To Thomas Jefferson from Tench Coxe, 27 February 1794
From Tench Coxe
Philada. Feb. 27. 1794.
Sir
The inclosed accounts of the recapture of Toulon will give you satisfaction in a high degree. They are believed here by all parties. It is added that the Earl of Moira has returned without landing his Army in Britanny. This is the most important Advice we have received since the war, as I have the honor to mention to you confidentially, that Mr. P. writes from L. that Ld. Granville has finally answered in regard to the posts—that after so long and injurious a delay to perform the Treaty on our part the article relative to the posts could not be considered as binding! I wish this be carefully retained in your own bosom until or unless you have it from some other quarter, tho I have it not in official Confidence.
You will see in Fenno’s Gazette an article extracted from an octavo volume of American papers I am republishing here, of which I shall have the honor to present you with a copy. I do not believe it will be completed before the rising of Congress. I have the honor to be in great haste yr. mo. respectful & mo. obedt. St.
Tench Coxe
Mr. Fauchet continues to hold the most satisfactory language.
Ld. G. acknowledged that Mr. Logie procured the Algerine truce, but said it was not to surprize us, but to leave the Portuguese fleet free to act on their views—confidential.
RC (DLC); dateline between first and second postscripts; endorsed by TJ as received 31 Mch. 1794 and so recorded in SJL.
Mr. P. writes: on 24 Feb. 1794 President Washington had submitted to Congress a 25 Nov. 1793 letter from Thomas Pinckney to the Secretary of State describing an interview with Lord Grenville in which the British foreign secretary stated among other things that pending further negotiations his country would continue to retain posts within the western borders of the United States in defiance of the Treaty of Paris and that, after nine years of failure by America to pay debts owed to British creditors as stipulated by the same treaty, England could justly retain them even if the United States now settled this outstanding British grievance (, Foreign Relations, i, 327–8).
Volume of American papers: see enclosure listed at Coxe to TJ, 20 Mch. 1795.