Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson Volume III Part 25

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER C.--TO COLONEL PICKERING, March 28, 1792

TO COLONEL PICKERING.

Philadelphia, March 28, 1792.

Sir,

The President has desired me to confer with you on the proposition I made the other day, of endeavoring to move the posts at the rate of one hundred miles a day. It is believed to be practicable here, because it is practised in every other country. The difference of expense alone appeared to produce doubts with you on the subject. If you have no engagement for dinner to-day, and will do me the favor to come and dine with me, we will be entirely alone, and it will give us time to go over the matter and weigh it thoroughly. I will, in that case, ask the favor of you to furnish yourself with such notes as may ascertain the present expense of the posts, for one day in the week, to Boston and Richmond, and enable us to calculate the savings which may be made by availing ourselves of the stages. Be pleased to observe that the stages travel all the day. There seems nothing necessary for us then, but to hand the mail along through the night till it may fall in with another stage the next day, if motives, of economy should oblige us to be thus attentive to small savings. If a little lat.i.tude of expense can be allowed, I should be for only using the stages the first day, and then have our riders. I am anxious that the thing should be begun by way of experiment, for a short distance, because I believe it will so increase the income of the post-office as to show we may go through with it. I shall hope to see you at three o'clock.

I am with great esteem, Sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CI.--TO MR. HAMMOND, March 31, 1792

TO MR. HAMMOND.

Philadelphia, March 31, 1792.

Sir,

I received yesterday your favor of the day before, and immediately laid it before the President of the United States. I have it in charge from him to express to you the perfect satisfaction which these a.s.surances on the part of your court have given him, that Bowles, who is the subject of them, is an unauthorized impostor. The prompt.i.tude of their disavowal of what their candor had forbidden him to credit, is a new proof of their friendly dispositions, and a fresh incitement to us to cherish corresponding sentiments. To these we are led both by interest and inclination, and I am authorized to a.s.sure you that no occasion will be omitted, on our part, of manifesting their sincerity.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CII.--TO GOVERNOR PINCKNEY, April 1, 1792

TO GOVERNOR PINCKNEY.

Philadelphia, April 1, 1792.

Sir,

Your letter of January the 8th to the President of the United States having been referred to me, I have given the subject of it as mature consideration as I am able. Two neighboring and free governments, with laws equally mild and just, would find no difficulty in forming a convention for the interchange of fugitive criminals. Nor would two neighboring despotic governments, with laws of equal severity. The latter wish that no door should be opened to their subjects flying from the oppression of their laws. The fact is, that most of the governments on the continent of Europe have such conventions; but England, the only free one till lately, has never yet consented either to enter into a convention for this purpose, or to give up a fugitive. The difficulty between a free government and a despotic one is indeed great. I have the honor to enclose to your Excellency a sketch of the considerations which occurred to me on the subject, and which I laid before the President. He has, in consequence, instructed me to prepare a project of a convention, to be proposed to the court of Madrid, which I have accordingly done, and now enclose a copy of it. I wish it may appear to you satisfactory.

Against property we may hope it would be effectual; whilst it leaves a door open to life and liberty except in a single unquestionable case.

Messrs. Carmichael and Short will be instructed to make this one of the subjects of their negotiation with the court of Spain. I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect, your Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CIII.--TO COLONEL HUMPHREYS, April 9, 1792

TO COLONEL HUMPHREYS.

Philadelphia, April 9, 1792.

Dear Sir,

My last to you were of the 29th of November and the 13th of December.

I have now to acknowledge the receipt of your Nos. 34 to 44, inclusive.

The river here and at New York having remained longer blocked with ice than has been usual, has occasioned a longer interval than usual between my letters. I have particularly to acknowledge, that Mr. Barclay's receipt of drafts from you on our bankers in Holland for thirty-two thousand one hundred and seventy-five florins has come safely to my hands, and is deposited in my office, where it will be to be found wrapped in the letter in which it came. You have been before informed of the failure of our arms against the Indians, the last year. General St.

Clair has now resigned that command. We are raising our western force to five thousand men. The stock-jobbing speculations have occupied some of our countrymen to such a degree, as to give sincere uneasiness to those who would rather see their capitals employed in commerce, manufactures, buildings, and agriculture. The failure of Mr. Duer, the chief of that description of people, has already produced some other bankruptcies, and more are apprehended. He had obtained money from great numbers of small tradesmen and farmers, tempting them by usurious interest, which has made the distress very extensive. Congress will adjourn within a fortnight. The President negatived their representation bill, as framed on principles contrary to the const.i.tution. I suppose another will be pa.s.sed, allowing simply a representative for every thirty or thirty-three thousand, in each State. The troubles in the French island continue extreme; we have, as yet, heard of the arrival but of a few troops. There begins to be reason to apprehend, the negroes will perhaps never be entirely reduced. A commission has issued to Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Short, to treat with the court of Madrid on the subjects heretofore in negotiation between us. I suppose Mr. Short will be in Madrid by the last of May. We expect Major Pinckney here hourly, on his way to London, as our Minister Plenipotentiary to that court. For a state of our transactions in general, I refer you to the newspapers which accompany this. I put under your cover letters and newspapers for Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Barclay, which I pray you to contrive by some sure conveyances. We must make you, for some time, the common centre of our correspondence.

I am with great and sincere respect and esteem, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CIV.--TO MR. HAMMOND, April 12, 1792

TO MR. HAMMOND.

Philadelphia, April 12, 1792.

Sir,

I am this moment favored with the letter you did me the honor of writing yesterday, covering the extract of a British statute forbidding the admission of foreign vessels into any ports of the British dominions, with goods or commodities of the growth, production, or manufacture of America. The effect of this appears to me so extensive, as to induce a doubt whether I understand rightly the determination to enforce it, which you notify, and to oblige me to ask of you whether we are to consider it as so far a revocation of the proclamation of your government, regulating the commerce between the two countries, and that henceforth no articles of the growth, production, or manufacture of the United States, are to be received in the ports of Great Britain or Ireland, in vessels belonging to the citizens of the United States.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CV.--TO MR. HAMMOND, April 13,1792