University of Virginia Library

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

My last informed you that an embargo had been
proposed & negatived. You will see by the inclosed
that on a renewal of the proposition yesterday it
went through the H. of Reps. by a very large majority.
The change took place among the Eastern members
whose constituents were growing so clamorous under
their losses in the W. Indies as to alarm the representatives.
The Senate will have the subject before
them today, and will probably concur. It is said
that some further measures are to be discussed in
that House. The Commercial propositions have not
yet recd a vote. The progress of the evils which
they were to remedy, having called for more active
medicine, it has not been deemed prudent to force
them on the attention of the House during more
critical discussions. They will however notwithstanding
a change of circumstances, co-operate with
other measures as an alternative system and will be
pressed to a vote at the first favorable moment.
Whether they can be carried into a law at the
present session is doubtful, on acct of the lateness of
the day, and the superior urgency of other questions.
The point immediately depending is the discrimination
between G. B. and other nations as to the proposed
duties on manufactures. If this should
succeed, the future parts will I think meet with
little difficulty. The enquiry into the Treasury is
going on, tho' not very rapidly. I understand that

it begins to pinch where we most expected—the
authority for drawing the money from Europe into
the Bank. H endeavoured to parry the difficulty by
contesting the right of the Committee to call for the
authority. This failing he talks of constructive
written authority from the P. but relies on parol
authority, which I think it impossible the P. can
support him in. The old question of referring the
origination of Taxes comes on to-day; and will in
some degree test the present character of the House.
I have written an abundance of letters of late, but
fear they are stopped by the small pox at Richmond.

The people of Charleston are taking a high tone.
Their memorial, which is signed by Ramsay, the
Gadzdens Young Rutledge and a very great number
of respectable Citizens, marks the deliberate sense of
her people. The more violent has been expressed
by hanging & burning the effigies of Smith Ames
Arnold, Dumouriez & the Devil, en groupe.