The Reluctant Candidate

Abstract Among James Madison’S Many Admirers, few seemed as devoted as John Dawson. Known as “Beau” for his elegant attire, the redheaded Dawson wrote a steady stream of letters to Madison between 1785 and 1812. Dawson cared so much about his relationship with Madison that he of ten began his correspondence with an expression of regret, or even pique, if he had not received a response to his previous note. A week after the Philadelphia convention ended, he wrote, “On my arrival in this town [Fredericksburg], on the last evening, I was much disappointed in re ceiving no letter from you.” He hoped that “our correspondence will be more regular” and said that any information Madison could provide about Congress’s activities would be considered “a matter of first conse quence to me.” He sometimes informed Madison of his travel plans so Madison would know where to send the next letter.