University of Virginia Library

TO EDMUND RANDOLPH.[1]

Dear Sir,—Your favors of the twenty-seventh
were received this morning. I sincerely regret that
any reports should have prevailed injurious to the
patriotism of Williamsburg, and particularly that my
name should, in any manner whatever, be connected
with them. I informed Mr. Jones that the Minister
of France had been made somewhat uneasy by some
accounts from Virginia, and desired him to enable me
to remove it by proper inquiries. It must have been
a very gross mistake that could have built the reports
in question on this letter, even if its contents had
been known. You saw, I presume, the letter. I
think I wrote you a letter to the same effect, but I
am not sure.

The trade with the enemy at New York has at
length, I am told, produced spirited and successful

exertions among the people of New Jersey for suppressing
it. The same alarm and exertions seem to
be taking place in Connecticut. The ordinance of
Congress against collusive captures on water has not
yet passed. The mode of proof, and the distribution
of the effects, occasioned some diversity of opinion,
and a recommitment ensued. I am not very sanguine
that any thing of efficacy will be done in the matter.
Notwithstanding the supposed danger arising to the
Bank from the exportation of hard money to New
York, a dividend of four and a half per cent. for the
first half year has been advertised to the stockholders.
Will not this be very captivating to the avarice of the
Dutchman, in case his apprehensions shall be removed
by a political connection between the two countries?