after war was declared, Mr. Madison made his regular summer visit to his farm in Virginia. We had not been there long before an express reached us one evening, informing Mr. M. of Gen. Hull’s surrender. He was astounde...

Table of contents

• CONTENTS
• Preface
• Reminiscences of Madison
• About the Author
• About the Series
• Copyright
• About the Publisher