TO JAMES MADISON J. MSS. - Thomas Jefferson, The Works, vol. 8 (Correspondence 1793-1798) [1905]
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The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). Vol. 8
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TO JAMES MADISONJ. MSS.
Philadelphia, June 1, [1797.]
Dear Sir,—
I wrote you on the 18th of May. The address of the Senate was soon after that. The first draught was responsive to the speech, & higher toned. Mr. Henry arrived the day it was reported; the addressers had not yet their strength around them. They listened therefore to his objections, recommitted the papers, added him and Tazewell to the committee, and it was reported with considerable alterations; but one great attack was made on it, which was to strike out the clause approving everything heretofore done by the Executive. This clause was retained by a majority of four. They received a new accession of members, held a caucus, took up all the points recommended in the speech, except the raising money, agreed the lists of every committee, and on Monday passed the resolutions & appointed the committees, by an uniform vote of 17 to 11. (Mr. Henry was accidentally absent; Ross not then come.) Yesterday they put up the nomination of J. Q. Adams to Berlin, which had been objected to as extending our diplomatic establishment. It was approved by 18 to 14. (Mr. Tatnall accidentally absent.) From the proceedings we were able to see, that 18 on the one side & 10 on the other, with two wavering votes, will decide every question. Schuyler is too ill to come this session, & Gunn has not yet come. Pinckney (the Genl), John Marshall & Dana are nominated envoys extraordinary to France. Charles Lee consulted a member from Virginia to know whether Marshall would be agreeable. He named you, as more likely to give satisfaction. The answer was, “Nobody of mr. Madison’s way of thinking will be appointed.”
The representatives have not yet got through their address. An amendment of mr. Nicholas’, which you will have seen in the papers, was lost by a division of 46 to 52. A clause by mr. Dayton, expressing a wish that France might be put on an equal footing with other nations, was inserted by 52. against 47. This vote is most worthy of notice, because the moderation & justice of the proposition being unquestionable, it shews that there are 47. decided to go all lengths to [illegible] They have received a new orator from the district of mr. Ames. He is the son of the Secretary of the Senate. They have an accession from S C also, that State being exactly divided. In the H of Repr. I learned the following facts, which give me real concern. When the British treaty arrived at Charleston, a meeting, as you know, was called, and a committee of seventeen appointed, of whom General Pinckney was one. He did not attend. They waited for him, sent for him; he treated the mission with great hauteur, and disapproved of their meddling. In the course of the subsequent altercations, he declared that his brother, T. Pinckney, approved of every article in the treaty, under the existing circumstances, and since that time, the politics of Charleston have been assuming a different hue. Young Rutledge joining Smith and Harper, is an ominous fact as to that whole interest.
Tobacco is at 9. dollars, and flour very dull of sale. A great stagnation in commerce generally. During the present bankruptcy in England, the merchants seem disposed to lie on their oars. It is impossible to conjecture the rising of Congress, as it will depend on the system they decide on; whether of preparation for war, or inaction. In the vote of 46. to 52. Morgan, Macher & Evans were of the majority, and Clay kept his seat, refusing to vote with either. In that of 47 to 52, Evans was the only one of our delegation who voted against putting France on an equal footing with other nations.
P. M. So far, I had written in the morning. I now take up my pen to add, that the addresses having been reported to the House, it was moved to disagree to so much of the amendment as went to the putting France on an equal footing with other nations, & Morgan and Macher turning tail, (in consequence, as is said, of having been closeted last night by Charles Lee,) the vote was 49. to 50. So the principle was saved by a single vote. They then proposed that compensations for spoliations shall be a sine qua non, and this will be decided on tomorrow. Yours affectionately.
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