DEAR SIR,--I return you the papers received yesterday. Mr. Erskine complains of a want of communication between the British armed vessels _in the_ Chesapeake, or _off_ the coast. If, by _off_ the coast, he means those which, being generally in our waters, go occasionally out of them to cruize or to acquire a title to communicate with their consul, it is too poor an evasion for him to expect us to be the dupes of. If vessels _off_ the coast, and having never violated the proclamation, wish to communicate with their consul, they may send in by any vessel, without a flag. He gives a proof of their readiness to restore deserters, from an instance of the Chichester lying along-side a wharf at Norfolk. It would have been as applicable if Captain Stopfield and his men had been in a tavern at Norfolk. All this, too, a British sergeant _is ready_ to swear to; and further, that he saw British deserters enlisted in their British uniform, by our officer. As this fact is probably false, and can easily be inquired into, names being given, and as the story of the Chichester can be ascertained by Captain Saunders, suppose you send a copy of the paper to the Secretary of the Navy, and recommend to him having an inquiry made. We ought gladly to procure evidence to hang the privates, if no objection or difficulty occur from the place of trial. If the Driver is the scene of trial, where is she? if in our waters, we can have no communication with her, if out of them, it may be inconvenient to send the witnesses. Although there is neither candor nor dignity in soliciting the victualling the Columbine for four months for a voyage of ten days, yet I think you had better give the permission. It is not by these huckstering manœuvres that the great national question is to be settled. I salute you affectionately. TO JOHN NICHOLAS. MONTICELLO, August 18, 1807. DEAR SIR,--Your favor of the 2d did not reach me till yesterday. That from General Hall, communicating the patriotic resolutions of the county of Ontario, was received the day before. Considering war as one of the alternatives which Congress may adopt on the failure of proper satisfaction for the outrages committed on us by Great Britain, I have thought it my duty to put into train every preparation for that which the executive powers, and the interval left for their exercise, will admit of. Whenever militia take the field of actual service, the deficiencies of their arms are of course supplied from the public magazines, and the law also permits us to lend arms to _volunteers_ engaged, and training for immediate service. In no case is the loan of arms to militia, remaining at home, permitted or practiced.