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our commissions for making treaties of alliance. England shews no disposition to treat. France, should her ministers be able to keep the ground of the Arrtt of August, 1784, against the clamors of her merchants, and should they be disposed, hereafter, to give us more, very probably will not bind herself to it by treaty, but keep her regulations dependant on her own will. Sweden will es tablish a free port at St. Bartholomews, which, perhaps, will render any new engagement, on our part, unnecessary. Holland is so immovable in her system of colony administration, that, as proposi tions to her, on that subject, would be desperate, they had better not be made. You will perceive by the letter No. 11, from the Marquis de la Fayette, that there is a possibility of an overture from the Emperor. A hint from the charge des affaires of Na ples, lately, has induced me to suppose something of the same kind from thence. But the advanced period of our commissions, now offers good cause for avoiding to begin, what probably cannot be terminated during their continuance ; and with respect to these two, and all other powers not before mentioned, I doubt whether the advantages to be derived from treaties with them, will coun tervail the additional embarrassments they may impose on the States, when they shall proceed to make those commercial ar rangements, necessary to counteract the designs of the British cabinet. I repeat it, therefore, that the conclusion of the treaty with Prussia, and the probability of others with Denmark, Tuscany and the Barbary States, may be expected to wind up the proceed ings of the general commissions. I think that, in possible events, it may be advantageous to us, by treaties with Prussia, Denmark and Tuscany, to have secured ports in the Northern and Mediter ranean seas. I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the highest respect and esteem, Sir,
your most obedient
and most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER CXXV. TO MESSRS. VAN STAPHORST.
Paris, October 12, 1785. GENTLEMEN,
The receipt of your favor, of September the 19th, should not have been so long unacknowledged, but that I have been peculiarly and very closely engaged ever since it came to hand.
