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
yesterday to pay off the capital of fifty-one thousand florins, which
had become due on the first day of January, and which had not yet been
paid. We have gone still further. The treasury-board gives no hope of
remittances, till the new government can procure them. For that
government to be adopted, its legislature assembled, its system of
taxation and collection arranged, the money gathered from the people
into the treasury, and then remitted to Europe, must extend
considerably into the year 1790. To secure our credit then, for the
present year only, is but to put off the evil day to the next. What
remains of the last loan, when it shall be filled up, will little more
than clear us of present demands, as may be seen by the estimate
enclosed. We thought it better, therefore, to provide at once for the
years 1789 and 1790, also; and thus to place the Government at its
ease, and her credit in security, during that trying interval. The same
estimate will show, that another million of florins will be necessary
to effect this. We stated this to our bankers, who concurred in our
views, and that to ask the whole sum at once, would be better than to
make demands from time to time so small, as that they betray to the
money holders the extreme feebleness of our resources. Mr. Adams,
therefore, has executed bonds for another million of florins; which,
however, are to remain unissued till Congress shall have ratified the
measure; so that this transaction is something or nothing, at their
pleasure. We suppose its expediency so apparent, as to leave little
doubt of its ratification. In this case, much time will have been saved
by the execution of the bonds at this moment, and the proposition will
be presented under a more favorable appearance, according to the
opinion of the bankers. Mr. Adams is under a necessity of setting out
to-morrow morning, but I shall stay two or three days longer, to attend
to and encourage the efforts of the bankers; though it is yet doubtful
whether they will ensure us a safe passage over the month of June. Not
having my letters here to turn to, I am unable to say whether the last
I wrote mentioned the declaration of the Emperor that he should take
part in the war against the Turks. This declaration appeared a little
before, or a little after that letter, I do not recollect which. Some
little hostilities have taken place between them. The court of
Versailles seems to pursue immovably its pacific system, and from every
appearance in the country from which I write, we must conclude that its
tragedy is wound up. The triumph appears complete, and tranquillity
perfectly established. The numbers who have emigrated are differently
estimated, from twenty to forty thousand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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