Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/357

Letter of Jo hi Marshall to James Wilkmsofi, ijSj 347 shows a kindly feeling between writer and recipient that Humphrey Marshall the historian, John [Marshall's cousin, would hardly have been willing to admit. He also calls attention to the efforts which Colonel Thomas Marshall, father of John, made in 1791 toward securing Wilkinson's reappointment to the army of the United States. Colonel Marshall, however, it should be said, gives as a reason for this that Wilkinson was a dangerous man while not en- gaged, but that the danger might be removed by giving him employ- ment. Colonel Durrett suggests that possibly John Marshall may have been moved by similar considerations in trying to obtain for him a passport out of the United States. The governor of Mrginia in January, 1787, was Edmund Randolph. Richmond, Jan. 5th, 1787 Lear Sir, It is with a great deal of mortification I tell you that I have failed in obtaining the passport I applied for. On my mentioning the subject to the Governor he said he was acquainted with you and would with great pleasure do any thing which was proper to serve you. He took time to consider the subject and after several applications, told me to-day that to grant the passport as an official act was entirely improper because it could only extend to the limits of Virginia to which you had a right to go without his permit and that he could not write a private letter of recommendation to the Governor without having some acquaintance with him. On these reasons sir, my application in your favor was re- jected. I am much chagrined at my disappointment. I am much indebted to you for the clear and succinct account you have given me of the two expeditions against the Indians. I fear with you that so long as you remain connected with Virginia it will be absolutely impossible to act on any great occasion with reputation or success. Just information from such a distance will never be obtained by government withcmt a solicitude about intelligence which seldom exists in a proper degree on the eve of a separation. You are considered as being certainly about to part with us and therefore less attention will be given to any regulations respecting your country than if the disunion was not expected. All is gloom in the eastern states. Massachusetts is rent into two equal factions and an appeal I fear has by this time been made to the Cod of battles. Three of the leaders of the opponents to Government have been taken and imprisoned in Boston. .The whole force of the party is collected for their releif. The last intelligence gives us reason to fear that before this time the attempt to relieve them has been made with the whole power of one party and opposed by the whole power of the other. But of this I suppose you receive better information than I can give you. We have contradictory accounts of the motives and views of the insurgents. We are sometimes informed that they are a British AM. HIST. REV., VOL. XII. — ^23.