Herbert,

Yes, I mixed up Madison and Eston in mentioning Wisconsin. Nevertheless, you 
cannot say "NEVER" when you have no idea whatsoever what was actually said 
in the conversation between Madison and the reporter. The reporter may have 
assumed that everyone understood that a son would be told his paternity by 
his mother, ir not his father. And he didn't rule out his father telling him 
either, come to think of it.

The story of Dolley Madison present at his birth may have a very logical 
explanation if we were present at the time and place. Without it, we can 
only go by Madison's word, that Dolley had input into the naming of Madison. 
Since he was not present at the time, he had to rely on what he was told. 
The actually bargain for the naming may have happened some months earlier, 
and it is also possible that the travel and location of Dolley on the date 
of his birth in January is faulty. We cannot know for certain. So your 
presumption in eliminating all that Madison said because you can't confirm 
this insignificant detail is not pragmatic.

Anne

Anne Pemberton
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http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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