Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson Volume III Part 22

Sir,

Your favor of November the 30th remains still unanswered, because the clerks are employed in copying some doc.u.ments on the subject of the treaty of peace, which I wish to exhibit to you with the answer.

In the mean time, as to that part of your letter which respects matters of commerce, the fear of misunderstanding it induces me to mention my sense of it, and to ask if it be right. Where you are pleased to say, that 'you are authorized to communicate to this government his Majesty's readiness to enter into a negotiation for establis.h.i.+ng that intercourse (of commerce) upon principles of reciprocal benefit,' I understand that you are not furnished with any commission or express powers to arrange a treaty with us, or to make any specific propositions on the subject of commerce; but only to a.s.sure us that his Britannic Majesty is ready to concur with us, in appointing persons, times, and places for commencing such a negotiation. Be so good as to inform me if there be any misapprehension in this, as some steps on our part may be necessary in consequence of it.

1 have the honor to be, with the most perfect esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson,

LETTER Lx.x.xVII.--TO MR. HAMMOND, December 12, 1791

TO MR. HAMMOND.

Philadelphia, December 12, 1791.

Sir,

I take the liberty of enclosing you an extract of a letter from a respectable character, giving information of a Mr. Bowles, lately come from England into the Creek country, endeavoring to excite that nation of Indians to war against the United States, and pretending to be employed by the government of England. We have other testimony of these his pretensions, and that he carries them much farther than is here stated. We have too much confidence in the justice and wisdom of the British government, to believe they can approve of the proceedings of this incendiary and impostor, or countenance for a moment a person who takes the liberty of using their name for such a purpose; and I make the communication, merely that you may take that notice of the case which in your opinion shall be proper.

I have the honor to be, with great and sincere esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER Lx.x.xVIII.--TO MR. HAMMOND, December 13, 1791

TO MR. HAMMOND.

Philadelphia, December 13, 1791.

Sir,

I have laid before the President of the United States the letters of November the 30th and December the 6th, with which you honored me, and in consequence thereof and particularly of that part of your letter of December the 6th, where you say that you are fully authorized to enter into a negotiation for the purpose of arranging the commercial intercourse between the two countries, I have the honor to inform you, that I am ready to receive a communication of your full powers for that purpose, at any time you shall think proper, and to proceed immediately to their object.

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 Lx.x.xIX.--TO THE PRESIDENT, December 23, 1791

TO THE PRESIDENT.

Philadelphia, December 23, 1791.

Sir,

As the conditions of our commerce with the French and British dominions are important, and a moment seems to be approaching when it may be useful that both should be accurately understood, I have thrown a representation of them into the form of a table, showing at one view how the princ.i.p.al articles, interesting to our agriculture and navigation, stand in the European and American dominions of these two powers. As to so much of it as respects France, I have cited under every article the law on which it depends; which laws, from 1784 downwards, are in my possession.

Port-charges are so different, according to the size of the vessel and the dexterity of the captain, that an examination of a greater number of port-bills might, perhaps, produce a different result. I can only say, that that expressed in the table is fairly drawn from such bills as I could readily get access to, and that I have no reason to suppose it varies much from the truth, nor on which side the variation would lie. Still, I cannot make myself responsible for this article. The authorities cited will vouch the rest.

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

Th: Jefferson.

_Footing of the Commerce of the United States with France and England, and with the French and English American Colonies._

[Ill.u.s.tration: page143]

[Ill.u.s.tration: page144]

LETTER XC.--TO THE PRESIDENT, January 4, 1792

TO THE PRESIDENT.

Philadelphia, January 4, 1792,

Sir,

Having been in conversation to-day with Monsieur Payan, one of the St.

Domingo deputies, I took occasion to inquire of him the footing on which our commerce there stands at present, and particularly whether the colonial _Arret_ of 1789, permitting a free importation of our flour till 1793, was still in force. He answered, that that _Arret_ was revoked in France on the clamors of the merchants there; and with a like permission to carry flour to the three usual ports, and he thinks to bring away coffee and sugar, was immediately renewed by the Governor.

Whether this has been regularly kept up by renewed _Arrets_, during the present trouble, he cannot say, but is sure that in practice it has never been discontinued, and that not by contraband, but openly and legally, as is understood. The public application to us to send flour there, is a proof of it. Instead, therefore, of resting this permission on a colonial _Arret_ till 1793, it should be rested on temporary _Arrets_ renewed from time to time, as heretofore. This correction of the notes I took the liberty of laying before you with the table containing a comparative view of our commerce with France and England, I thought it my duty to make.

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

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XCI.--TO THOMAS PINCKNEY, January 17, 1792

TO THOMAS PINCKNEY.