11William 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...
12William 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...
13William 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...
14William 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...
15William 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...
16William 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...
17William 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...
18William 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...
19William 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...
20William 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...