The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
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The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (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
This will serve to show whether your cypher corresponds with mine, as well
as my manner of using it. But I shall not use it in future, till I know
from you the result of your re-examination of it. I have the honor now, to
return you the letter you had been so good as to enclose to me. About the
same time of Liston's conversation with you, similar ones were held with
me by Mr. Eden. He particularly questioned me on the effect of our treaty
with France, in the case of a war, and what might be our dispositions.
I told him without hesitation, that our treaty obliged us to receive
the armed vessels of France, with their prizes, into our ports, and to
refuse the admission of prizes made on her by her enemies; that there
was a clause by which we guaranteed to France her American possessions,
and which might, perhaps, force us into the war, if these were attacked.
"Then it will be war," said he, "for they will assuredly be attacked." I
added, that our dispositions would be to be neutral, and that I thought
it the interest of both those powers that we should be so, because it
would relieve both from all anxiety as to the feeding their West India
islands, and England would, moreover, avoid a heavy land war on our
continent, which would cripple all her proceedings elsewhere. He expected
these sentiments from me personally, and he knew them to be analogous to
those of our country. We had often before had occasions of knowing each
other: his peculiar bitterness towards us had sufficiently appeared,
and I had never concealed from him, that I considered the British as our
natural enemies, and as the only nation on earth who wished us ill from
the bottom of their souls. And I am satisfied, that were our continent
to be swallowed up by the ocean, Great Britain would be in a bonfire from
one end to the other. Mr. Adams, as you know, has asked his recall. This
has been granted, and Colonel Smith is to return too; Congress having
determined to put an end to their commission at that court. I suspect and
hope they will make no new appointment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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