University of Virginia Library

TO R. H. LEE.

Dear Sir,—Your favor of the 30th of May came to
hand yesterday only, having lain some time in Fredg
and finally came to Orange via Albemarle. I agree
perfectly with you in thinking it the interest of this
Country to embrace the first decent opportunity of
parting with Kentucky, and to refuse with firmness
to part with any more of our settlements beyond the
Allegheny.[35] It seems necessary however that this
first instance of a voluntary dismemberment of a
State should be conducted in such a manner as to
form a salutary precedent. As it is an event which
will indirectly affect the whole Confederacy, Congress
ought clearly to be made a party to it, either im̃ediately,
or by a proviso that the partition act shall not
take effect, till the actual admission of the new State
into the Union. No interval whatever should be suffered
between the release of our hold on that Country
and its taking on itself the obligations of a member
of the federal body. Should it be made a separate
State without this precaution, it might possibly be

tempted to remain so, as well with regard to the U. S.
as to Virginia, by two considerations: 1. the evasion
of its share of the general debt. 2. the allurement
which an exemption from taxes, would prove to the
Citizens of States groaning under them. It is very
possible that such a policy might in the end prove a
disadvantageous one, but the charms of ambition and
of present interest, too often prevail against the cool
remonstrances of true policy. May we not also with
justice require that a reasonable portion of the particular
debt of Virga. should be assumed by that part
of Virginia which is to set up for itself?

The arrival of Mr. Gardoqui will turn out I hope
an auspicious step towards conciliating explanations
& overtures with regard to the Mississippi. Besides
the general motives for expediting an adjustment of
this matter the prodigious effect of it on the sale of
the back lands, makes it of peculiar importance. The
same consideration presses for such arrangements
with G. B. as will give us speedy possession of the
Western posts. As to the commercial arrangements
which we wish from her, I own my expectations are
far from being sanguine. In fact what could she get
from us by concessions which she is unwilling to make,
which she does not now enjoy? I cannot speak with
certainty as to all the States, but sure I am that the
trade of this was never more compleatly monopolized
by her when it was under the direction of her own
laws than it is at this moment. Our present situation
therefore precisely verifies the doctrine held out in
Deanes' intercepted letters. The revolution has

robbed us of our trade with the West Indies the only
one which yielded us a favorable balance, without
opening any other channels to compensate for it.
What makes the British monopoly the more mortifying
is the abuse which they make of it. Not only
the private planters who have resumed the practice of
shipping their own Tobo, but many of the Merchants
particularly the natives of the Country who have no
connections with G. B. have recd accts of sales this season,
which carry the most visible & shameful frauds
in every article. In every point of view indeed the
trade of this Country is in a deplorable Condition. A
comparison of current prices here with those in the
Northern States, either at this time or at any time
since the peace, will shew that the loss direct on our
produce & indirect on our imports is not less than 50
per ct. Till very lately the price of our Staple has been
down at 32 & 33s. on James River & 28s. on Rappahannock.
During the same period the former was
selling in Philada, & I suppose in other Northern
ports, at 44s. of this Currency, and the latter in proportion;
tho' it cannot be denied that Tobo in the
Northern ports is intrinsically worth less than it is
here, being at the same distance from its ultimate
market, & burdened with the freight from this to the
other States. The price of merchandize here is at
least as much above as that of Tobo is below the
Northern standard.

We have had throughout the month of June &
until this time, very hot and very wet weather. The
effect of it on upland corn has been favorable but

much the reverse on that of the flats. It has given
full opportunity to the planters to pitch their crops
of Tobo, but tho' many of them have repeated this
operation several times the grasshoppers & other
noxious insects have been so uncommonly troublesome
that in many places the prospect is likely to be
much abridged. Should this not be the case, the
efforts of the Country must produce the greatest
crop that has been seen since the peace. Our Wheat
in this part of the Country is very indifferent. How
it may be in others I cannot say, but believe the
complaints are pretty general. With the highest
esteem & regard I remain Dr. Sir,