2d. The Secretary of State writes to the Marshall, if the opposition to the law is too powerful for the collector, to raise his posse, (which, as a peace officer, he is fully authorized to do on any forcible breach of the peace,) and to aid in suppressing the insurrection or combination. 3d. The Secretary at War desires the Governor, if the posse is inadequate, to publish a proclamation with which he is furnished, and to call on the militia. He is further, by a private letter, requested to repair to the place, and lend the aid of his counsel and authority according to exigencies. We have further determined to build two gun-boats at Skanesborough. Affectionate salutations. P. S. General Dearborne has Penniman's letter to copy for the Governor. TO MR. GALLATIN. April 22, 1808. Did I lend you the Pennsylvania act permitting our Western road to pass through that State? If I did, or if you have a copy of it, I shall be very glad to see it. Mr. Hodge gave me notice yesterday that there would be legal opposition to that road's passing in any other direction than through Washington, their construction being, that if in fact a _good_ road can be got by Washington, the law obliges me to direct it through that; and they have got a survey made on which they affirm the fact to be that a _good_ road may be had. I know my determination was not to yield to the example of a State's prescribing the direction of the road; and I understood the law as leaving the route ultimately to me. If I have misconstrued the law, I shall be sorry for the money spent on a misconstruction, but that loss will be a lesser evil to the United States than a single example of yielding to a State the direction of a road made at the national expense and for national purposes. If you have not the law, I must write by this day's post to Mr. Moore, to suspend all further proceedings till we can see whether we are really at liberty to pursue the route we have proposed, or must adopt another which shall not enter the State of Pennsylvania. Affectionate salutations. TO MR. GALLATIN. April 23, 1808. My ideas on the questions relative to the active letter of Marque stated in your letter of yesterday, are as follows: 1st. Letters of Marque have been considered, ever since the decisions of 1703, to be of a mixed character, but that the commercial character predominates; and as a commercial vessel of private property we have in some cases since the proclamation of July, considered them as not included in its restrictions.