At present they are employed in forming a requisition for supplies. When completed you shall have a copy of it. The affair of Longchamps is agreeably terminated. His most Christian Majesty will not persist in that demand, and the paper containing it has been returned to M. de Marbois, in consequence of a conference I had with him on that subject. I admire the wisdom of the French Minister in forbearing to press this point. It would have produced discontent without answering useful purposes. I am sure he has gained more with us by this temperate and prudent conduct than could possibly have been done by harsh and irritating measures. Governor Rutledge declines going to Holland, so that it is yet uncertain who will succeed Mr. Adams there. The vacant seat at the Treasury Board has been given to Mr. A. Lee. That Board is now full, and consists of Mr. Osgood, Mr. Walter Livingston, and Mr. A. Lee. A court to decide the controversy between Massachusetts and New York, is to meet this fall at Williamsburgh. It is much to be wished that all our boundaries were adjusted; and that the vigor of Govern*ment may abate the rage for making new States out of parcels of the old, which prevails in some of them. North Carolina and this State suffer by such unauthorized proceedings, and Massachusetts has her fears. Our Federal Government wants power, and is, in many respects, inadequate to its objects. Much is expected from the ensuing sessions of the Legislature; but for my part I think the love of popularity restrains many from promoting the measures which, though essential to the public welfare, may not be pleasant to the many whose views and wishes are chiefly personal. The papers, herewith enclosed, are a copy of a letter to me from Mr. Shaw, and a letter from me to his Excellency the President respecting it. Congress adopted the opinion I expressed in the letter, and referred it to me to take order. As both letters are particular and in detail, it would be useless to repeat in this what will find in them. you I have the honor to be, &c., JOHN JAY. FROM JOHN JAY TO THOMAS JEFFERSON. New York, September 15, 1785. Sir, I herewith enclose a letter from Count de Vergennes, and also a copy of it for your perusal and information. Although certain circumstances have left to M. de Marbois a less share in the confidence and attachment of our people than it was in his power to have acquired, yet his conduct as Chargé d'Affaires having been unexceptionable, he merited, and has received commendation for it. He is still here, and until his departure Mr. Otto will probably postpone entering on the business of his place. The idea of Chevalier de la Luzerne's return still prevails; and I think it would be useful that he should, because it is generally thought that his private sentiments and wishes are friendly to this country. It is much in the power of Ministers to cherish or diminish harmony; and it is much to be wished that France may send none here who may be more disposed to blame than to approve. The Chevalier already possesses rank and character, and, therefore, is not exposed to temptations to endeavor to raise himself by the means of the first step he may meet with, whether clean or otherwise. I am, dear sir, &c., JOIN JAY. FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON TO JOHN JAY. Paris, July 12, 1785. Sir, The present My last letter to you was dated the 17th of June. serves to cover some papers put into my hands by Captain Paul Jones. They respect an ancient matter, which is shortly this: While Captain Jones was hovering on the coast of England, in the year 1779, a British pilot, John Jackson by name, came on board him, supposing him to be British. Captain Jones found it convenient to detain him as a pilot, and, in the action with the Serapis, which ensued, this man lost his arm. It is thought that this gives him a just claim to the same allowance with others who have met with the like misfortune in the service of the United States. Congress alone being competent to this application, it is my duty to present the case to their consideration, which I beg leave to do through you. Doctor Franklin will be able to give you so perfect a statement of all transactions relative to his particular office in France, as well as to the subjects included in our general commission, that it is unnecessary for me to enter on them. His departure, with the separate situation of Mr. Adams and myself, will render it difficult to communicate to you the future proceedings of the commission as regular as they have been heretofore. We shall do it, however, with all the punctuality practicable, either separately or jointly, as circumstances may require and admit. I have the honor to be, &c., TH: JEFFERSON. FROM PAUL JONES TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Sir, Paris, September 23, 1785. I return you, enclosed, the letter addressed to you by John Jackson, pilot of Hull, dated at Hull, the 16th of October, 1780. The certificate joined with that letter is (at least in substance) a copy of the one I gave him at the Texel, after his arm had been amputated, and he had recovered. It does, however, I observe, take notice that a second pilot-boat came off from the Spurn immediately after that belonging to Jackson. I had occasion to detain both of these boats; and it was on board the second that the partner of Jackson embarked from the Bon Homme Richard, before the action with the Serapis. The second lieutenant of the Bon Homme Richard was, with twenty men, all the time of the battle on board Jackson's pilot-boat at a distance, and when I found it impossible to prevent the Bon Homme Richard from sinking, Jackson's pilot-boat was of singular service in saving the men, particularly the wounded, some of whom I am persuaded would have been drowned, had I been without that means of saving them. Humanity and justice require that I should earnestly recommend that unfortunate man, John Jackson, for a reward for the important service he performed, and the great loss and suffering he sustained. I thought, and I think still he merited half pay as a pilot in the service of the United States, which I believe is six dollars per month. I have the honor to be, &c., PAUL JONES. FROM JOHN JACKSON TO THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AT THE COURT OF FRANCE. Sir, Hull, October 16, 1780. This is to certify by the copy you will receive, enclosed, that John Jackson, a pilot of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, in England, was on board Captain Paul Jones in the action of 22d September, 1779, in which the said John Jackson, the pilot, had the misfortune to lose an arm in the action, therefore Mr. Paul Jones gave John Jackson an hundred ducats, and, at the same time, promised him that he should be paid by the American Ambassador at the Court of France half pay of a pilot the remainder of his life, to commence from the 22d day of September, 1779, payable every six months, therefore humbly begs you will take his case into consideration, that he may be paid agreeably to Mr. Paul Jones's writing, as he is rendered incapable of getting bread for his poor family. Witness his hand this 16th October, 1780. Who is, sir, &c., Witness: his JOHN × JACKSON. mark. BENJAMIN LISTER, WILLIAM ANDREW. N. B. The Mayor of this town has taken the real writing from me, by which me and my family are very much distressed. his JOHN JACKSON. mark. If it please your Excellency to send me anything at present, I shall be obliged to you to direct it for John Jackson, to be left for him at Captain Ary de Jong, one of the Hull traders at Ostend.* * For letter of Dr. Franklin, and other papers on this subject, see page 419 et seq. of this volume. Sir, FROM JOHN JAY TO THOMAS JEFFERSON. New York, November 2, 1785. My last to you was of the 15th September, since which I have been honored with yours of the 12th July, by Doctor Franklin. He arrived at Philadelphia in as good health as when he left France; but travelling by land being painful to him, we have not had the pleasure of seeing him here. We have been for some time past looking in vain for a French packet. Late advices of the Algerines having commenced hostilities against the United States make us anxious to receive letters from you, and to know whether Captain Lamb is still absent. Duplicates of the papers he was charged with will be sent to-morrow to Mr. Adams by a passenger in the English packet. The English give us some trouble on our Eastern borders, the true river St. Croix is disputed, and they wish to extend their jurisdiction to lands actually held by Massachusetts. Mr. Adams has instructions to represent this matter to the British Court, and endeavor to get the dispute amicably terminated. Our frontier posts still remain occupied by British garrisons, nor are we informed when they will be evacuated. The late requisition of Congress has been sent you; another copy and the subsequent public papers accompany this. The measures of the Legislatures at their ensuing sessions will be very interesting, and you shall be informed of them. The convention respecting Consuls still lays before Congress, and I have as yet no orders on that subject. Mr. Houdon is the bearer of this. Congress think of employing him, but he is not prepared to make an estimate of the expense of the statue they have voted, so that this matter must rest for the present. A Federal court, to decide the claims of Massachusetts on the part of New York, is forming, and there is reason to hope that disagreeable business will be finally concluded. I have the honor to be, &c., JOHN JAY. |