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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO THE FRENCH MINISTER (JEAN BAPTISTE TERNANT) J. MSS. - Thomas Jefferson, The Works, vol. 7 (Correspondence 1792-1793) [1905]

Edition used:

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). Vol. 7

Part of: The Works of Thomas Jefferson, 12 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


TO THE FRENCH MINISTER

(JEAN BAPTISTE TERNANT)J. MSS.

Philadelphia, May 22. 1793.

Sir,—

The President of the U. S. in a letter addressed to the Primary Executive council of the French republic, has expressed his sense of your merit & his entire approbation of your conduct while here. He has also charged me to convey to yourself the same sentiments on his part. It is with pleasure I obey this charge, in bearing witness to the candour & integrity of your conduct with us, and to the share you may justly claim in the cultivation of harmony and good understanding between the two nations by a ready accommodation to circumstances whenever offices of friendship or duty were to be claimed or rendered on either side.

To the homage thus paid to truth & justice, permit me to add sincere wishes that in whatever line you may engage for the good of either or both republics, your course may be marked with success & prosperity.

As a testimony of the regard of the U. S. we shall take an early occasion to ask your acceptance of a medal & chain of gold on their part.1

[1 ]“Notes on the subject of the present.

“It was proposed that the medal should always contain 150 dollars worth of gold; it was presumed the gentleman would always keep this.

“The chain was to contain 365 links always, but these to be proportioned in value to the time the person had been here, making each link worth 3 dimes for every year of residence. No expence to be bestowed on the making because it was expected they would turn the chain into money. On this plan.”