I am sorry, my dear friend, that I cannot go and meet you, agreeable to
our appointment; but I am detained here as an evidence in the case of
Corbly, and of two more in behalf of the United States, although I know
nothing about any of them except Corbly. I lend my horse to Cazenove,
who goes in my room, and who will tell you what little has passed since
I saw you on the subject of our plan. Upon the whole, I conceive that
further emigrations from Geneva will not take place at present, and that
our plan will not be accepted in Europe. We must therefore depend merely
on our own present number and strength, and this you should keep in
view in the course of the examination you are now making. Our own
convenience and the interest of those few Genevans who now are here must
alone be consulted, and it may be a question whether under those
circumstances it will be worth while for you and me to abandon our
present situation, and for them to encounter the hardships and hazards
of a new settlement in the rough country you are now exploring; whether,
on the contrary, it would not be more advantageous for them to fix
either in the more populous parts of the State, or even in our own
neighborhood, where they might perhaps find resources sufficient for a
few and enjoy all the advantages resulting from our neighborhood,
experience, and influence.
GALLATIN TO HIS WIFE.
PHILADELPHIA, 29th June, 1795.
... You will see in this day's Philadelphia paper an abstract of the
treaty; it is pretty accurate, for I read the treaty itself yesterday. I
believe it will be printed at large within a day or two. It exceeds
everything I expected.... As to the form of ratification I have not seen
it, but from the best information I could collect it is different from
what has been printed in some papers. It is, I think, nearly as
followeth: The Senate consent to and advise the President to ratify the
treaty upon condition that an additional article be added to the same
suspending the operation of, or explaining (I do not know which), the
12th Article, so far as relates to the intercourse with the West India
Islands. If that information is accurate, it follows that the treaty is
not ratified, because the intended additional article, if adopted by
Great Britain, is not valid until ratified by the Senate, and unless
that further ratification takes place the whole treaty falls through.
You know the vote, and that Gunn is the man who has joined the ratifying
party. I am told that Burr made a most excellent speech.... I think
fortitude is a quality which depends very much upon ourselves, and which
we lose more and more for want of exercising it. Indeed, I want it now
myself more than you. I have just received a letter from one of my
uncles, under date 23d January, which informs me that Miss Pictet is
dangerously ill and very little hope of her recovering. She had not yet
received my and your letter. I hope she may, for I know how much
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