The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (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
Philadelphia, April 15, 1791.
Dear Sir,--I received last night your favor of the 10th, with Mr. Brown's
receipt, and thank you for the trouble you have been so kind as to take
in this business.
Our news from the westward is disagreeable. Constant murders committing
by the Indians, and their combination threatens to be more and more
extensive. I hope we shall give them a thorough drubbing this summer,
and then change our tomahawk into a golden chain of friendship. The most
economical as well as most humane conduct towards them is to bribe them
into peace, and to retain them in peace by eternal bribes. The expedition
this year would have served for presents on the most liberal scale for
one hundred years; nor shall we otherwise ever get rid of an army, or of
our debt. The least rag of Indian depredation will be an excuse to raise
troops for those who love to have troops, and for those who think that a
public debt is a good thing. Adieu, my dear Sir. Yours affectionately.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Philadelphia, April 17, 1791.
Sir,--I had the honor of addressing you on the 2d, which I supposed
would find you at Richmond, and again on the 10th, which I thought
would overtake you at Wilmington. The present will probably find you at
Charleston.
According to what I mentioned in my letter of the 10th, the
Vice-President, Secretaries of the Treasury and War, and myself, met on
the 11th. Colonel Hamilton presented a letter from Mr. Short, in which
he mentioned that the month of February being one of the periodical
months in Amsterdam, when, from the receipt of interest and refunding of
capitals, there is much money coming in there, and free to be disposed
of, he had put off the opening his loan till then, that it might fill
the more rapidly, a circumstance which would excite the presumption
of our credit;--that he had every reason to hope it would be filled
before it would be possible for him, after his then communication of the
conditions, to receive your approbation of them, and orders to open a
second; which, however, should be awaited, according to his instructions;
but he pressed the expediting the order, that the stoppage of the current
in our favor might be as short as possible. We saw that if, under present
circumstances, your orders should be awaited, it would add a month to
the delay, and we were satisfied, were you present, you would approve
the conditions, and order a second loan to be opened. We unanimously,
therefore, advised an immediate order, on condition the terms of the
second loan should not be worse than those of the first.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account