5283. MIRANDA EXPEDITION, Jefferson's knowledge of.—[continued].
Your predecessor, soured
on a question of etiquette against the administration
of this country, wished to impute wrong
to them in all their actions, even where he did
not believe it himself. In this spirit, he wished
it to be believed that we were in unjustifiable
cooperation in Miranda's expedition. I solemnly,
and on my personal truth and honor,
declare to you, that this was entirely without
foundation, and that there was neither cooperation,
nor connivance on our part. He informed
us he was about to attempt the liberation of his
native country from bondage, and intimated a
hope of our aid, or connivance at least. He was
at once informed, that although we had great
cause of complaint against Spain, and even of
war, yet whenever we should think proper to
act as her enemy, it should be openly and above
board, and that our hostility should never be
exercised by such petty means. We had no
suspicion that he expected to engage men here,
but merely to purchase military stores. Against
this there was no law, nor consequently any
authority for us to interpose obstacles. On
the other hand, we deemed it improper to betray
his voluntary communication to the agents
of Spain. Although his measures were many
days in preparation at New York, we never had
the least intimation or suspicion of his engaging
men in his enterprise, until he was gone; and,
I presume, the secrecy of his proceeding kept
them equally unknown to the Marquis Yrujo at
Philadelphia, and the Spanish consul at New
York, since neither of them gave us any information
of the enlistment of men, until it
was too late for any measures taken at Washington
to prevent their departure. The officer
in the customs, who participated in the transaction
with Miranda, we immediately removed,
and should have had him and others further
punished, had it not been for the protection
given them by private citizens at New York,
in opposition to the government, who, by their
impudent falsehoods and calumnies, were able
to overbear the minds of the jurors.—
To Don Valentine de Foronda. Washington ed. v, 474.
Ford ed., ix, 259.
(M.
Oct. 1809)
