To Alexander Hamilton from Jean Baptiste de Ternant, 8 March 1792
From Jean Baptiste de Ternant
Phile. [8]1 de mars 1792
J’ai l’honeur de vous envoyer cy jointe une copie de la reponse que je viens de recevoir de Mr. le secretaire d’Etat,2 sur ma demande du 3 du present, dont vous avez connaissance. Les besoins de st. Domingue me faisant un devoir d’obtenir auplutot les moyens sollicités pour secourir cette colonie; je vous prierai avec instance de vouloir bien me faire connàitre si la somme que j’ai demandée en ácompte de ce que les Et. Un. doivent a la france peut m’etre remise à court delay, et de quelle nature sont les arrangemens que Mr. Jefferson represente dans sa lettre comme necessaires à la conclusion de cette affaire.
J’ai l’hr. d’et. avec resp. et attacht. Mr. &c.
LC, , Supplement Vol. 20; LC, Arch, des Aff. Etr., Corr. Pol., Etats-Unis, Supplement Vol. 20.
1. Although the letter book copies of this letter are dated March 7, subsequent correspondence (H to Ternant, March 8, 1792, and Ternant to H, March 10, 1792) indicates that the letter that was sent to H was dated March 8.
2. On March 3, 1792, Ternant asked Thomas Jefferson for four hundred thousand dollars as an advance on the money the United States owed to France (LC, , Supplement Vol. 20). On March 7, 1792, Jefferson replied to Ternant: “I have laid before the President of the U. S. your letter of the 3d. inst. asking a supply of four hundred thousand dollars on account of reimbursements due from us to France, to be applied to releive the distresses of the colony of St. Domingo.… I have to assure you that the President feels every disposition which the occasion is calculated to inspire, to do whatever we can for the relief of that colony, and that he hopes your demand may be complied with, under such arrangements as may be mutually convenient & agreeable. For the settlement of these I take the liberty of referring you to direct conferences with the Secretary of the treasury, which may shorten the business, & save a delay equivalent perhaps in the present case to a denial” (ALS, letterpress copy, Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress).