It would be difficult to say how much should be added for the consumption of inhabitants of other descriptions. A great deal, surely. But the present view shall be confined to the one description named. Seven millions of livres are nine millions of days' work of those who raise, card, spin, and weave the wool and flax; and, at three hundred working days to the year, would maintain 30,000 people. To introduce these simple manufactures, suppose Government to give five per cent. on the value of what should be exported of them for ten years to come. If none should be exported, nothing would be to be paid. But, on the other hand, if the manufactures should rise to the full demand, it would be a sacrifice of 351,000 livres a year for ten years only, to produce a perpetual subsistence for more than 30,000 people, (for the demand will grow with our population,) while she must expend perpetually 1,285,000 livres a year to maintain the 3,570 seamen who would supply her with whale oil; that is to say, for each seaman as much as for thirty laborers and manufacturers. But to return to our subject, and to conclude.

Whether, then, we consider the arrêt of September 28 in a political or a commercial light, it would seem that the United States should be excepted from its operation. Still more so when they invoke against it the amity subsisting between the two nations, the desire of binding them together by every possible interest and connexion, the several acts in favor of this exception, the dignity of legislation, which admits not of changes backwards and forwards, the interests of commerce, which require steady regulations, the assurances of the friendly motives which have led the King to pass these acts, and the hope that no cause will arise to change either his motives or his measures towards us.

FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, November 29, 1788.

Sir,

In the hurry of making up my letter of the 19th instant, I omitted to enclose the printed paper on the subject of whale oil. That omission is now supplied by another conveyance by the way of London. The explanatory arrêt is not yet come out. I still take for granted it will pass, though there be an opposition to it in the

Council. In the meantime, orders are given to receive our oils which may arrive. The apprehension of a want of corn has induced them to turn their eyes to foreign supplies; and to show their preference of receiving them from us, they have passed the enclosed arrêt, giving a premium on wheat and flour from the United States for a limited time. This you will doubtless think proper to have translated and published. The Notables are still in session. The votes of the separate bureaus have not yet been reduced to a joint act in the assembly of the whole. I see no reason to suppose they will change the separate votes relative to the representation of the tiers état in the States General. In the meantime, the stream of public indignation, heretofore directed against the Court, sets strongly against the Notables. It is not yet decided when the States will meet, but certainly they cannot till February or March. The Turks have retired across the Danube. This indicates their going into winter quarters, and the severity of the weather must hasten it. The thermometer was yesterday at eight degrees of Fahrenheit, that is, twenty-four degrees below freezing. This having continued many days, and still likely to continue, and the wind from northeast, renders it probable that all enterprize must be suspended between the three great belligerent Powers. Poland is likely to be thrown into great convulsions. The Empress of Russia has peremptorily demanded such aids from Poland as might engage it in the war. The King of Prussia, on the other hand, threatens to march an army on their borders. The vote of the Polish Confederacy for one hundred thousand men was a coalition of the two parties in that single act only. The party opposed to the King has obtained a majority, and have voted that this army shall be independent of him. They are supported by Prussia, while the King depends on Russia. Authentic information from England leaves not a doubt that the King is lunatic, and that that, instead of the effect, is the cause of the illness under which he has been so near dying. I mention this because the English newspapers, speaking by guess on that as they do on all other subjects, might mislead you as to his true situation; or, rather, might mislead others who know less than you do, that a thing is not rendered the more probable by being mentioned in those papers.

I enclose those of Leyden to the present date with the gazettes of France.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

TH: JEFFERSON.

Arrêt of the King's Council of State to encourage by Bounties the importation of Wheat and Flour coming from the United States of America.

Translation.

November 23, 1788.

Extract from the Registers of the Council of State.

The King, unwilling to neglect any means that may encourage during this year the importation of foreign grain, has judged it proper to grant bounties to those who shall import into his kingdom wheat and flour coming from the United States of America. To provide for which the report being heard, the King, in his Council, has ordained, and does ordain, as follows:

ARTICLE I. There shall be paid to all French or foreign merchants who, from the 15th of February next to the 30th of June following, shall import into France wheat and wheat flour, coming from the United States of America, a bounty of thirty sous for every quintal of flour. The said bounties shall be paid by the receivers of the Farm duties in the ports of the kingdom where the said grain and flour shall arrive, on the declarations furnished by the captains of the vessels, who shall be bound to annex thereto a legal copy of the bill of lading, and the certificate of the magistrates of the place where the lading shall have been made.

ARTICLE II. All vessels, without distinction, which, during the space of time abovementioned, shall import into the kingdom wheat and flour from the said United States of America, shall be exempted from the freight duty on account of the said importations. His Majesty enjoins the intendants and commissaries throughout the provinces, and all others charged with the execution of his orders, to carry into execution the present arrêt, which shall be printed, published, and posted wherever it may be necessary.

Done in the King's Council of State, his Majesty being present, held at Versailles, the 23d November, 1788.

LAURENT DE VILLEDEUIL.

Arrêt of the King's Council of State respecting the commerce of

Grain.

Translation.

November 23, 1788.

Extract from the Registers of the Council of State.

The King having been informed of the price of grain, and of the different circumstances which have raised the value, has learned with pain that the crops have not yielded the customary supply, and that the cultivators have been in general much disappointed in their expectations. It is, moreover, generally known that a disastrous hail storm has ravaged a great part of his dominions, and many other unfortunate events have conspired to diminish the crops in numberless parts of the provinces of his kingdom. His Majesty, nevertheless, is informed that no scarcity is to be feared; but there may not, perhaps, be a surplus quantity, necessary to keep the price within reasonable limits. It is not in his Majesty's power to control the laws of nature, but, attentive to all who are under his care and protection, he at first strictly prohibited the exportation of grain, and at the same time maintained the most perfect liberty in the interior circulation, in order that all the provinces of his kingdom might mutually contribute to the relief of each other. His Majesty, in consequence of his paternal anxiety and the complaints which have been addressed to him, thinks it advisable at this time to put a stop to a kind of speculation by no means of service to the proprietors, and which is of essential detriment to the consumers; that is, the purchases and forestallings undertaken only with a view of profiting by an increase of price, and which consequently inspires the dangerous desire of seeing the prices further enhanced. Such speculations, which are beneficial in abundant years, excite alarm, and may have unhappy consequences, while the price of subsistence is already so high. His Majesty unwilling, however, to authorize any examinations, which it is so easy to abuse, has thought proper to content himself with reestablishing for this year the ancient obligation of not selling or purchasing but in the markets, that the officers of the police may be enabled to observe the conduct of those who give themselves up to so dishonest a traffic. He has at the same time thought proper to renew the ancient ordinances prohibiting from all kind of commerce

in grain those persons who are charged with the care of the police and good order, and in extending the prohibition to all such as have the management of the royal moneys, and as are in any manner attached to the Administration. He at the same time promises the most particular protection to the merchants who may import into France wheat purchased in foreign countries, or who employ themselves in carrying grain from one province to another, and by this means equalize among his subjects the resources and means of subsistence. His Majesty cannot warrant, notwithstanding these precautions, and all those which he will take by means of administration to encourage the importation of foreign wheat into the kingdom, that the price of this commodity may not be constantly dear this year; but notwithstanding the painful situation of his finances, he will grant more considerable relief than at other times to the most indigent part of his people, and he will not cease to do everything that can be reasonably expected from his beneficence and his resources. For which being willing to provide, having heard the report, the King being present in his Council, has ordained, and does ordain, as follows:

ARTICLE I. His Majesty wills and ordains, that under the penalties established by the ancient regulations, grain and flour shall not be sold nor bought in any other place than in the halls, markets, or in the ordinary ports of the cities, towns, and places of the kingdom as have been established for the purpose.

ARTICLE II. His Majesty prohibits the merchants, and all other persons, of whatsoever quality or condition they may be, from going out to meet those who shall bring grain to market, either to give them earnest or to make any private bargain with them.

ARTICLE III. His Majesty prohibits the officers of justice and police, all weighers, and measurers, and other persons employed in the service of the markets, as well as the Farmers and receivers of his dues, clerks of his receipts, cashiers, and other persons employed in the collection of his revenue, or attached in any other manner to the administration of his finances, from intermeddling, either directly or indirectly, in the commerce of grain.

ARTICLE IV. His Majesty expressly wills that no impediment should be made to the free transportation of grain throughout his kingdom, and orders the judges of police and the officers of the Maréchaussée to aid the execution of his orders.

VOL. II.-17