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Our powers of treating with the Barbary States are full, but in the amount of the expense we are limited. I believe you may safely assure them, that they will soon receive propositions from us, if you find such an assurance necessary to keep mem quiet. Turn ing at this instant to your letter dated April 5th, and considering it attentively, I am persuaded it must have been written on the 5th of May : of this little mistake I ought to have been sooner sensible. Our latest letters from America, are of the middle of April, and are extremely barren of news. Congress had not yet proposed a time for their recess, though it was thought a recess would take place. Mr. Morris had retired, and the treasury was actually ad ministered by commissioners. Their land office was not yet opened. The settlements at Kaskaskia, within the territory ceded to them by Virginia, had prayed the establishment of a regular government, and they were about sending a commissioner to them. General Knox was appointed their secretary of the war office. These, I think, are the only facts we have learned which are worth communicating to you. The inhabitants of Canada have sent a sensible petition to their King, praying the establishment of an Assembly, the benefits of the habeas corpus laws, and other privi leges of British subjects. The establishment of an Assembly is denied, but most of their other desires granted. We are now in hourly expectation of the arrival of the packet which should have sailed from New York in May. Perhaps that may bring us mat ter which may furnish the subject of a more interesting letter.
In the mean time, I have the honor to be, with the highest re spect, Sir,
your most obedient and
most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
P. S. July 14. I have thus long waited, day after day, hoping to hear from Mr. Jarvis, that I might send a cypher with this : but now give up the hope. No news yet of Mr. Lambe. The packet has arrived but brings no intelligence, except that it is doubtful whether Congress will adjourn this summer. The As sembly of Pennsylvania propose to suppress their bank on prin ciples of policy. T. J.
