Excerpts from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

Julian P. Boyd, ed.. (Princeton, N.J., 1953)

Volume 10: 22 June 1786 to 31 December 1786

16 July 1786 From James Monroe (in New York), pp. 142-144.

p. 143: "In my last I advis'd you of an intrigue on foot under the management of Jay to occlude the Missisipi supported by the delegation of Massachusetts. Since my last no further measures have been openly taken in the business, yet it is not relinquish'd. As yet there hath not been a fair tryal of the sense of Congress on the subject. I have a conviction in my own mind that Jay has manag'd this negociation dishonestly. On the other hand I am persuaded that the minister here has no power on the subject."

11 August 1786 To James Monroe (from Paris), pp. 223-225.

p. 223: "I was entirely in the dark as to the progress of that negociation [with Spain], and concur entirely in the views you have of it. The difficulty on which it hangs is a sine qua non with us. It would be to deceive them and ourselves to suppose that an amity can be preserved while this right [of navigation on the Mississippi] is withheld."

12 Aug 1786 From James Madison (in Philadelphia), pp. 229-236.

p. 230: "I had the additional pleasure here of seeing the progress of the works on the Potowmac. About 50 hands were employed at these falls or rather rapids, who seemed to have overcome the greatest difficulties. Their plan is to slope the fall by opening the bed of the river, in such a manner as to render a lock unnecessary, and by means of ropes fastened to the rocks, to pull up and ease down the boats where the current is most rapid. At the principal falls 150 hands I was told were at work, and that the length of the canal will be reduced to less than a mile, and carried through a vale which does not require it to be deep. Locks here will be unavoidable. The undertakers are very sanguine. Some of them, who are most so, talk of having the entire work finished in three years.

p. 231: I am told that Pena. has complied with the joint request of Virga. and Maryland for a Road between the head of Potowmac and the waters of the Ohio and the secure and free use of the latter through her jurisdiction.

p. 233: "You will find the cause [of Madison's despair of amending the Confederation] in a measure now before Congress of which you will receive the details from Col. Monroe. I content myself with hinting that it is a proposed treaty with Spain, [in] one article of which she shuts the Mississippi for twenty five or thirty years." [Madison goes on to discuss how this matter will foment sectional distrust.]

19 August 1786 From James Monroe (in New York), pp. 274-279.

pp. 274-276: [Monroe gives Jefferson the details of the negotiations with Spain of which Madison spoke in the letter immediately above. Nothing is particularly relevant to the Potomac case.]

17 September 1786 From James Maury (in Liverpool), pp. 387-389.

p. 388: "At Alexandria they say the Potomack Navigation will not prove so tedious nor so expensive as the Company reckoned on."

23 September 1786 From John Bondfield (in Bordeuax), pp. 399-400.

pp. 399-400: "By arrivals from New Orleans the Inhabitants of Louisiana appear apprehensive of troubles taking place in that neighbourhood from the great increase of the Settlement at Kentucey and the inflexible opposition in the Spaniards to the free Navigation of the Mississipi."

12 October 1786 From James Monroe (in New York), pp. 456-458.

pp. 456-457: "Since this project [Jay's negotiations with Spain] was presented, the negociation has been more with Congress to repeal the ultimata than with Spain to carry the instructions into effect. I inform'd you of the proposition from Massachusetts for the repeal in Committee of the Whole. This was carried by Pennsylvania inclusive eastward, Maryland inclusive southward being against it. Delaware was absent."

[That is, both Maryland and Virginia were in favor of free navigation on the Mississippi.]

8 November 1786 From Francis Hopkinson (in Philadelphia), pp. 511-513.

p. 512: "Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland have appointed Commissioners for carrying into Effect a Scheme which has been long in Contemplation, that of running a Canal between Chesapeak and Delaware and improving the Navigation of the Susquehannah. I am one of the Commissioners for this State [Pennsylvania], Mr. Rittenhouse another. There are five Commissioners from each State and we are all to meet at Wilmington on the 27^th. of this Month to hold a Conference on this Important Affair."

4 December 1786 From James Madison (in Richmond), pp. 574-578.

p. 575: "The project for bartering the Mississipi to Spain was brought before the Assembly. . . . The report of it having reached the ears of the Western [Virginia] Representatives, as many of them were on the spot, backed by a number of the late officers, presented a Memorial, full of consternation and complaint, in consequence of which some very pointed resolutions by way of instruction to the Delegates in Congress were unanimously entered into the House of Delegates. They are now before the Senate who will no doubt be also unanimous in their Concurrence."

16 Dec 1786 To James Madison (from Paris), pp. 602-606.

p. 603: This measure [of the Congress, deciding to make the western states fewer, but larger], with the disposition to shut up the Missisipi give me serious apprehensions of the severance of the Eastern and Western parts of our confederacy. It might have been made the interests of the Western states to remain united with us, by managing their interests honestly and for their own good. But the moment we sacrifice their interests to our own, they will see it better to goveren themselves."

p. 605: "With respect to the proposition about the purchase of lands, I had just before made the experiment desired. It was to borrow money for aiding the opening of the Patowmac, which was proposed to me by Genl. Washington. I had the benefit of his name, and the foundation of a special act of the assembly. I lodged the papers in the hands of Mr. [Ferdinand] Grand [in Paris] to try to obtain money on loan at 6. per cent. assuring him that the securities should be made completely satisfactory to the lenders. After long trial he told me it could not be done. . . ."