on the other hand, England to give the money, & France the dispositions to place us on the sea in all our force, the whole world, out of the continent of Europe, might be our joint monopoly. We wish for neither of these scenes. We ask for peace & justice from all nations; & we will remain uprightly neutral in fact, tho' leaning in belief to the opinion that an English ascendancy on the ocean is safer for us than that of France. We begin to broach the idea that we consider the whole gulph Stream as of our waters, in which hostilities & cruising are to be frowned on for the present, and prohibited so soon as either consent or force will permit us. We shall never permit another privateer to cruise within it, and shall forbid our harbors to national cruisers. This is essential for our tranquillity & commerce. Be so good as to have the enclosed letters delivered; to present me to your family, and be assured yourself of my unalterable friendship.

For fear of accidents, I shall not make the unnecessary addition of my name.

TO SAMUEL SMITH.

J. MSS.

WASHINGTON, May 4, 06.

DEAR SIR, I received your favor covering some papers from Genl Wilkinson. I have repented but of one appointment there, that of Lucas, whose temper I see overrules every good quality & every qualification he has. Not a single fact has appeared, which occasions me to doubt that I could have made a fitter appointment than Genl Wilkinson. One qualm of principle I acknowledge I do feel, I mean the union of the civil & military authority. You remember that when I came into office, while we were lodging together at Conrad's, he was pressed on me to be made Governor of the Missipi territory; & that I refused it on that very principle. When, therefore, the H of R took that ground, I was not insensible to

it's having some weight. But in the appointment to Louisiana, I did not think myself departing from my principle, because I consider it not as a civil government, but merely a military station. The Legislature had sanctioned that idea by the establishment of the office of Commandant, in which were compleatly blended the civil & military powers. It seemed, therefore, that the Governor should be in suit with them. I observed, too, that the H of R, on the very day they passed the stricture on this union of authorities, passed a bill making the Govr. of Michigan commander of the regular troops which should at any time be within his government. However, on the subject of Genl Wilkinson nothing is in contemplation at this time. We shall see what turn things take at home & abroad in the course of the summer. Monroe has had a 2a conversation with Mr. Fox, which gives us hopes that we shall have an amicable arrangement with that government. Accept my friendly salutations, & assurances of great esteem & respect.

TO JACOB CROWNINSHIELD.

J. MSS.

MONTICELLO, May 13, 06.

DEAR SIR,-I was able to get from Washington a few days ago, and am here for about three weeks to unbend, as much as the current business will permit, with the aid of the country recreations. A little before my departure the incident took place at New York, on the subject of which I saw letters from yourself & General Barnham who were witnesses of

*

the effect produced. Altho' the scenes which were acted on shore were overdone with electioneering views, yet the act of the British officer was an atrocious violation of our territorial rights. The question what should be done was a difficult one, the sending three frigates was frigates was one suggestion. Our peace establishment allows the emploiment of 925 men, which might man 3 frigates; & I think the construction sound that the force in the Mediterranean might be considered as our war establishment making no part of the 925 men, but as having been sent there under another law. But if no part of our peace establishment, the war being over they must be called home if considered under the war statute, and if kept there it could be only as a part of the peace establishment. We had in fact ordered home one frigate and directed one to remain there with two brigs. The Chesapeake was under repair, destined for the Mediterranean on account of the Tunisian threats, but would not be ready within a month. While we were thus unable to present a force of that kind at N. York we received from Mr. Merry the most solemn assurances that the meeting of the three British vessels at New York was entirely accidental from different quarters & that they were not to remain there. We concluded therefore that it was best to do what you have seen in the proclamation, and to make a proper use of the outrage and of our forbearance at St. James's, to obtain better provisions for the future. We expect daily to hear of the return of our Mediterranean gunboats to Charleston, which with those expected to descend the Ohio, & some from

Commodore Preble, will enable us to put N. Orleans & N. York (our most vulnerable points) the former in a state of good security, the latter out of danger of having the city assaulted by a small force. And the boats to be constructed this year, with land-batteries will give to N. York also good security. But the building some ships of the line instead of our most indifferent frigates is not to be lost sight of. That we should have a squadron properly composed to prevent the blockading our ports is indispensable. The Atlantic frontier from numbers, wealth, & exposure to potent enemies have a proportionate right to be defended with the Western frontier, for whom we keep up 3000 men. Bringing forward the measure therefore in a moderate form, placing it on the ground of comparative right, our nation which is a just one, will come into it, notwithstanding the repugnance of some on the subject being first presented. A second conference between Monroe and Fox gives us confident hope that our matters there will be properly settled. The measures we have taken were necessary even to alarm the British merchants & to give the ministry their support in what they were disposed to do. Accept friendly salutations & assurances of great

esteem.

TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(JAMES MADISON.)

J. MSS.

MONTICELLO, May 23, 06.

DEAR SIR,-Your's by the last post was received yesterday, and I now return Monroe's letters. That Armstrong should be returning so suddenly & without notice is quite an impossibility. Any other hypothesis for his journey to Amsterdam would be

more probable. I send you a letter from Pierpont Edwards respecting Swartwout. His testimony against him cannot be suspected, considering their mutual relation to a common center, Burr. I send you also a letter from Mr. Gallatin on account of the last paragraph tho' as far as I can trust my memory every article suggested has been provided for. These two letters to be returned. I have desired the postmasters of Washington & Richmd to send nothing here after the 28th, proposing to leave this on the 4th & be in Washington on the 7th of June. It occurred to me yesterday that a letter is necessary from me to the Basha of Tripoli, and I have hastily prepared a draft which will need much correction. I pray you to give it freely, and submit it to Mr. Smith also. If you can return the fair draught by the post leaving Washington on the 28th I may sign & send it by the return of the same post, so that you may receive it the 3rd of June. Or if not wanting sooner it may lie with you till the 7th when I can sign it at Washington. At length we have had a copious rain. It continued with slight remissions two days (Wed & Thursday) falling moderately so that the earth is saturated without raising the streams. It was from the N. E. and has cleared up cold, the wind at N. & thermometer 50°. Mr. Burwell is here. He understands well the occurrences at Washington, but had not so well understood Clarke. Accept affectionate salutations.

The above was written yesterday morning. In the evening it recommenced raining, continued steadily tho' moderately thro' the night, and still continues this morning, with the wind at N. W. The earth has enough, but more is wanting for the springs and streams. May 24, 7 o'clock a.m.

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

(ALBERT GALLATIN.)

J. MSS.

June 15, 1806.

On the 27th of April I wrote to Governor Claiborne in these words:

"Congress has permitted lots to be taken for M. de la Fayette as low as 500 This secures to us the parcel on the canal of Carondelet; but at the same time cuts off those similar locations proposed by M. Duplantier. Indeed,

acres.