From James Monroe, Advice on Life, Philosophy, Personal Habits, Career, and Success

Of his own time in College: “When I was at College, I did almost every thing for myself, & I have found the use of it thro’ life”

James Monroe’s mother died in 1772, and his father two years later. Though he inherited property, including slaves, from both of his parents, the 16-year-old Monroe was forced to withdraw from school to support his younger brothers. He was therefore experienced in guiding and giving advice to youths. One of these brothers was Andrew Augustine Monroe, who married in the 1790s, and in 1799 named his only son after his brother – James. When in 1805 the elder James Monroe came into sole possession of his uncle’s valuable estate, he gave management of the estate to his brother Andrew, who lived at the 6-room overseer’s house from 1808 to 1817. James continued to feel responsibility for young family members, particularly so in James’s case, as the lad had little schooling and was ill-disciplined by his parents.

James Monroe the elder was U.S. Ambassador to France during the Napoleonic Era, and was governor of Virginia in 1811. But he left that year when, in April 1811, President James Madison appointed him Secretary of State in hopes of shoring up the support of the more radical factions of his Democratic-Republican Party. From 1814-1815, Monroe also served as Secretary of War. In 1816 Monroe was elected President of the United States, and took office on March 4, 1917. He served for eight years, a period known as the Era of Good Feelings.

At the young James’s desire, his powerful uncle had him appointed to the West Point Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1815. In the army, he served as aide-de-camp to General Winfield Scott. After that he moved to New York and became a politician, serving in Congress during the Van Buren administration. He hob-nabbed with the rich and prominent in the city, such as the Schermerhorns, and his grandson married Theodore Roosevelt’s sister (who was also the aunt of Eleanor Roosevelt).

When Monroe was Secretary of State, he wrote his nephew a letter giving him advice, moral, philosophical, and practical. The letter may seem stern to us today, but would not have seemed so at the time. And the fact that he wrote it at all shows that a bond of affection existed, as well as real interest in the boy’s welfare.

Autograph letter signed as Secretary of State, Washington, February 16, 1814, to James. In it, Monroe writes his nephew, then newly enrolled at West Point, saying that he has arranged with Major Partridge of Vermont to be sure that James is well supplied with books and necessaries, dispenses practical advice on all aspects of life, such as be frugal, work diligently at your studies, and use proper grammar, and discusses his own experience and high hopes for young James.

“I enclose you a letter from your father, who, I understand is in good health, as is likewise your mother. I received your late letter informing me that you had entirely recovered your health, were well fixed, and engaged in close study, and would soon begin Algebra. I had before received a letter from Major Partridge, from Vermont, in answer to one I had written him, requesting him to be so good as to see, that you were supplied with blankets and other necessaries, suited to the season & also with books. He wrote me that he should attend to my request. I was apprehensive that you might suffer for the want of such articles, and being so far from your friends, no one would assist you. Your letter removed all doubt on that subject. The greatest expense is in beginning, for afterwards, you will have articles to purchase. I wish you to be comfortable, and to make as decent an appearance as the other young men, but hope you will be prudent, and incur no expense you can avoid. The best thing that can be said of a young man is, that he is at his studies. When thus engaged, plain clothes are the fittest. It is only on particular occasions, that he ought to wear his best. Put them away carefully after wearing them. If you leave them out of your trunk, they get abused, & dirty. Cleanliness is a great virtue. so is frugality. A young man, ought to do every thing in his room, that he can. If a servant is allowed, he may make up the bed & sweep the room, clean your boots, & even brush your clothes. But you ought to take care of them, & might brush them.

“When I was at College, I did almost everything for myself, & I have found the use of it thro’ life. Before this time, I presume, you have seen, that it is not disreputable for a young man to wait on himself, and on those older than him, and that, by doing certain things, such as, having your wood at hand, ready cut up, making up your own fire, lighting your candles, brushing your coat, dusting your shoes, & the like, you keep your room more quiet & clean, have less noise, and are in all respects more comfortable, than if you had to call a servant in on all occasions to do these things for you. I give you these hints, for your advantage.

“Your letter was well enough written. I own it was better than I had thought you could write, for as you had been always at home, & had perhaps never written more than one or two in your life, I concluded that you must be awkward at it. Be industrious, and strive to improve yourself, & you will succeed. I observe that you make many mistakes in your orthography, or spelling of your words, some of which I will notice. The word ‘hear’ by which you mean the faculty of hearing, you spell thus ‘here’. ‘Here’ means, this place, instead of another. ‘Attend’ you spell with one ’t’ only. There should be two. You spell ‘present’ with an ‘a’ thus ‘preasant’. You say that you hope by ‘remaining on here’ you will qualify yourself for a commission in 18. months etc. Suppose you had left out the word ‘on’ would not the sense have been the same? You also say that captn. Partridge is not on here. Suppose you had said that captn. Partridge ‘was not here’ the sense would have been the same. I notice these mistakes for your improvement. Get a dictionary and look to it, whenever you doubt how the word ought to be spelled. I think you write & spell better than I had expected, so that you ought not to be discouraged.

“Write me often, and it will improve you. I will always give you the best advice, and be friendly to you, in case you deserve it. Three or four years close study will be necessary to complete you. Your friend, Jas. Monroe. PS. You had better not shew my letters to any one.”

This is a personal, advice filled letter of a president that we have ever carried. We would go so far as to say it is unique.