Year: 1879

of which we know not, is to be immedi
ately called out and exercised at the pub
lie expense. For these purposes a bill
has been twice read and committed in
the Senate. You have seen by Gerry'.
communications that France is sincere
M anxious for reconciliation, willing te
give us q liberal treaty, aud does moi
wish to break the British treaty, but on
Iy to put her on an equal footing. A
further proof of her sincerity turned ur
yesterday. We had taken an armed
vessel from her, had refiJted and sent
her to cruise against them, under the
name of the Retaliation, and they re-
captured and sent her into Gaudaloupe.
The new commissioners arriving there
from France, sent Victor Hughes off in
irons; said to our captain that they
found him bearing a regular commits
sion as an officer Of the U. S. with his
vessel in their port, and his crew; they
would enquire into no fact respecting
the vessel preceding their arrival, but
that he, his vessel, and crew were free
to depart. They arrived here yesterday.
The federal papers call her cartel. 1t
is whispered that the Executive mean
to return an equal number of the French
prisoners, and this may give color to
call her a cartel, but she was liberated
freely and without condition. The COM
missioners further said to the captain
that as to differences with the u. s.,
new commissioners were coming out
from France to settle them, and in the
meantime they should do us no injury.
The President has appointed Rufus
King to make commercial treaty with
the Russians in London, and VIM
Smith (of s. CO. to go to Constantinople
to make one with the Turks. Both
appointments are confirmed by the SEN
ate. A little dissatisfaction was ex-
pressed by some that we should never
have treated with them till the moment
when they had formed coalition with
the English against the French. You
have seen that the Directory had pub
lished an arret declaring they would
treat as privates any neutrals they should
take in the ships of their enemies. The
President communicated this to Con-
gress as soon as he received it. A bill
was brought into Senate reciting that
arret, and authorizing retaliation. Tho
the President received information al
most in the same instant that the Direc-
tory had suspended the arret (Which
fact was privately declared by the Sec
retary of State to two of the Senate, and
tho it was known we were passing an
act founded on that arret, yet the Presi-
dent has never communicated the sus-
pension. However the Senate, informed
Indirectly of the fact, still passed the act
yesterday, an hour after we had heard
of the return of our vessel and crew be-
fore mentioned. tits acknowledged on
all hands, and declared by the insurance
companies that the British depredations
during the last months have greatly
exceeded the French. Yet not a word
is said about 1t officially. However, all
these things are working on the public
mind. They are getting back to the
point where they were when the x. Y. u.
story was played off on them. A won
derful and rapid change is taking place
in Pennsylvania, Jersey, and N. York.
Congress is daily piled with petitions
against the alien and sedition laws and
standing armies. Several parts of this
State are so violent that we fear an in
surrection. This will be brought about
by some ifthey can. It is the only thing
attack of force against the government
Middle States and rally them round the
government; whereas, if suffered to go
on, it will press on to a reformation of
abuses. The materials now bearing on
the public mind will infallibly restore
it to its republican soundness in the
course of the Fpresent fummer, if the
knowledge of facts can only be dissent
mated among the people. Under sepa-
rate covers you will receive some pamph-
lets written by George Nicholas on the
acts of the last session. These would
wish you to distribute, not to sound men
W no have no occasion for them, but to
such as have been misled, are candid
and will be open to the conviction of
truth, and are of influence among their
neighbors. It is the sick who need medi-
cine and not the well. Do not let my
name appear in the matter. Perhaps
shall forward yOu some other things to
be distributed In the same way.


Let me now trouble you with small
private matter of my own. Mr.. Clarke
was tolerably punctual in his remit
tances as long as he confined in business,
but when he quilted, he had near 9100
of mine for nails actually seld, in his
hands; for SO I had 3 right to consider
it, as charged only ready money prices.
and such was the condition settled be-
tween us. This money has now been a
twelve.month in his hands, and the in
termediate applications Intellectual. In
truth, am not able to carry on my man
ufactory but on ready money sales. I
have no money capital to enable me to
make great advances and long winded
debts. If you could mention the matter
to Mr.. Clarke in any way that would best
suit the footing on which you stand
with him, and be the means of my re-
ceiving it Immediately on my return
home (about the 10th March) it would
be very sensible relief to me. And.
indeed, if he does not pay it soon, 1
must use effectual means to obtain it,
such delays being incompatible with the
course or the necessities Of my manufac-
tory.


Present me respectfully to Mrs. Stuart,
and accept assurances of the sincere es-
teem of, dear sir,


Your affectionate friend and ser't,


TIL. JEFFERSON.
The conclusion of the following letter
is particularly interesting; but allow
ance must be made for the political ex-
citement and bitter partisan feeling of
the time at which it was written. II
was the era Of the Alien and Sedition
Laws and the Virginia Resolutions OF
'99. Patrick Henry warmly opposed
the adoption of the Federal Constitu-
ton, because, in his opinion, it destroyed