The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (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
DEAR SIR;-- * * * * * What has been already said on the subject of Casa
Calvo, Yrujo, Miranda, is sufficient, and that these should be seriously
brought up again argues extreme weakness in Cavallos, or a plan to keep
things unsettled with us. But I think it would not be amiss to take him
down from his high airs as to the right of the sovereign to hinder the
upper inhabitants from the use of the Mobile, by observing, 1st, that
we claim to be the sovereign, although we give time for discussion. But
2d, that the upper inhabitants of a navigable water have always a right
of innocent passage along it. I think Cavallos will not probably be
the minister when the letter arrives at Madrid, and that an eye to that
circumstance may perhaps have some proper influence on the style of the
letter, in which, if meant for himself, his hyperbolic airs might merit
less respect. I think too that the truth as to Pike's mission might
be so simply stated as to need no argument to show that (even during
the suspension of our claims to the eastern border of the Rio Norte)
his getting on it was mere error, which ought to have called for the
setting him right, instead of forcing him through the interior country.
[Sullivan's letter.] His view of things for some time past has been
entirely distempered.
Cathcart's, Ridgeley's, Navour's, Degen's, Appleton's, Lee's, and Baker's
letters, are all returned. I salute you with great affection and respect.
TO GENERAL DEARBORNE.
MONTICELLO, May 25, 1808.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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