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
Mr. Neckar has accepted his appointment, and will arrive to-day from
Switzerland, where he had taken refuge. No other ministers have been
named since my last. It is thought that Mr. Neckar will choose his own
associates. The tranquillity of Paris has not been disturbed since the
death of Foulon and Bertier mentioned in my last. Their militia is in a
course of organization. It is impossible to know the exact state of the
supplies of bread. We suppose them low and precarious, because, some days,
we are allowed to buy but half or three-fourths of the daily allowance
of our families. Yet as the wheat harvest must begin within ten days or
a fortnight, we are in hopes there will be subsistence found till that
time. This is the only source from which I should fear a renewal of the
late disorders; for I take for granted, the fugitives from the wrath of
their country are all safe in foreign countries. Among these, are numbered
seven Princes of the house of Bourbon, and six ministers; the seventh (the
Marshal de Broglio), being shut up in the fortified town of Metz, strongly
garrisoned with foreign soldiers. I observed to you, in a preceding
letter, that the storm which had begun in Paris, on the change of the
ministry, would have to pass over the whole country, and consequently
would, for a short time, occasion us terrible details from the different
parts of it. Among these, you will find a horrid one retailed from Vesoul,
in French Compté. The atrociousness of the fact would dispose us rather
to doubt the truth of the evidence on which it rests, however regular
that appears. There is no question, that a number of people were blown
up; but there are reasons for suspecting that it was by accident and not
design. It is said the owner of the chateau sold powder by the pound,
which was kept in the cellar of the house blown up; and it is possible,
some one of the guests may have taken this occasion to supply himself,
and been too careless in approaching the mass. Many idle stories have
also been propagated and believed here, against the English, as that they
have instigated the late tumults with money, that they had taken or were
preparing to take Cherbourg, Brest, &c.; and even reasonable men have
believed, or pretended to believe, all these. The British ambassador has
thought it necessary to disavow them in a public letter, which you will
find in one of the papers accompanying this.
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