of sentiment.

One party will want to make it a new

source of patronage & expence. If this business is taken up, it will lengthen our session.

We had

pretty generally, till now, fixed on the beginning of May for adjournment. I shall return by my usual routes, & not by the Eastern shore, on account of the advance of the season. Friendly salutations to mrs. Madison & yourself. Adieu.

As the instructions to our envoys & their communications have excited a great deal of curiosity, I enclose you a copy. You will perceive that they have been assailed by swindlers, whether with or without the participation of Taleyrand is not very apparent. The known corruption of his character renders it very possible he may have intended to share largely in the 50,000 demanded. But that the Directory knew anything of it is neither proved nor probable. On the contrary, when the Portuguese ambassador yielded to like attempts of swindlers, the conduct of the Directory in imprisoning him for an attempt at corruption, as well as their general conduct really magnanimous, places them above suspicion. It is pretty evident that mr. A.'s speech is in truth the only obstacle to negociation. That humiliating disavowals of that are demanded as a preliminary, or as a commutation for that a heavy sum of money,

about a million sterling. This obstacle removed, they seem not to object to an arrangement of all differences, and even to settle & acknolege themselves debtors for spoliations. Nor does it seem that negociation is at an end, as the P's message says, but that it is in it's commencement only. The instructions comply with the wishes expressed in debate in the May session to place France on as good footing as England, & not to make a sine qua non of the indemnification for spoliation; but they declare the war in which France is engaged is not a defensive one, they reject the naturalization of French ships, that is to say the exchange of naturalization which France had formerly proposed to us, & which would lay open to us the unrestrained trade of her West Indies & all her other possessions; they declare the 10th article of the British treaty, against sequestering debts, money in the funds, bank stock, &c., to be founded in morality, & therefore of perpetual obligation, & some other heterodoxes.

You will have seen in the newspapers some resolutions proposed by mr. Sprigg, the first of which was, that it is inexpedient under existing circumstances to resort to war with France. Whether this could have been carried before is doubtful, but since it is known that a sum of money has been demanded, it is thought this resolution, were it now to be passed, would imply a willingness to avoid war even by purchasing peace. It is therefore postponed. The peace party will agree to all reasonable measures of internal defence, but oppose all external preparations. Tho' it is evi

dent that these communications do not present one motive the more for going to war, yet it may be doubted whether we are now strong enough to keep within the defensive line. It is thought the expences contemplated will render a land tax necessary before we separate. If so, it will lengthen the session. The first impressions from these communications. are disagreeable; but their ultimate effect on the public mind will not be favorable to the war party. They may have some effect in the first moment in stopping the movement in the Eastern states, which were on the creen, & were running into town meetings, yet it is believed this will be momentary only, and will be over before their elections. Considerable expectations were formed of changes in the Eastern delegations favorable to the whig interest. Present my best respects to mrs. Carr, & accept yourself assurance of affectionate

esteem.

TO JAMES MONROE.

MON. MSS.

April 19. 98.

I wrote you on the 5th. inst. and on the 12th. I enclosed you a copy of the instructions & communications from our envoys. In that of the 5th I acknoleged the receipt of your last at hand of Mar. 26. The impressions first made by those communications continue strong & prejudicial here. They have enabled the merchants to get a war-petition very extensively signed. They have also carried over to

the war-party most of the waverers in the H. of R. This circumstance with the departure of 4. Southern members, & others going, have given a strong majority to the other party. The expences will probably bring them up: but in the mean time great & dangerous follies will have been committed. A salttax, land-tax, & stoppage of interest on the public debt are the resources spoken of for procuring from 3. to 7. millions of Dollars of preparatory expence. I think it probable that France, instead of declaring war, will worry us with decrees. A new one is proposed making neutral armed ships good prize. Such measures, and the bottom of our purse which we shall get to even by the expences of preparation, will still prevent serious war. Bankruptcy is a terrible foundation to begin a war on, against the conquerors of the universe. A governor, secretary & 3. judges are named for the missisipi territory. Of these, two are agents for the land companies, 2. are bankrupt speculators, & the other unknown. Your matter with Morris is well settled. With respect to your accounts mr. Dawson will inclose you the difficulties objected by the Department of State. Considering how much better items of an account can be explained vivâ voce, how much more impressive personal remonstrance is than written, we have imagined you will think it adviseable to come on yourself, and have these matters settled, or at least to narrow them down to a few articles as to which you may take measures from hence to procure vouchers from Europe if necessary. But of this you alone are the

VOL. VII.-16

competent judge.

to mrs. Monroe.

Present my affectionate salutations
Friendly adieux to yourself.

P. S. Wheat & flour not saleable at this moment.

Tobacco (old) d13.50 & likely to rise.

TO JAMES MADISON.

MAD. MSS.

Apr. 19. 98.

I wrote you last on the 12th & then acknoleged your last at hand of the 2d inst. The sensations first occasioned by the late publications have been kept up and increased at this place. A petition from the merchants & traders & others was so industriously pushed as to have obtained a very extensive signature. The same measure is pursuing in New York. As the election of their governor comes on next Tuesday, these impressions will just be in time to affect that. We have no information yet of their effect to the Eastward. In the meantime petitions to Congress against arming from the towns of Massachusetts were multiplying. They will no doubt have been immediately checked. The P.'s answer to the address of the merchants here you will see in Fenno of yesterday. It is a pretty strong declaration that a neutral & pacific conduct on our part is no longer the existing state of things. The vibraters in the H. of R. have chiefly gone over to the war party. Still if our members were all here, it is believed the Navalbill would be thrown out. Giles, Clopton, & Cabell are gone. The debate began yesterday, & tho' the question will be lost, the effect on the public mind