The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
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TO THOMAS JEFFERSON. |
 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Dear Sir Yours of the 16th, has been recd. It
is not improbable that there will be an early occasion
to send for public purposes, a ship to G. B. & France:
& that Norfolk will be the port of Departure. I
recommend therefore that your plow be lodged there
as soon as may be, with the proper instructions to
your Agent. It may not be amiss to include in those
a discretion to forward the plow to any other port
if he shd learn in time, that another is substituted
for Norfolk. Congs. remain in the unhinged state
which has latterly marked their proceedings; with
the exception only that a majority in the H. of R.
have stuck together so far as to pass a Bill providing
for a conditional repeal by either of the Belligts. of
their Edicts; laying in the mean time, an addition 50
Per Ct. to the present duties on imports from G. B.
and France. What the Senate will do with the Bill
is rendered utterly uncertain by the policy which
seems to prevail in that Branch. Our last authentic
information from G. B. is of the 28, Feby, & from
France of the 2d of Feby. The information in both
cases, has an aspect rather promising; but far from
being definite; and subsequent accts., thro. the ordinary
channels, do not favor a reliance on general
professions or appearances. Bonaparte, seems not
to have yet attended to the distinction between the
external & internal character of his Decrees; and
to be bending his augmented faculties for annihilating
our corrupt traders have confounded the Amn. flag.
And it will be a hard matter for Wellesley, shd. he be
well disposed, to drag his Anti-American Colleagues
into a change of policy; supported as they will be
by the speeches and proceedings of Congs. From
those the inference will be that one party prefers submission
of our trade to British regulation, and the
other confesses the impossibty of resisting it. Without
a change of Ministry, of which there is some prospect,
it wd. be imprudent to count on any radical
change of policy. For the moment, I understand
that the Merchts will not avail themselves of the
unshackled trade they have been contending for; a
voluntary Embargo being produced by the certainty
of a glutted Market in England, and the
apprehension of Brit Blockades and French confiscations.
The experiment about to be made will
probably open too late the eyes of the people, to the
expediency & efficacy of the means which they have
suffered to be taken out of the hands of the Govt.,
and to be incapacitated for future use. The Merinos
are not yet heard of. Be assured of my constant &
affe. respects.
| The writings of James Madison, | |