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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TUESDAY, 24 DECR. |
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TUESDAY, 24 DECR.
The letter from Mr. Jay, inclosing a copy of the intercepted
letter from Marbois, was laid before Congress.[22]
The tenor of it
with the comments of Mr. Jay, affected deeply the sentiments of
Congress with regard to France. The policy in particular manifested
by France, of keeping us tractable by leaving the British in
possession of posts in this country awakened strong jealousies,
corroborated the charges on that subject, and with concomitant
circumstances may engender the opposite extreme of the gratitude
& cordiality now felt towards France; as the closest friends on a
however on the course pursued by Britain. The liberal one
Oswald seems to be pursuing will much promote an alienation of
temper in America from France. It is not improbable that the
intercepted letter from Marbois came thro' Oswald's hands. If G.
B., therefore, yields the fisheries & the back territory, America
will feel the obligation to her not to France, who appears to be
illiberal as to the 1st. & favorable to Spain as to the 2d. object; and,
consequently has forfeited the confidence of the States interested
in either of them. Candor will suggest however that the situation
of France is and has been extremely perplexing. The object of
and gratitude of America; the commerce to render independence
the more useful, the gratitude to render that commerce
the more permanent. It was necessary therefore she supposed
that America should be exposed to the cruelties of her Enemies,
and be made sensible of her own weakness in order to be grateful
to the hand that relieved her. This policy if discovered
tended on the other hand to spoil the whole. Experience shews
that her truest policy would have been to relieve America by the
most direct & generous means, & to have mingled with them no
artifice whatever. With respect to Spain also the situation of
France has been as peculiarly delicate. The claims & views of
Spain & America interfere. The former attempts of Britain to
seduce Spain to a separate peace, & the ties of France with the
latter whom she had drawn into the war, required her to favor
Spain, at least to a certain degree, at the expence of America. Of
this G. B. is taking advantage. If France adheres to Spain G.
B. espouses the views of America, & endeavours to draw her off
from France. If France adheres to America in her claims B.
might espouse those of Spain, & produce a breach between her &
France; and in either case Britain wd divide her enemies. If
France acts wisely, she will in this dilemma prefer the friendship
of America to that of Spain. If America acts wisely she will see
that she is with respect to her great interests, more in danger of
being seduced by Britain than sacrificed by France.
The deputation to R. I. had set out on the 22d. & proceeded
1/2 day's journey. Mr. Nash casually mentioned a
private letter from Mr. Pendleton to Mr. Madison[23]
informing
of R. I. repealed her law for the impost. As this circumstance if
true destroyed in the opinion of the deputies the chief argt. to be
used by them, viz: the unanimity of the other States, they determined
to return & wait for the Southern post, to know the truth
of it. The post failing to arrive on the 23d., the usual day the deputies
on this day came into Congress & stated the case. Mr.
Madison read to Congress the paragraph in the letter from Mr.
Pendleton. Congress verbally resolved, that the departure of
the Deputies for R. I. sd. be suspended until the further order of
Congress; Mr. Madison promising to give any information he
might receive by the post. The arrival of the post immediately ensued.
A letter to Mr. Madison from Mr. Randolph confirmed
the fact, & was communicated to Congress. The most intelligent
members were deeply affected & prognosticated a failure of the
duration & the interests of the Confederacy. It was at length
notwithstanding determined to persist in the attempt for permanent
revenue, and a Committee was appointed to report the steps
proper to be taken.
A motion was made by Mr. Rutledge to strike out the salvage
for recaptures on land, on the same principle as he did the words
" accruing to the use of the United States." As the latter had
been retained by barely 7 States, and one of these was not present
the motion of Mr. Rutledge succeeded. Some of Those who were
on the other side, in consequence, voted agst. the whole resolution
& it failed. By compromise it passed as reported by the
Committee.
The Grand Committee reported after another meeting with respect
to the old money, that it should be rated at 40 for 1. The
Chair decided on a question raised, that according to rule the
blank sd. not have been filled up by the Comittee; so the rate was
expunged.
From Tuesday 24 of Decr., the journals suffice untill
"My Dear Sir,—Since my last the Danae a French frigate has arrived from
France with money for the French army and public despatches. A snow storm
drove her on shore in this Bay where she was in danger of following the fate of
one of the last Frigates from France. The accident as it turned out only cost
her all her masts. The despatches for Congress are from Mr. Franklin, Mr.
Jay, & the Marquis de la Fayette, and come down to the 14th. of Octr. They
advise that the 1st. Commission issued to Mr. Oswald empowered him to
treat with certain colonies &c., which being objected, another issued explicitly
empowering him to Treat with commisrs from the thirteen United States. The
latter, of which a copy was inclosed, and which will be transmitted to the
Executives, is grounded on the Act of Parliament, but is to continue in force
no longer than July 1783. It is no doubt on the whole a source of very soothing
expectations, but if we view on one side the instability & insidiousness of
the British Cabinet, and, on the other the complication of interest and pretensions
among the Allies, prudence calls upon us to temper our expectations with much
distrust.
"Mr. Adams concluded his Treaty of Amity & Commerce on the 7th of Octr.
had in hand 1½ million of florins out of the 5 million for which subscriptions
had been opened. As this however was the sum subscribed in June last, it is no
certain evidence of any other progress than that of the payments.
"There are accounts but neither official nor certain that Madras had been taken
by the combined arms of France & Hyder Ally. 3/5 of Constantinople had been
reduced to ashes by incendiaries, inspired with the desperate purpose by the
public distresses and a blind revenge agst the Vizier who was regarded as the cause
of them. The havoc suffered by the French & Spaniards in the attempt to
storm Gibraltar before its relief appears to have been dreadful indeed. The
loss on the English side which amounted to about 500 is a proof that the effort
was a bloody one.
"Mr. Livingston has been prevailed on to hold his office for this winter. The
election of a successor was within a moment of being made when the practicability
of retaining his services was discovered. The gentlemen in nomination
were Gent. Schuyler & Mr. Clymer. Mr. Read had been nominated but
withdrawn.
"The deputation for Rhode Island is still here. A report that Maryland is
receding with respect to the object of their mission, and information conveyed
in a letter from Mr. Pendleton to me, that Virga on hearing of the unanimous
refusal of R. I., had repealed her accession, by disarming them of their most
pointed argument had produced great hesitation. They wait at present only
for intelligence with respect to Md. & Va., which was expected by yesterday's
post. But the post is not even yet come. The inferences which R. I. will
probably draw from Oswald's Commission are another source of apprehension.
If justice & honor however preside in her Councils she will feel as much the
obligation of providing for the discharge of past engagements as for contracting
those which may be necessary in future. Our debts at this moment liquidated
& unliquidated, cannot I conceive be less than forty millions Dollars. The
interest therefore alone is a very serious object, and I am persuaded that unless
it be raised by some plan which will operate at the same time & in due proportion
throughout the Union, neither its amount nor punctuality can be confided
in. Besides the other obvious causes, a jealousy is already perceived among
some States that others will eventually elude their share of the burden. The
interest on the sum borrowed by Mr. A. is now running, and soon will if a part
hath not already become due. Nor is there any fund in contemplation for its
payment but that of the Impost.
"Official Cypher—The French army are embarking for the W. Indies. Count
Rochambeau says that in case the war should be renewed against us they will instantly
return. Great efforts will I fancy be made on that theatre unless arrested
by peace. I need not give other intimations of secrecy on these points than the
nature of them, & the use of the Cypher." (Italics for cypher). Madison to
Edmund Randolph.—Mad. MSS.
"Your favor of the 13th. instant arrived a few minutes after I sealed my last.
That of the 20th. came duly to hand yesterday. The sensations excited in Mr.
Jones and myself by the Repeal of the law in favor of the Impost were such as
you anticipated. Previously to the receipt of your information a letter from
Mr. Pendleton to me had suspended the progress of the Deputies to Rhode
Island. Yours put an entire stop to the mission, until the plan or some other
can be extended to the case of Virga. The letter from the Govr., of the same
date with your last, gives a hope that our representations may regain her support
to the impost without further steps from Congress. Your doubt as to her
power of revoking her accession would, I think have been better founded, if she
had not been virtually absolved by the definite rejection of Rho: Island;
altho' that rejection ought perhaps have been previously authenticated to her.
I beg you to be circumstantial on this subject especially as to the parties and
motives which led to the repeal, and may oppose a reconsideration.
"Mr. Jefferson arrived here on friday last, and is industriously arming himself
for the field of negotiation. The commission issued to Mr. Oswald impresses
him with a hope that he may have nothing to do on his arrival but join in the
celebrations of victory & peace. Congress, however, anxiously espouse the expediency
of his hastening to his destination.
"General McDougall, Col. Ogden & Colonel Brooks arrived yesterday on a
mission from the army to Congress. The representations with which they are
charged have not yet been handed in but I am told they breathe a proper spirit
and are full of good sense. I presume they will furnish new topics in favor of
the Impost which alone promises a chance of establishing that credit, by which
the inadequacy of taxation can be supplied.
The French fleet and army sailed a few days ago from Boston for the West
Indies. A storm happened soon after their departure from which it is feared
they may have suffered.
"The ship South Carolina procured in Europe for the State after wch. she
was called, was taken by three British ships & carried into N. Y. a few days
ago. Besides the loss sustained by those interested immediately in her, her fitness
for annoying our trade renders the capture a general misfortune." * * *
Madison to Edmund Randolph.—Mad. MSS.
| The writings of James Madison, | |