1To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 2 [May] 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment come to my banker to enquire if the post of this morning brought me any letter from you. I find that it did not and as it left Paris on wednesday last, I take it for granted you will not write to this place by any post posterior to that. My letter from hence desired you would direct to me post restante at Nantes as late as the 4th. I set off for that place tomorrow morning...
2To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 4 [May] 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Rochefort, 4 Apr. [i.e. May] 1789 . Wrote Saturday from Bordeaux, and learned after posting letter that “the great opening of the States general would be on Monday the 11th, that it would be public &c. &c.” Will make “a push in hopes of arriving in time,” but this will mean giving little time to places en route and possible arrival late Sunday night. If he has been mistaken as to the opening...
3To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 8 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment received a letter from Mr. Nat. Cutting of the 6th. To my very great surprize he informed me that you were still at Havre. Petit’s not returning would have made me suppose you were detained, if on the contrary I had not been sure that you would not have remained so long there without writing to me.—I fear now that the beginning of your journey to America has an influence...
4To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 3 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the extreme pleasure of recieving the day before yesterday your letter of the 23d. which announced your departure. I had previously recieved one from Cowes, and another from Havre of the 7th. of October. In it you allude to one written from the same place and sent by a private hand. It has not been recieved. Immediately on learning that you were detained at Havre, I wrote you in an hurry...
5To James Madison from William Short, 17 November 1789 (Madison Papers)
I recieved some time ago by Mr. James the letter of introduction you had given him for me. I hope I need not tell you how readily I am disposed at all times to do whatever may be agreeable to you—& particularly with how much pleasure I should have rendered any services in my power to Mr. James, had he remained here—the confusion & disorder which prevailed in Paris during the few days of his...
6To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 19 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last which was the 3d. of this month we have been quiet in the capital, and the dissatisfaction of the provinces at the translation of the King and national assembly with which we were threatened, was replaced by addresses of congratulation and adhesion from a great number of them. Mounier who was looked on as the chief of the discontented and who it was supposed meant to excite a...
7To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 25 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last of the 19th. Mr. Parker has arrived here from London. He brings late intelligence from America with him, and also such a certainty that you will be in a manner forced to accept the place of Secretary of State that I cannot help saying a word on the subject in addition to what I said on a former occasion. Should you determine to remain in America I have no doubt you would think of...
8To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The letter of Octob. the 7th. which you did me the honor to write me was delivered two days ago by Mr. McCartey, & yesterday I received the duplicate by Count de Moustier. Some time before, the debt of the United States to France had been brought into view by Mr. Necker in a memorial which he delivered to the national assembly on the subject of their finances, & which I inclosed in my No. 10...
9To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 30 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was of the 25th. and sent by the English Packet under cover to Mr. Parker’s correspondent in New York. Count de Moustier and Mr. McCartey had both arrived in Paris previous to that date and both brought letters for me from Mr. Jay and Colo. Hamilton but did not deliver them till since the departure of that letter. My conversation with those gentlemen has changed my doubts about your...
10William Short to John Jay, 30 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of receiving yesterday your letter of Octob. the 13th. by Count de Moustier who arrived here five or six days ago. The letter for the King, the duplicate of the consular convention, and papers accompanying this letter were delivered me at the same time. I shall put the letter for the King into the hands of the Minister to-morrow. The consular convention which had been also...
11William Short to John Jay, 15 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I make use of a private conveyance which presents itself to send to you though by a circuitous route, the gazettes of France and Leyden, the journals of the national assembly, and some other papers which I have thought might be agreeable to you. The two first will present a very accurate idea of the present state of politics in Europe as low as they come. But information of a later date from...
12William Short to John Jay, 22 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
In my last I mentioned the retreat of the Imperial troops from Brussels. The last accounts of General D’Alton who commands them are that he had arrived at Namur and after a short stay, left it in hopes of remaking Luxemburg. In this retreat through a part of the country known for its zeal in the opposition, the troops confined their hostilities to personal defences. Much the greater part...
13To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 25 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
This letter will go by the English packet and of course through the English post. I shall therefore confine the subject of it to such things as I am not unwilling should be read there. I did the same in a letter which I wrote three days ago to Mr. Jay, and shall continue it in that which will inclose this to you.—The plan of finance for relieving present exigencies is adopted. The foundation...
14William Short to John Jay, 26 December 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I received yesterday from the Baron de Rieger Minister of Wirtemberg a paper which he enclosed to each of the corps diplomatique entitled ‘Observations pour la Serenissme Maison de Wirtemberg.’ It is a reclamation against the arretés of the national assembly of the 4th of August. Although I do not think it worth while to send you the observations by post, I have thought it my duty to mention...
15William Short to John Jay, 2 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of inclosing and forwarding to you by a private conveyance the gazettes of France and Leyden together with the journals of the national assembly. I beg leave to refer you to them for the political news of Europe. They will be accompanied by the plan of finance lately adopted here and the instructions given by the assembly explanatory of the manner of forming the municipalities...
16William Short to John Jay, 6 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at length received the ratification of the consular convention and signed the article of exchange, both of which I have the honor of forwarding to you by the way of Havre. The ratification was made out last year at the time of the convention being signed and remained in one of the bureaux unknown to the minister, where it only waited his signature. I mention the circumstance that it may...
17William Short to John Jay, 12 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
In my last I had the honor of forwarding to you the consular convention by the way of Havre. The French packet by which I write at present being by no means certain as to the time of its sailing I preferred sending it by the way of Havre as I understood there were vessels there bound for New-York. You will have seen Sir by the Journals of the debates of the Assembly which have been regularly...
18To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 12 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter from Lynhaven bay arrived here two days ago. The pleasure it would have given me in any event would have been great, but it was much heightened by the impression under which I read it. As I had no idea that it was possible I should recieve a letter from you in America so soon, I supposed on seeing the address in your hand writing that you must have been thrown on the coast of...
19William Short to John Jay, 23 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
My last was sent to Bordeaux to be forwarded by the French Packet which I had been told would sail about the middle of this month. Not knowing however whether it was certain I preferred sending the consular convention by the way of Havre from whence vessels are frequently sailing for America. It was accompanied by No. 16 and I hope will meet with a safe conveyance to New York.—I forward to you...
20To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 28 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter was of the 12th. inst. and sent by the French packet from Bordeaux under cover to Mr. Jay. In it I acknowledged the reciept of yours from Lynnhaven bay. I communicated your arrival not only to your friends but those of the young ladies in the convent. I have recieved from Mll. Botidoux a letter for Miss Jefferson accompanied by a packet containing pamphlets as she told me. The...
21To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 28[–31] January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you a letter on the 30th. of November last in answer to yours of the 7th. of October. In it I mentioned in what manner our debt to France had become an object of ministerial consideration before the arrival of Count de Moustier, who was charged with your letter, & the influence which his arrival had on some of those who were negotiating with the minister. Although...
22To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 10 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
As yet I have awaited in vain the pleasure of hearing from you after your landing. I was anxious to learn what effect the objects that presented themselves to you had on your mind—whether the changes since you left America were great and in what they consisted. In short I desired to learn a thousand particularities which I feared your time and occupations would not allow you to write about,...
23William Short to John Jay, 10 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last an event which has been expected for some time has taken place. On the 4th. inst. the King went to the assembly and addressed them in a speech which I have the honor of inclosing. The object is to put himself at the head as it were of the revolution, and thus to remove all the doubts and fears of its friends and destroy the hopes of those who might wish to bring back the ancient...
24Enclosure: William Short to John Brown Cutting, 17 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you most sincerely for your two kind and faithful letters, the first of the 5th. inst. the second without date recieved this morning. You see I do not delay shewing you how ready I am to draw from you your agreeable American information by exciting it with an immediate answer. I was particularly pleased to see the address to Mr. Jefferson and was in hopes his answer would have given...
25William Short to John Jay, 3 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the honor of recieving your letter of the 11th. of Decr. after an uncommonly long passage. That which it inclosed for the Agent of the United States at Morocco has been confided to Monsieur de Rayneval who assures me it shall be forwarded with safety. It is the only conveyance from hence which can be relied on, particularly for letters passing through Spain. Your letter was...
26To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 4 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote you last on the 10th. of Feby. I supposed that would be my last until I should have the pleasure of hearing from you. Every day augmenting my belief that you would return here I thought it useless to continue writing as I was persuaded you would leave America before the arrival of my letters. Although that belief has not changed I am induced to hazard this letter by a very...
27William Short to John Jay, 9 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
On the 6th. inst. Mr. Necker sent to the national assembly the memorial which had been expected for some days. I have the honor of forwarding it to you. You will see that there were some grounds for the public suspicion of his intention to quit the helm of affairs, or at least to relieve himself from a part of the task. I think it certain however that he has no design at present to abandon it...
28William Short to John Jay, 17 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last Mr. Necker has sent another memorial to the assembly, which I have the honor of inclosing to you. It is still certain that the assembly will not subscribe to it in allowing a treasury-board to be formed among its members. You will see that the Minister makes a point of obtaining this. The committee of finance which had been directed to report on the minister’s memorial were not...
29William Short to John Jay, 25 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Whilst I was writing my last letter on the 17th. of this month, the national assembly received one from M. de Montmorin which brought before them in an indirect way, the subject of the disturbances in Brabant. This letter dated the 15th. inst. informed them that the Sieur Van der Noot had in the month of January addressed a letter to the King that his Majesty had then deemed it neither...
30To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 25 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 4th. inst. and I then intended not not writing again before I should have learned something from you respecting your return. The object of that letter was of the most disagreeable kind possible, since it was to desire you would sollicit for me what I thought a kind of justice, nay strict justice between a sovereign and a person in service. Lest that letter may have...
31William Short to John Jay, 29 March 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I make use of a private conveyance to London in order to send you the gazettes of France and Leyden to this date. You will recieve also at the same time the observations of Mr. Necker on the report of the committee of finance, the journals of the assembly, and a proposal of the Bishop of Autun for rendering uniform the standard of weights and measures. You will see that he proposes this...
32To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 4 April 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
In my letter of the 28th. of January & the postscript of the 31st. of the same month, which I had the honor of addressing you, I made you acquainted with the then situation of the debt due by America to France & the precipitate loan negociated by the bankers of the United States at Amsterdam. I informed you at the same time that I did not doubt a stop would be thus put to Mr. Neckers...
33William Short to John Jay, 4 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of forwarding for the President of the United States, a letter from Count D’Estaing which he submitted to my inspection some days ago. He had concieved the present a favorable moment for carrying into execution the plan there proposed, for the reasons mentioned in his letter. He had hoped that the influence and credit which M. de la fayette enjoys would have been sufficient to...
34William Short to John Jay, 12 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I make use of the present private conveyance merely to forward to you the journals of the national assembly and some other papers. You will find among them the answer of M. Montesquieu to M. Necker, and the list of gratifications called the livre rouge . It is thought the committee of pensions exceeded their powers in publishing this list. The preface contains a kind of unnecessary libel...
35William Short to John Jay, 23 April 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last the national assembly have completed a subject which had fixed the attention of all parties, and which in the course of its deliberation seemed to threaten serious disorders—the emission of a paper currency. In order to insure its success and to distinguish it as much as possible from other paper currencies, it is to bear an interest of 3. p.Ct. p. Ann. to be calculated daily and...
36William Short to John Jay, 1 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I still continue to address you my letters under the ancient form because I have had no indication of any other mode of making my official communications. Until then I shall suppose the department of foreign affairs under your direction, particularly as I learn by a letter recieved yesterday from Mr. Jefferson, dated the 14th. of December, that he had declined, so far as depended on him,...
37To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 9 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 14th. of December written from Eppington arrived here at the end of the last month after a passage of four months and an half. It gave a real pleasure which I will not attempt to describe, in shewing me that the long silence which had prevailed did not proceed from any forgetfulness on your part. I have taken care to let every body know this circumstance. Your friends were...
38William Short to John Jay, 9 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
It has been for some time publicly advertised here that the French packet would in future sail regularly every two months for New-York to begin the 15th. of this month. After so many disappointments few people will probably commit their letters to that conveyance for some time. I am induced to do it by an assurance from the Administrators of the post that they shall be punctual in future. It...
39William Short to John Jay, 11 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote to you the day before yesterday there were such various conjectures as to the preparations making in Spain for fitting out a fleet, that I thought it useless to trouble you with them, and particularly as I had learned in a letter recieved some time ago from Mr. Carmichael, that he had given and should continue to give you information respecting what was doing there relative to...
40William Short to John Jay, 16 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 11th. of this month. It was then altogether problematical what would be the dispositions of the national assembly as to the warlike preparations which were making in England and Spain. The leading members were uncertain themselves what turn the decisions on this subject would take. A letter written to them by M. de Montmorin the day before yesterday...
41William Short to John Jay, 23 May 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
The constitutional question of the right of war and peace , which I mentioned to you in my last, has occupied the assembly without interruption since that time. It was finally decided yesterday evening as you will see by the articles of the decree which I have the honor to inclose you. It seems to have given general satisfaction. The ministry and aristocratic party are contented because they...
42To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 5 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Dr. Bancroft being about to set off immediately for London I make use of his conveyance merely to send you the gazettes of France and Leyden, and journals of the national assembly, which have considerably accumulated in my hands for the want of some means of forwarding them to New-York. I shall add to them some other papers relative to the pension list and which are the continuation of those...
43To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 14 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
It has not been until three days ago that I have been relieved from the anxiety which arises naturally from the long silence of those who are absent and from whom we wish to hear. The first moments which followed the arrival of your letters of April the 6th. private and duplicate and April the 27th. were such as you may easily concieve. They shewed me that you had written often and that I had...
44To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 14 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I received three days ago the first letters which have come to my hands from you since your arrival at New-York. That of the latest date was April 30th. It contained a copy of that of April 6th. together with the newspapers sent. I delivered today to M. de Montmorin the letter of the President to the King, and another directed to him containing one of leave for you and of credence for me. I...
45To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 25 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
[Since my last I have seen the General of the Mathurins, who gives little hopes of any thing being done for our captives through his chanel, although he continues assurances of his zeal in case of any opportunity presenting itself, and I am persuaded he may be counted on as to these assurances. He had begun by transmitting a small sum of money to a person of confidence at Algiers to relieve...
46To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 29 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
My last private was of the 14th. inst. On the 25th. I sent you my No. 34. together with a duplicate of that of the 14th. I have as yet recieved only the letters therein mentioned and of course remain in the same state of anxiety and uncertainty as when I then wrote. That however has not influenced the activity with which the execution of your commissions was begun. Petit and the packers assure...
47To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 29 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last the King has sanctioned the decree which I then mentioned there were hopes he would reject at least a part of. It was well known that the assembly wished the veto to be used in that instance, as a little reflexion had shown them the inconvenience, not to say worse, of some parts of it. Mr. Necker and M. de Montmorin were for using the veto, but the Garde des sceaux opposed it and...
48To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 7 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
The intelligence of your long and painful indisposition has given me, in common with all your friends here a real concern. They join me in solliciting you not to allow too intense an application to business to expose you again to an attack which by repetition must necessarily become dangerous. The account of the President’s narrow escape affected sincerely all the friends to America here. His...
49To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 7 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just recieved your letter of the 27th of May, which has been sent here from L’Orient by Mr. de Crevecoeur. [My last letters will have informed you of the present situation of the business relative to the American captives at Algiers. You will have seen there that nothing has been done, or possible to be done, for their redemption. This I know will not surprize you when you recollect the...
50To Thomas Jefferson from William Short, 11 July 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you on the 7th. of this month in answer to your’s of the 27th. of May. That letter was sent by the way of Havre. This will be sent to L’Orient to go by the packet in the case of its sailing. But that you know is a conveyance too uncertain to be counted on and therefore I consider this letter as an adventure.—The intelligence which I mentioned in my last as coming from Bilbao, and in...