University of Virginia Library

TO JAMES MONROE.

Dr. Sir,—I have duly recd. yours of the 27th Ult:
I am very sorry that I shall not be able to have the
pleasure of joining you at the Meeting of the Visitors.
We must await, therefore that of seeing you & Mrs.
M. on your way to Washington; and hope you will
set out in time to spare us some days.

The communications from Mr. Rush are very
interesting. G. B. seems so anxious to secure the
general trade with the U. S. and at the same time
to separate that from the question of the colonial
trade, that I fear she will use means to struggle
agst. a change in the latter. I had not understood
that the renewal of the existing Treaty[143] was desired
by our merchts. & ship owners, unless coupled
with a reciprocity in the colonial trade, and had
supposed that by making the latter a condition
of the former, it Wd. be the more attainable, especially
as it wd. be more easy for the B. Ministry
to find a cover for the concession in a mixed than
a simple transaction. I readily presume however
that the official views of the subject are the result
of much better estimates than my information can
furnish. Were it practicable it wd. be an agreeable
precedent to effectuate a treaty making no distinction
between Colonial & other ports of the same
nation, as no distinction is made between our ports.
I have no doubt that this will Ultimately be the
case in all our Treaties; but we must move in concert
with one great & good Ally, Time.

It proves as all of us suspected that the sauciness
of Spain proceeded from her expectation of being
powerfully backed in Europe. The situation of
G. B. is a little envious and not a little perplexing.
She sees the jealousy of the Continental powers, and

endeavors to manage it by acquiescing in the proposed
mediation between Spain & S. America, &
by protesting agst. peculiar advantages in the trade
of the latter. On the other hand she wishes to
stand as well as possible with the revolutionary
countries, & does not wish the U. S. to be ahead
of her in countenancing them. It would be a
fortunate thing, if she could be prevailed on to
unite with our views, instead of inviting a union of
ours with hers. If she restricts the mediation to
an advisory one, a great point will be gained for all
parties. In every view it is very gratifying to find
her become so much disposed to meet the U. S. in
that conciliatory policy for wch they have so long
kept the way open, & which is so evidently the true
interest of both parties.