University of Virginia Library

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

The packet has been detained here since the date
of the letter which you will receive along with this,
by some preparations suggested by an apprehension
of war. The delay is very unfavorable to the trees
on board for you.

Mr. De la Forest,[38] the consul here, called on me a
few days ago and told me he had information that
the farmers general and Mr. Morris having found
their contract mutually advantageous, are evading
the resolution of the committee by tacit arrangements
for its continuance. He observed that the
object of the farmers was singly profit, that of the
Government twofold, revenue and commerce. It
was consequently the wish of the latter to render the
monopoly as little hurtful to the trade with America
as possible. He suggested as an expedient that
farmers should be required to divide the contracts
among six or seven houses, French and American,

who should be required to ship annually to America
a reasonable proportion of goods. This he supposed
would produce competition in the purchases here
and would introduce a competition also with British
goods here. The latter condition he said could not
be well required of, or executed by a single contractor,
and the Government could not abolish the farm.
These ideas were meant for you.

Since the date of my other letter, the Convention
of Delaware have unanimously adopted the new
Constitution.[39] That of Pennsylvania has adopted it
by a majority of 46 against 23. That of New Jersey
is sitting and will adopt pretty unanimously. These
are all the Conventions that have met. I hear from
North Carolina that the Assembly is well disposed.
Mr. Henry, Mr. Mason, R. H. Lee, and the Governor
continue by their influence to strengthen the opposition
in Virginia. The Assembly there is engaged in
several mad freaks. Among others a bill has been
agreed to in the House of Delegates prohibiting the
importation of rum, brandy, and all other spirits not
distilled from some American production. All
brewed liquors under the same description, with
beef, tallow-candles, cheese, &c. are included in the
prohibition. In order to enforce this despotic measure
the most despotic means are resorted to. If any
person be found after the commencement of the act,
in the use or possession of any of the prohibited

articles, tho' acquired previous to the law, he is to
lose them, and pay a heavy fine. This is the form
in which the bill was agreed to by a large majority
in the House of Delegates. It is a child of Mr.
Henry and said to be his favorite one. They first
voted by a majority of 30 that all legal obstruction
to the Treaty of Peace should cease in Virginia as
soon as laws complying with it should have passed
in all the other states. This was the result of four
days debate with the most violent opposition from
Mr. Henry. A few days afterward he renewed his
efforts, and got a vote, by a majority of 50, that Virginia
would not comply until G. B. shall have
complied.

The States seem to be either wholly omitting to
provide for the federal Treasury, or to be withdrawing
the scanty appropriations made to it. The latter
course has been taken up by Massachusetts, Virginia
and Delaware. The Treasury Board seems to
be in despair of maintaining the shadow of Government
much longer. Without money, the offices
must be shut up, and the handful of troops on the
frontier disbanded, which will probably bring on an
Indian War, and make an impression to our disadvantage
on the British Garrisons within our limits.

A letter from Mr. Archd. Stuart dated Richd., Dec.
2, has the following paragraph "Yesterday a Boat
with sixteen men was brought down the canal from
Westham to its termination which is within one
mile and a half of Richmond."

I subjoin an extract from a letter from Genl.

Washington dated Dec. 7th which contains the best
information I can give as to the progress of the
works on the Potomac.

"The survey of the Country between the Eastern
& Western waters is not yet reported by the Commissioners,
though promised to be made very shortly,
the survey being completed—no draught that can
convey the adequate idea of the work on this river
has been yet taken—much of the labor, except at
the great falls, has been bestowed in the bed of the
river, in a removal of rocks, and deepening the
water. At the great falls the labour has indeed been
great. The water there (a sufficiency I mean) is
taken into a Canal about two hundred yards above
the cateract, & conveyed by a level cut (through a
solid rock in some places, and much stone every
where) more than a mile to the lock seats,—five in
number by means of which when completed, the
craft will be let into the River below the falls (wch.
together amount to seventy six feet.)—At the
Seneca Falls, six miles above the great falls, a channel
which has been formed by the river when inundated
is under improvement for navigation—The
same, in part, at Shanandoah.—At the lower falls,
where nothing has yet been done, a level cut and
locks are proposed. These constitute the principal
difficulties and will be the great expense of this undertaking
—The parts of the river between requiring
loose stones only to be removed in order to deepen
the water where it is too shallow in dry seasons."

The triennial purge administered to the Council in

Virga.[40] has removed from their seats Samson Matthews
—and Mr. Selden. Col. Wm. Heth and Major
Jos. Egglestone Supply their places.—I remain Dr.
Sir Yrs. affect.