ACCOUNT of disbursements and money paid by John Diot & Co. merchants in Morlaix, to Mr. Lister Asquith and his crew, since the beginning of their detainment in the prison of St. Pol de Leon to this day, in consequence of his Excellency Thomas Jefferson's desire to Messrs. Borgnois des Bordes freres, merchants in Brest, said detainment proceeding from the seizure and condemnation by the Farmers General, of the schooner called William and Catharine, the 9th August, 1785, in the harbor of Roscoff, viz: June 9th, 1786. To cash paid Mr. Lister Asquith for his own and his crew's maintenance in St Pol. jail, To cash paid to the attorney in St. Pol, for To cash paid Mr. Glean, attorney in Brest, for 1422 00 0 14 12 9 18 10 0 13 15 0 visiau, acting for, &c. in behalf of the Far- The charges of process, verbal seizure of 19th 19 16 6 For the cost and law suit at the custom house office in Brest, 82 17 1 540 00 0 For jail fees paid by the custom house, for To cash paid Mr. Lister Asquith and crew, To interest of said sum, from 22nd October to Amounting, the within account of our disbursements, and money paid to and for Mr. Lister Asquith and his crew, to two thousand, six hundred and twenty livres and two sous, as per particulars in the said account, which we certify to be true and sincere. St. Pol de Leon, June 9, 1786. JOHN DIOT & Co. I, underwritten, do hereby acknowledge and certify, that the sums mentioned in the above account, amounting to two thousand, six hundred and twenty livres, two sous, have effectually and truly been paid to and for me, as mentioned in the above said account, by Messrs. John Doit & Co. by the orders of his Excellency, Thomas Jefferson, Esq. to Messrs. Borgnois des Bordesfreres, merchants in Brest, to whom said sum is lawfully due. St-Pol de Leon, June 9, 1786. LISTER ASQUITH. FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO BARON DE STAEL. Sir, Paris, June 12, 1786. In compliance with your Excellency's desire, I will throw on paper such considerations as occur to me on the question, "How may the Island of St. Bartholomew be rendered instrumental for promoting commerce between Sweden and the United States?" They will be rapid, undigested, and incomplete; but a desire of contributing to bind the two countries together in interest, and a respect for your commands, will induce me to hazard them. I shall make the interest of Sweden the basis of my theory, because we have no right to expect her to depart from them in order to promote ours. Ancient nations considered colonies principally as re ceptacles for a too numerous population, and as natural and useful allies in times of war. But modern nations viewing commerce as an object of first importance, value colonies chiefly as instruments for the increase of that. This is principally effected by their taking commodities from the mother State, whether raised within herself or obtained elsewhere, in the course of her trade, and furnishing, in return, colonial productions necessary for her consumption, or for her commerce of exchange, with other nations. In this way the colonies of Spain, Portugal, France and England, have been chiefly subservient to the advantages of their mother country. In this way too, in a smaller degree, has Denmark derived utility from her American colonies; and so, also, Holland, except as to the Island of St. Eustatius; this is by nature a rock, barren and unproductive in itself; but its owners became sensible, that what nature had denied it, policy could more than supply. It was conveniently situated for carrying on contraband trade with both the continents, and with the Islands of America. an entrepôt for all nations. ductions of every other part give in exchange such articles, as in the course of their commerce they can most advantageously gather up; and it is a question on which they will not enable us to decide, whether by furnishing American productions to the commerce of Holland, and by finding vent for such productions of the old world, as the Dutch merchants obtain to advantage, the barren rock of St. Eustatius does not give more activity to their commerce, and leave with them greater profits, than their more fertile possessions on the continent of South America. The Danes, finding that They made it, therefore, Hither are brought the proof America, and the Dutch their Islands were capable of yielding but moderate advantages, by their native productions, have also laid them open to foreign commerce, in order to draw through them articles, which they do not produce in themselves, or not in great quantities. But these nations, only half emancipated, from the fetters of commercial prejudices, have taken only half a step, towards placing these institutions on their best footing. Both the Dutch and Danish free ports are under restrictions, which discourage very much the operations of exchange in them. The Island of St. Bartholomew, lately ceded to Sweden, is, if I am rightly informed, capable of furnishing little of its own productions to that country. It remains then, to make it the instrument for obtaining, through its intermediation, such American productions as Sweden can consume, or dispose of; and for finding, in return, a vent for the native productions of Sweden. Let us suppose it then made a free port, without a single restriction. These consequences will follow. 1st. It will draw to itself that tide of commerce, which at present sets towards the Dutch and Danish Islands, because vessels going to these are often obliged to negotiate a part of their cargoes at St. Eustatius, and to go to St. Thomas to negotiate the residue; whereas, when they shall know that there is a port where all articles are free both for importation and exportation, they will go to that port which enables them to perform, by one voyage, the exchanges which, hitherto, they could only effect by two. 2nd. Every species of American produce, whether of the precious metals or of commodities, which Sweden may want for its own consumption, or as aliment for its commerce with other nations, will be collected, either fairly VOL. III-14 |