To Thomas Jefferson from Delamotte, 9 March 1793
From Delamotte
Havre, 9 Mch. 1793. No French ship was available to carry the above letter until now. The king, condemned to death, was executed on 21 Jan. France is at war with all the powers except the United States, Portugal, Sweden, and Denmark. The government has just opened trade with all the French colonies solely to the flag of the United States, whose ships may go between them and France directly without paying more duties than French ships. If the enclosed letter to the ministry was responsible for the decree, he is glad to have contributed. It is important that TJ spread this news as soon as possible to the entire Continent, and he will try to delay sending this letter until he can attach the decree. Tobacco and rice are now at 80 and 70 livres tournois, respectively, and the exchange rate with London is at 15 ⅛.
RC (DLC); 1 p.; in French; in a clerk’s hand, signed by Delamotte; subjoined to RC of Delamotte to TJ, 15 Jan. 1793; endorsed by TJ as received 4 May 1793 and so recorded in SJL. Dupl (DNA: RG 59, CD); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Delamotte; subjoined to Dupl of Delamotte to TJ, 15 Jan. 1793. Enclosure: Extract of Delamotte to Gaspard Monge, Minister of Marine, 9 Feb. 1793, citing the applications he has refused from many French merchants to obtain American colors for their ships, recommending that American ships be permitted to carry goods from the French colonies to France on the same terms as French ships so that France can benefit from her colonies during the war, and explaining that provisions would otherwise have to be transported to America first and be subject to such heavy duties and expenses in both countries as to defeat the purpose (Tr, in French, in same; Tr, in French, in ViW).