The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 9 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 9 (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
January the 2d, 1800. Information from Tenche Coxe. Mr. Liston had
sent two letters to the Governor of Canada by one Sweezy. He had sent
copies of them, together with a third (original) by one Cribs. Sweezy
was arrested (being an old horse thief), and his papers examined. T.
Coxe had a sight of them. As soon as a rumor got out that there were
letters of Mr. Liston disclosed, but no particulars yet mentioned, Mr.
Liston suspecting that _Cribs_ had betrayed him, thought it best to
bring all his _three_ letters, and lay them before Pickering, Secretary
of State. Pickering thought them all very innocent. In his office they
were seen by a Mr. Hodgen of New Jersey, commissary of military stores,
and the intimate friend of Pickering. It happens that there is some land
partnership between Pickering, Hodgen and Coxe, so that the latter is
freely and intimately visited by Hodgen, who, moreover, speaks freely
with him on political subjects. They were talking the news of the day,
when Mr. Coxe observed that these intercepted letters of Liston were
serious things; (nothing being yet out but a general rumor.) Hodgen
asked which he thought the most serious. Coxe said the second; (for he
knew yet of no other.) Hodgen said he thought little of any of them,
but that the third was the most exceptionable. This struck Coxe, who,
not betraying his ignorance of a third letter, asked generally what
part of that he alluded to. Hodgen said to that wherein he _assured the
Governor of Canada, that if the French invaded Canada, an army would
be marched from these States to his assistance_. After this it became
known that it was Sweezy who was arrested, and not Cribs; so that Mr.
Liston had made an unnecessary disclosure of his third letter to Mr.
Pickering, who, however, keeps his secret for him. In the beginning of
the conversation between Hodgen and Coxe, Coxe happened to name Sweezy
as the bearer of the letters. "That's not his name," says Hodgen (for
he did not know that two of the letters had been sent by Sweezy also),
"his name is Cribs." This put Coxe on his guard, and sent him fishing
for the new matter.
* * * * *
January the 10th. Doctor Rush tells me that he had it from Samuel Lyman,
that during the X Y Z Congress, the federal members held the largest
caucus they have ever had, at which he was present, and the question was
proposed and debated, whether they should declare war against France,
and determined in the negative. Lyman was against it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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