cite great indignation. Probably a great fermentation will be produced by it in that state. Indeed it is the common cause of the confederacy as it is one of their courts which has taken the step. The charges of the federal judges have for a considerable time been inviting the grand juries to become inquisitors on the freedom of speech, of writing & of, principle of their fellow-citizens. Perhaps the grand juries in the other states as well as in that of Virginia may think it incumbent in their next presentment to enter protestations against this perversion of their institution from a legal to a political engine, & even to present those concerned in it. The hostile use which is made of whatever can be laid hold of of mine, obliges me to caution the friends to whom I write, never to let my letters go out of their own hands lest they should get into the newspapers. I pray you to present my most friendly respects to your father, & wishes for the continuance of his health & good faculties, to accept yourself assurances of the esteem with which I am dear sir your most obedt & most humble servt.

TO FRENCH STROTHER.

J. MSS.

PHILADELPHIA, June 8, 1797.

DEAR SIR,-In compliance with the desire you expressed in the few short moments I had the pleasure of being with you at Fredericksburg, I shall give you some account of what is passing here. The President's speech you will have seen; and how far its aspect was turned towards war. Our opinion here is that the Executive had that in contemplation, and

were not without expectation that the legislature might catch the flame. A powerful part of that has shown a disposition to go all lengths with the Executive; and they have been able to persuade some of more moderate principles to go so far with them as to join them in a very sturdy address. They have voted the compleating & manning the three frigates, & going on with the fortifications. The Senate have gone much further, they have brought in bills for buying more armed vessels, sending them & the frigates out as convoys to our trade, raising more cavalry, more artillerists, and providing a great army, to come into actual service only, if necessary. They have not decided whether they will permit the merchants to arm. The hope & belief is that the Representatives will concur in none of these measures, though their divisions hitherto have been so equal as to leave us under doubt & apprehension. The usual majorities have been from 1. to 6. votes, & these sometimes one way, sometimes the other. Three of the Virginia members dividing from their colleagues occasion the whole difficulty. If they decline these measures, we shall rise about the 17th inst. It appears that the dispositions of the French government towards us wear a very angry cast indeed, and this before Pickering's letter to Pinckney was known to them. We do not know what effect that may produce. We expect Paine every day in a vessel from Havre, & Colo Monroe in one from Bordeaux. Tobacco keeps up to a high price & will still rise; flour is dull at 7 Dollars. I am, with great esteem, dear Sir, your friend and servant.

TO JAMES MADISON.1

J. MSS.

PHILAD. June 8, 97.

Amdmt of address puttg France on equal footing clogged with demand for spoliation, which tho' right in principle, may enable Exve to make it sine qua non, to indulge their own disposns to rupture.

Repr. have voted complete & man frigates, go on with fortfycns. Will prob pass bill from Senate prohibg exportn arms & ammunition & preventg our citizens from engaging in armed vessels.

Bills for cavalry- artillery-9 vessels-provnal army. Will pass Senate by 18 to 12.

Permittg merchts to arm negativd. in commee Senate 3 to 2. Bingham's informa that merchts did not wish it. Some of the Senate for it.

Smith & Harper proposed permit merchts to arm yesterday.

Buonaparte's late victory & panic of Brit govmt produced sensible effect here. Before that the party partly from inclinn partly devotn to Exve. willing to meet hostilities from France. Now will not force that nail but doing so much of most innocent things as may veil the folly or boldness of convening Congress, leave more offensive measures to issue of negocn or their own next meeting.

Difficult to say if Republicans have majority. Votes carrd both ways by from 1. to 6. Our 3 renegadoes make the difference. Clay firm. Never separated but on the vote mentd in former lre.

Paine expected.-Nothing of Monroe.

1 Endorsed :

No copy

retained. The above is the sum."

P. M. Represent. have decided 46 to 34. yt W. India trade shall not arm. Hence augur well of other resolns. Senate have voted on 2d. reading the 9. vessels. Cost 60 M. D. each these bills originating in Senate & going under their sanction to H. Repr in so vibratory a state, have mischievous effect. Expect to rise Saturday 17th. I shall probably be with you 26th or 27th.

SIR,-I might sooner have acknoleged the receipt of your favor of May 15. but I could not sooner have done it with anything satisfactory on the subject it concerned. The first opening of the session of Congress was rather inauspicious to those who consider war as among the greatest calamities to our country. Private conversation, public discussion, & thorough calculation, aided by the events of Europe, have nearly brought everyone to the same sentiment, not only to wish for a continuance of peace, but to let no false sense of honor lead us to take a threatening attitude, which to a nation prompt in its passions & flushed with victory might produce a blow from them. I rather believe that Congress will think it best to do little or nothing for the present to give fair play to the negotiation proposed, & in the meantime lie on their oars till their next meeting in November. Still however both English & French spoliations continue in a high degree. Perhaps the prospects in Europe

may deaden the activity of the former, & call home all their resources, but I see nothing to check the depredations of the French but the natural effect they begin to produce of starving themselves by deterring us from venturing to sea with provisions. This is the best general view I am able to give you of the probable course of things for the summer so far as they may be interesting to commerce. The liberties which the presses take in mutilating whatever they can get hold of, obliges me to request every gentleman to whom I write to take care that nothing from me may put within their power.

be

TO JAMES MADISON.

MAD. MSS.

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 97.—A.M.

My last was of the 8th inst. I had enclosed you separately a paper giving you an account of Buonaparte's last great victory. Since that, we receive information that the preliminaries of peace were signed between France & Austria. Mr. Hammond will have arrived at Vienna too late to influence the terms. The victories lately obtained by the French on the Rhine, were as splendid as Buonaparte's. The mutiny on board the English fleet, tho' allayed for the present, has impressed that country with terror. King has written letters to his friends recommending a pacific conduct towards France, 'notwithstanding the continuance of her injustices.' Volney is convinced France will not make peace with England, because it is such an opportunity for sinking