Mr. Wagner writes me that two black convicts from Surinam are landed at Philadelphia. Being on the spot you will have a better opportunity of judging what should be done with them. To me it seems best that we should send them to England with a proper representation against such a measure. If the transportation is not within any of the regular appropriations it will come properly on the contingent fund. If the law does not stand in the way of such an act, & you think as I do, it may be immediately carried into execution. Accept for Mrs. Madison & yourself my affectionate salutations & assurances of constant esteem & respect.' TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. J. MSS. MONTICELLO, Aug. 7, 1805. DEAR SIR,-You have probably learnt through other channels that our Commissioners to Spain have terminated their mission 1 Three days later he wrote to Madison : "MONTICELLO, Aug. 7, 1805. "DEAR SIR,-On a view of our affairs with Spain, presented me in a letter from C. Pinckney, I wrote you on the 23d of July, that I thought that we should offer them the status quo, but immediately propose provisional alliance with England. I have not yet received the whole correspondence. But the portion of the papers now enclosed to you, confirm me in the opinion of the expediency of a treaty with England, but make the offer of the status quo more doubtful. The correspondence will probably throw light on that question; from the papers already received I infer a confident reliance on the part of Spain on the omnipotence of Bonaparte, but a desire of procrastination till peace in Europe shall leave us without an ally. General Dearborn has seen all the papers. I will ask the favor of you to communicate them to Mr. Gallatin & Mr. Smith. From Mr. Gallatin I shall ask his first opinion, preparatory to the stating formal questions for our ultimate decision. I am in hopes you can make it convenient on your return to see & consult with Mr. Smith & Gen. Dearborn, unless the latter should be come on here where I can do it myself. On the receipt of your own ideas, Mr. Smith's and the other gentlemen, I shall be able to form points for our final consideration & determination. "I enclose you some communications from the Mediterranean. They shew Barron's understanding in a very favorable view. When you shall have perused them, be so good as to enclose them to the Secretary of the Navy. Accept my fervent wishes for the speedy recovery of Mrs. Madison, and your speedy visit to this quarter." without success in a single point. I have desired Mr. Madison to send you the papers, and when you shall have perused them I will ask a communication of your general view of what is expedient for us to do. I ask the same of the other gentlemen. When I shall have received them it will enable me to form precise points on which to ask their ultimate judgment. This will employ some time; but the case is serious, and is entitled to time and mature consideration. * * * P. S. It seems essential to our success with England that we should not be understood as absolutely committed to war with Spain. TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. J. MSS. MONTICELLO, Aug. 25, 1805. DEAR SIR,-I confess that the enclosed letter from General Turreau excites in me both jealousy & offence in undertaking, & without apology, to say in what manner we are to receive and treat Moreau within our own country. Had Turreau been here longer he would have known that the national authority pays honors to no foreigners. That the State authorities, municipalities and individuals, are free to render whatever they please, voluntarily, & free from restraint by us; & he ought to know that no part of the criminal sentence of another country can have any effect here. The style of that government in the Spanish business, was calculated to excite indignation; but it was a case in which that might have done injury. But the present is a case which would justify some notice in order to let them understand we are not of those powers who will receive & execute mandates. I think the answer should shew independence as well as friendship. I am anxious to receive the opinions of our brethren after their review & consideration of the Spanish papers. I am strongly impressed with a belief of hostile & treacherous intentions against us on the part of France, and that we should lose no time in securing something more than a mutual friendship with England. Not having heard from you for some posts, I have had a hope you were on the road & consequently that Mrs. Madison was reestablished. We are now in want of rain, having had none in the last ten days. In your quarter I am afraid they have been much longer without it. We hear great complaints from F. Walker's, Lindsay's, Maury's, &c., of drought. Accept affectionate salutations, & assurances of constant friendship. P. S. I suppose Kuhn, at Genoa, should have new credentials. TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (JAMES MADISON.) J. MSS. MONTICELLO, Aug. 27, 05. DEAR SIR, Yours of the 20th has been received, and in that a letter from Casinove, and another from Mrs. Ciracchi; but those from Turreau and to Yrujo were not enclosed. Probably the former was what came to me by the preceding post, respecting Moreau; if so, you have my opinion on it in my last. Considering the character of Bonaparte, I think it material at once to let him see that we are not one of the powers who will receive his orders. I think you have misconceived the nature of the treaty I thought we should propose to England. I have no idea of committing ourselves immediately or independently of our further will to the war. The treaty should be provisional only, to come into force on the event of our being engaged in war with either France or Spain during the present war in Europe. In that event we should make common cause, & England should stipulate not to make peace without our obtaining the objects for which we go to war to wit, the acknolegment by Spain of the rightful boundaries of Louisiana (which we should reduce to our minimum by a secret article) and 2, indemnification for spoliations, for which purpose we should be allowed to make reprisal on the Floridas & retain them as an indemnification. Our co-operation in the war (if we should actually enter into it) would be a sufficient consideration for Great Britain to engage for it's object; and it being generally known to France & Spain that we had entered into treaty with England, would probably ensure us a peaceable & immediate setttlement of both points. But another motive much more powerful would indubitably induce England to go much further. Whatever ill-humor may at times have been expressed against us by individuals of that country, the first wish of every Englishman's heart is to see us once more fighting by their sides against France; nor could the king or his ministers do an act so popular as to enter into an alliance with us. The nation would not weigh the consideration by grains & scruples. They would consider it as the price & pledge of an indissoluble course of friendship. I think it possible that for such a provisional treaty they would give us their general guarantee of Louisiana & the Floridas. At any rate we might try them. A failure would not make our situation worse. If such a one could be obtained we might await our own convenience for calling up the casus fœderis. I think it important that England should receive an overture as early as possible, as it might prevent her listening to terms of peace. If I recollect rightly, we had instructed Monroe, when he went to Paris, to settle the deposit; if he failed in that object to propose a treaty to England immediately. We could not be more engaged to secure the deposit then than we are the country now, after paying 15. millions for it. I do expect, therefore, that, considering the present state of things as analogous to that, & virtually within his instructions, he will very likely make the proposition to England. I write my thoughts freely, wishing the same from the other gentlemen, that seeing & considering the ground of each other's opinions we may come as soon as possible to a result. I propose to be in Washington on the 2d of October. By that time I hope we shall be ripe for some conclusion. I have desired Mr. Barnes to pay my quota of expenses relating to the Marseilles cargo, whatever you will be so good as to notify him that it is. I wish I could have heard that Mrs. Madison's course of recovery were more speedy. I now fear we shall not see you but in Washington. Accept for her & yourself my affectionate salutations, & assurances of constant esteem & respect. TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (JAMES MADISON.) J. MSS. MONTICELLO, Sep. 16, 1805. DEAR SIR, The enclosed letter from General Armstrong furnishes matter for consideration. You know the French considered themselves entitled to the Rio Bravo, & that Laussat declared his orders to be to receive possession to that limit, but not to Perdido; & that France has to us been always silent as to the Western boundary, while she spoke decisively as to the Eastern. You know Turreau agreed with us that neither party should strengthen themselves in the disputed country during negociation; and Armstrong, who says Monroe concurs with him, is of opinion, from the character of the Emperor, that were we to restrict ourselves to taking the posts on the west side of the Missipi. & threaten a cessation of intercourse with Spain, Bonaparte would interpose efficiently to prevent the quarrel going further. Add to these things the fact that Spain has sent 500. colonists to St. Antonio, & 100 troops to Nacogdoches, & probably has fixed or prepared a post at the Bay of St. Bernard, at Matagordo. Supposing, then, a previous alliance with England to guard us in the worst event, I should suppose that Congress should pass acts, 1, authorizing the Exve. to suspend intercourse with Spain at discretion; 2, to dislodge the new establishments of Spain between the Missipi. & Bravo; and 3, to appoint commrs. to examine & ascertain all claims for spoliation that they might be preserved for future indemnification. I commit these ideas merely for consideration, & that the subject may be matured by the time of our meeting at Washington, where I shall be myself on the 2d of October. have for some time feared I should not have the pleasure of seeing you either in Albemarle or Orange, from a general observation of the slowness of surgical cases. However, should Mrs. Madison be well enough for you to come to Orange, I will call on you on my way to Washington, if I learn you are at home. Genl. Dearborne is here. His motions depend on the stage. Accept for Mrs. M. & yourself affectionate salutations. P. S. I am afraid Bowdoin's journey to England will furnish a ground for Pinckney's remaining at Madrid. I think he should |