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
Upon the whole, I do not see it as yet probable that any actual commotion
will take place; and if it does take place, I have strong confidence that
the patriotic party will hold together, and their party in the nation be
what I have described it. In this case, there would be against them the
aristocracy and the faction of Orleans. This consists, at this time, of
only the Catalines of the Assembly, and some of the lowest description
of the mob. Its force, _within the kingdom_, must depend on how much of
this last kind of people it can debauch with money from its present bias
to the right cause. This bias is as strong as any one can be, in a class
which must accept its bread from him who will give it. Its resources _out
of the kingdom_ are not known. Without doubt, England will give money to
produce and to feed the fire which should consume this country; but it
is not probable she will engage in open war for that. If foreign troops
should be furnished, it would be most probably by the King of Prussia, who
seems to offer himself as the bull-dog of tyranny to all his neighbors. He
might, too, be disturbed by the contagion of the same principles gaining
his own subjects, as they have done those of the Austrian Netherlands,
Liege, Cologne, and Hesse Cassel. The army of the latter Prince, joining
with his subjects, are said to have possessed themselves of the treasures
he had amassed by hiring troops to conquer us, and by other iniquities.
Fifty-four millions of livres is the sum mentioned. But all these means,
external and internal, must prove inadequate to their ultimate object, if
the nation be united as it is at present. Expecting within a few days to
leave Paris, and that this is my last letter on public subjects, I have
indulged myself in giving you a general view of things, as they appear
to me at the time of my leaving them. Mr. Short will have the honor
of continuing the narration, and of correcting it, where circumstances
unknown or unforeseen may give a different turn to events.
I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and
respect, Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.
TO MR. NECKAR.
Paris, September 26, 1789.
Sir,--I had the honor of waiting on you at Versailles the day before
yesterday, in order to present my respects on my departure to America. I
was unlucky in the moment, as it was one in which you were gone out.
I wished to have put into your hands, at the same time, the enclosed state
of the British northern fishery for the years 1788 and 1789, by which you
will see that they have lost in one year one-third of that fishery, the
effect, almost solely, of the _Arret_ which shut the ports of France to
their oils.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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