The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
Mr. Adams accordingly executed 1000 bonds, for 1000 florins each, and
deposited them in the hands of our bankers, with instructions, however,
not to issue them until Congress should ratify the measure. This done,
he returned to London, and I set out for Paris; and, as nothing urgent
forbade it, I determined to return along the banks of the Rhine, to
Strasburg, and thence strike off to Paris. I accordingly left Amsterdam
on the 30th of March, and proceeded by Utrecht, Nimeguen, Cleves,
Duysberg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bonne, Coblentz, Nassau, Hocheim,
Frankfort, and made an excursion to Hanau, thence to Mayence, and
another excursion to Rudesheim, and Johansberg; then by Oppenheim,
Worms, and Manheim, making an excursion to Heidelberg, then by Spire,
Carlsruh, Rastadt and Kelh, to Strasburg, where I arrived April the
16th, and proceeded again on the 18th, by Phalsbourg, Fenestrange,
Dieuze, Moyenvie, Nancy, Toul, Ligny, Barleduc, St. Diziers, Vitry,
Chalons sur Marne, Epernay, Chateau Thierri, Meaux, to Paris, where I
arrived on the 23d of April; and I had the satisfaction to reflect,
that by this journey our credit was secured, the new government was
placed at ease for two years to come, and that, as well as myself,
relieved from the torment of incessant duns, whose just complaints
could not be silenced by any means within our power.
A Consular Convention had been agreed on in '84, between Dr. Franklin
and the French government, containing several articles, so entirely
inconsistent with the laws of the several States, and the general
spirit of our citizens, that Congress withheld their ratification, and
sent it back to me, with instructions to get those articles expunged,
or modified so as to render them compatible with our laws. The Minister
unwillingly released us from these concessions, which, indeed,
authorized the exercise of powers very offensive in a free State.
After much discussion, the Convention was reformed in a considerable
degree, and was signed by the Count Montmorin and myself, on the 14th
of November, '88; not, indeed, such as I would have wished, but such as
could be obtained with good humor and friendship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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