1To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 28 November 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 28 Nov. 1785 . They have now been in prison for fourteen weeks “and yet have no appearance of our releasement without you have got it finished at Paris.” Asquith heard from Desbordes, Frères that they had written to TJ advising him to try to have the case settled by the French ministry. “As they [the Farmers-General] could find no flaw against us for smugling they now pretend...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 20 February 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 20 Feb. 1786 . Acknowledges TJ’s letter of 13 Jan.; but not having received a discharge, again begs for assistance; his “Pœple and self are almost all laid up by sickness occasioned by the colds and Damps of this place,” and are dejected “by the Constant insults of the pœple here”; they have been told that the Farmers General have so much influence in the courts that they can...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 8 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 8 Sep. 1785 . He wrote TJ the day before, with the news of their sentence by the farmers-general, and writes again in less agitation at the advice of Father John Mehegan. He begs TJ to intervene, for they have been in close confinement three weeks, are short of provisions, and are exceedingly anxious for their families. Encloses a petition of Father John “in our Favor as he...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 15 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 15 May 1786 . Not having heard from TJ or Short writes again concerning the unhappy situation of himself and his companions; suspects that the farmers-general are afraid to set them at liberty because they know the case will be presented to Congress, who will not tolerate such treatment; gives an account of an English vessel that was captured and condemned for smuggling salt...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 3 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 3 Oct. 1785 . Asquith has received from Picrel a copy of a letter from “Mr. Maisoneiuve Floch Procureiur of Brest,” the lawyer engaged earlier by Picrel, who agrees now to take the case if Asquith advances him ten guineas, though he has already received three. Asquith is doubtful whether his last three guineas will satisfy. He had instructed Floch to write TJ a state of their...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 1 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon,1 May 1786 . Is writing again because he has had no letters from TJ, Short, or Desbordes, Frères. There is still no prospect of their being released and he now realizes that the farmers-general wanted his “submission” in order to “get the Vessel, and Cargo, into their hands; and afterwards to keep us confin’d” on other pretexts; believes the farmers are afraid to set the...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 17 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 17 Oct. 1785 . He has heard nothing from Floch himself but learns he can do nothing until he receives the prisoners’ papers, which were sent to him and the judge of the Court of Admiralty several weeks before. Asquith also learned from Father John Mehegan that the case will be settled at Paris by Vergennes and Calonne; the prisoners would surely have lost it at Brest “as the...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 14 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We have just received our Sentence and Condemnation from Brest by the Hands of the Farmers Officers, which one of the Coppys I have sent inclosed and I cannot understand any thing of it. We are all now allmost distracted by their unjust Sentence and implore your protection, as we have your best assurances for it and intirely rely on you for your assistance as we are innocent of the Crime we...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 20 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
May it Please your Excellency, Sir I received your Letter of the 5th. Inst. and am sorry to find that things should turn out so unfavorable as I am entirely innocent of the Crime laid to my Charge and which I have suffered for but as I find it is useless to go any further with it I must thro Nessessity submit to their Sentence sooner than life any longer in Prison and give up all Claims to the...
10To Thomas Jefferson from Lister Asquith, 2 January 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
St. Pol de Léon, 2 Jan. 1786. Has been daily expecting to hear from TJ since his letter of 23 Nov.; fears that the letters have been detained. Knowing that he and his companions are innocent of any crime, suspects they are being starved to force them to escape. They are being tortured in mind and body; have no fire; and the snow falls on them through the roof when they lie down. He is certain...