FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN JAY.

(Private.)

Paris, October 8, 1787.

Sir,

The Count de Moustier, Minister Plenipotentiary from the Court of Versailles to the United States, will have the honor of delivering you this. The connexion of your offices will necessarily connect you in acquaintance; but I beg leave to present him to you on account of his personal as well as his public character. You will find him open, communicative, candid, simple in his manners, and a declared enemy to ostentation and luxury. He goes with a resolution to add no aliment to it by his example, unless he finds that the dispositions of our countrymen require it indispensably. Permit me at the same time to solicit your friendly notice, and through you that also of Mrs. Jay, to Madame la Marquise de Brehan, sister-in-law to Monsieur de Moustier. She accompanies him in hopes that a change of climate may assist her feeble health, and also that she may procure a more valuable education for her son, and safer from seduction in America than in France. I think it impossible to find a better woman, more amiable, more modest, more simple in her manners, dress, and way of thinking. She will deserve the friendship of Mrs. Jay, and the way to obtain hers is to receive and treat her without the shadow of etiquette.

The Count d'Aranda leaves us in a day or two. He desired me to recall him to your recollection, and to assure you of his friendship, In a letter which I mean as a private one, I may venture details too minute for a public one, yet not unamusing or unsatisfactory. I may venture names, too, without the danger of their getting into a newspaper. There has long been a division in the Council here on the question of war and peace. Monsieur de Montmorin and Monsieur de Breteuil have been constantly for war. They are supported in this by the Queen. The King goes for nothing. He hunts one half the day, is drunk the other, and signs whatever he is bid. The Archbishop of Thoulouse desires peace. Though brought in by the Queen he is opposed to her in this capital object, which would produce an alliance with her brother. Whether the Archbishop will yield or not I know not. But an intrigue is already begun for ousting him from his place, and it is rather probable it will succeed. He is

a good and patriotic Minister for peace, and very capable in the department of finance. At least he is so in theory. I have heard his talents for execution censured. Can I be useful here to Mrs. Jay or yourself in executing any commissions, great or small? I offer you my services with great cordiality. You know whether any of the wines of this country may attract your wishes. In my tour last spring I visited the best vineyards of Burgundy, Cote-rotie, Hermitage, Lunelle, Frontignan, and white and red Bordeaux, got acquainted with the proprietors, and can procure for you the best crops from the vigneron himself. Mrs. Jay knows if there is anything else here in which I could be useful to her. Command me without ceremony, as it will give me real pleasure to serve you; and be assured of the sincere attachment and friendship with which I am, &c.,

TH: JEFFERSON.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO M. LE COMTE DE MOUSTIER.

Paris, October 9, 1787.

Mr. Jefferson has the honor of presenting his respects to Monsieur le Comte de Moustier, and of taking leave of him by letter, which he is prevented doing in person by an unexpected visit to Versailles to-day. He will hope to have the pleasure of sometimes hearing from him, and will take the liberty occasionally of troubling him with a letter. He considers the Count de Moustier as forming, with himself, the two end links of that chain which holds the two nations together; and is happy to have observed in him dispositions to strengthen rather than to weaken it. It is a station-of importance, as on the cherishing good dispositions and quieting bad ones, will depend, in some degree, the happiness and prosperity of the two countries. The Count de Moustier will find the affections of the Americans with France, but their habits with England. Chained to that country by circumstances, embracing what they loathe, they realize the fable of the living and the dead bound together. Mr. Jefferson troubles the Count de Moustier with two letters to gentlemen whom he wishes to recommend to his particular acquaintance, and to that of Madame de Brehan. He bids Monsieur de Moustier a most friendly adieu, and wishes him every thing which may render agreeable his passage across the water, and his residence beyond it.

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FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO C. W. F. DUMAS.

Paris, October 14, 1787.

Sir,

I have duly received your favors of October the 23d and 26th. With respect to the mission you suggest in the former, no powers are lodged in the hands of Mr. Adams and myself. Congress commissioned Mr. Adams, Doctor Franklin, and myself to treat with the Emperor on the subjects of amity and commerce; at the same time they gave us the commission to Prussia, in which you are acquainted. We proposed treating through the Imperial Ambassador here. It was declined on their part, and our powers expired, having been given but for two years. Afterwards, the same Ambassador here was instructed to offer to treat with us. I informed him our powers were expired, but that I would write to Congress on the subject. I did so, but have never yet received an answer. Whether this proceeds from a change of opinion in them, or from the multiplicity of their occupations, I am unable to say. But this state of facts will enable you to see that we have no powers in this instance to take the measures you had thought of. I sincerely sympathize with you in your sufferings. Though forbidden by my character to meddle in the internal affairs of an allied State, it is the wish of my heart that their troubles may have such an issue as will secure the greatest degree of happiness to the body of the people; for it is with the mass of the nation we are allied, and not merely with their governors. To inform the minds of the people, and to follow their will, is the chief duty of those placed at their head. What party, in your late struggles, was most likely to do this, you are more competent to judge than I am.

Under every event, that you may be safe and happy, is the sincere wish of him, who has the honor to be, &c.,

TH: JEFFERSON.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO THE COUNT DE MONTMORIN.

Sir,

Paris, October 23, 1787.

I take the liberty of troubling your Excellency on the subject of the arrêt which has lately appeared, for prohibiting the importation

of whale oils and spermaceti, the produce of foreign fisheries. This production being expressed in general terms, seems to exclude the whale oils of the United States of America, as well as of the nations of Europe. The uniform disposition, however, which his Majesty and his Ministers have shewn to promote the commerce between France and the United States by encouraging our productions to come hither, and particularly those of our fisheries, induces me to hope that these were not within their view at the passing of this arrêt. I am led more into this opinion, when I recollect the assiduity exercised for several months in the year 1785, by the committee appointed by Government to investigate the objects of commerce of the two countries, and to report the encouragements of which it was susceptible; the result of that investigation, which his Majesty's Comptroller General did me the honor to communicate, in a letter of 22d of October, 1786, stating therein the principles which should be established for the future regulation of that commerce, and particularly distinguishing the article of whale oils by the abatement of the duties on them for the present, and a promise of farther abatements after the year 1790; the thorough reinvestigation with which Monsieur de Lambert honored this subject, when the letter of 1786 was to be put into the form of an arrêt; that arrêt itself, bearing date the 29th of December last, which ultimately confirmed the abatements of duty present and future, and declared that his Majesty reserved to himself to grant other favors to that production, if on further information he should find it for the interest of the two nations; and finally, the letter in which Monsieur de Lambert did me the honor to enclose the arrêt, and to assure me that the duties which had been levied on our whale oils, contrary to the intention of the letter of 1786, should be restored. On a review then of all these circumstances, I cannot but presume that it has not been intended to reverse, in a moment, views so maturely digested and uniformly pursued; and that the general expressions of the arrêt of September the 28th had, within their contemplation, the nations of Europe only. This presumption is further strengthened by having observed, that in the treaties of commerce made since the epoch of our independence, the jura gentis amicissimæ conceded to other nations are expressly restrained to those of the "most favored European nation;" his Majesty wisely foreseeing that it would be expedient to regulate the commerce of a nation, which brings nothing but raw materials to employ the industry of his subjects, very differently from that of other European

nations, who bring mostly what has already passed through all the stages of manufacture.

On these circumstances, I take the liberty of asking information from your Excellency as to the extent of the late arrêt; and if I have not been mistaken in supposing it did not mean to abridge that of December the 29th. I would solicit an explanatory arrêt, to prevent the misconstructions of it, which will otherwise take place. It is much to be desired, too, that this explanation could be given as soon as possible, in order that it may be handed out with the arrêt of September the 28th. Great alarm may otherwise be spread among the merchants and adventurers in the fisheries, who, confiding in the stability of regulations which his Majesty's wisdom had so long and well matured, have embarked their fortunes in speculations in this branch of business.

The importance of the subject to one of the principal members of our Union, induces me to attend, with great anxiety, the reassurance from your Excellency that no change has taken place in his Majesty's views on this subject; and that his dispositions to multiply rather than diminish the combinations of interest between the two people continue unaltered.

Commerce is slow in changing its channel. That between this country and the United States is as yet but beginning; and this beginning has received some checks. The arrêt in question would be a considerable one, without the explanation I have the honor to ask. I am persuaded that a continuation of the dispositions which have been hitherto manifested towards us will ensure effects, political and commercial, of value to both nations.

I have had too many proofs of the friendly interest your Excellency is pleased to take in whatever may strengthen the bonds and connect the views of the two countries, to doubt your patronage of the present application, or to pretend any occasion of repeating assurances of those sentiments of high respect and esteem, with which I have the honor to be, &c.,

Sir,

TH: JEFFERSON.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, November 3, 1787.

My last letters to you were of the 8th and 27th of October. In the former I mentioned to you the declaration of this country, that