The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)Jefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1789
The long expected edict of the Protestants, at length appears here. Its
analysis is this. It is an acknowledgment (hitherto withheld by the
laws) that Protestants can beget children, and that they can die, and
be offensive unless buried. It does not give them permission to think,
to speak, or to worship. It enumerates the humiliations to which they
shall remain subject, and the burthens to which they shall continue to
be unjustly exposed. What are we to think of the condition of the human
mind in a country, where such a wretched thing as this has thrown the
State into convulsions, and how must we bless our own situation in a
country, the most illiterate peasant of which is a Solon, compared with
the authors of this law. There is modesty often, which does itself
injury; our countrymen possess this. They do not know their own
superiority. You see it; you are young, you have time and talents to
correct them. Study the subject while in Europe, in all the instances
which will present themselves to you, and profit your countrymen of
them, by making them to know and value themselves.
Adieu, my dear Sir, and be assured of the esteem with which I am your
friend and servant.
TO HIS EXCELLENCY MR. ADAMS.
PARIS, Feb. 6, 1788.
DEAR SIR,--The Commissioners of the Treasury have given notice to
Willincks and Van Staphorsts, that they shall not be able to remit them
one shilling till the New Government gets into action, and that
therefore the sole resource for the payment of the Dutch interest till
that period is in the progress of the last loan. Willinck and Van
Staphorst reply that there is not the least probability of raising as
much on that loan as will pay the next June interest, and that, if that
payment fails one day, it will do an injury to our credit, which a very
long time will not wipe off. A Mr. Stanitski, one of our brokers, who
holds $4,340,000 of our domestic debt, offers, if we will pay him one
year's interest of that debt, he will have the whole of the loan
immediately filled up, that is to say, he will procure the sum of six
hundred and twenty-two thousand eight hundred and forty florins still
unsubscribed. His year's interest (deducting from it ten per cent.
which he will allow for payment in Europe instead of America) will
require one hundred and eighty thousand florins of this money. Messrs.
Willinck and Van Staphorsts say that, by this means, they can pay
Fiseaux' debt, and all the Dutch interest, and our current expenses
here, till June, 1789, by which time the New Government may be in
action. They have proposed this to the Commissioners of the Treasury;
But it is possible that the delay of letters going and coming, with the
time necessary between the receiving their answer and procuring the
money, may force the decision of this proposition on me at the eleventh
hour. I wish, therefore, to avail myself of your counsel before your
departure, on this proposition. Your knowledge of the subject enables
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