251From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 27 August 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honoured with your favor of June 19. informing me that permission is given me to make a short visit to my native country, for which indulgence I beg leave to return my thanks to the President, and to yourself, Sir, for the expedition with which you were so good as to forward it after it was obtained. Being advised that October is the best month of the autumn for a passage to America, I...
252From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 30 August 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
My letters being to go by the way of London, and the person not departing till tomorrow morning, I am enabled to inclose with the other papers Mr. Necker’s memoir proposing a loan of 80. millions, and to inform you that 10. or 12. millions are already subscribed, and that it is believed that the whole will be filled in good time.— I take the liberty also to inclose to you the application of a...
253From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 17 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have sent from this place, together with my own baggage, two hampers and two boxes, which when arrived at Havre I have taken the liberty to order to be separated from my baggage and sent by the first vessel to New York to your address. The marks and contents are as follows: TI. No. 30. } These are hampers containing samples of the best wines of this country, which I beg leave to present TI....
254From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 19 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honour of addressing you on the 30th. of the last month. Since that I have taken the liberty to consign to you a box of officers muskets, containing half a dozen, made by the person and on the plan which I mentioned to you in a letter, which I cannot turn to at this moment, but I think it was of the year 1785 . A more particular account of them you will find in the inclosed copy of a...
255From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 30 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
No convenient ship having offered from any port of France I have engaged one from London to take me up at Cowes, and am so far on my way thither. She will and me at Norfolk, and as I do not know any service that would be rendered by my repairing immediately to New York, I propose, in order to economise time, to go directly to my own house, get through the business which calls me there, and...
256From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 17 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
By the Cato, Capt. Seton, bound from Havre to New York, I had the honor to address to you four packages referred to in the inclosed bill of lading, and more particularly explained in a letter committed to the care of Mr. Pitcairn, supercargo of the same vessel.—After being detained three weeks by contrary winds at Havre and this place, I am now on the point of sailing, our ship being just now...
257From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 23 November 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I think it my duty to inform you that I am this day arrived here after a passage of 26. days from and to land. By the Montgomery, Capt. Bunyan, which sailed from Cowes at the same time with us, I had the honor of addressing you and of sending you the Letter book and account book of Silas Deane, which I put into the hands of Mr. Trumbul, who I presume is arrived at New York. According to what I...
258William 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...
259William 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...
260William 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...
261William 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...
262William 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...
263William 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...
264William 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...
265William 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...
266From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 14 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your favor of Dec. 12. and thank you for your friendly congratulations on my return to my native country as well as for the interest you are pleased to express in the appointment with which I have been honored. I have thought it my duty to undertake it, tho with no prepossessions in favor of my talents for executing it to the satisfaction of the public.—With respect to the...
267William 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...
268William 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...
269William 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...
270William 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...
271William 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...
272William 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...
273William 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...
274William 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...
275William 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,...
276William 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...
277William 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...
278William 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...
279William 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...
280I. Tench Coxe to John Jay, 25 January 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
An ingenious Artist of this City has informed me within a few days that he has made a discovery which has been for some time a desideratum both in Science and Commerce. It is connected with the Uniformity of weights and measures, and as that object has been refered to the Secretary of State whose Duties I presume you discharge till you enter on those of your judicial station I do myself the...