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bickerings　have　taken　place　with　France；　she　has　still　a　strong　hold

on　the　affections　of　our　citizens　generally。　　I　have　thought　it　not

amiss；　by　way　of　supplement　to　the　letters　of　the　Secretary　of　State

to　write　you　this　private　one　to　impress　you　with　the　importance　we

affix　to　this　transaction。　　I　pray　you　to　cherish　Dupont。　　He　has　the

best　dispositions　for　the　continuance　of　friendship　between　the　two

nations；　and　perhaps　you　may　be　able　to　make　a　good　use　of　him。

Accept　assurances　of　my　affectionate　esteem　and　high　consideration。







　　　　　　　　DRY…DOCKING　THE　NAVY




　　　　　　　　_To　Benjamin　H。　Latrobe_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　2；　1802_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR　　The　placing　of　a　navy　in　a　state　of　perfect

preservation；　so　that　at　the　beginning　of　a　subsequent　war　it　shall

be　as　sound　as　at　the　end　of　the　preceding　one　when　laid　up；　and　the

lessening　the　expence　of　repairs；　perpetually　necessary　while　they

lie　in　the　water；　are　objects　of　the　first　importance　to　a　nation

which　to　a　certain　degree　must　be　maritime。　　The　dry　docks　of　Europe；

being　below　the　level　of　tide　water；　are　very　expensive　in　their

construction　and　in　the　manner　of　keeping　them　clear　of　water；　and

are　only　practicable　at　all　where　they　have　high　tides：　insomuch　that

no　nation　has　ever　proposed　to　lay　up　their　whole　navy　in　dry　docks。

But　if　the　dry　dock　were　above　the　level　of　tide　water；　and　there　be

any　means　of　raising　the　vessels　up　into　them；　and　of　covering　the

dock　with　a　roof；　thus　withdrawn　from　the　rot　and　the　sun；　they　would

last　as　long　as　the　interior　timbers；　doors　and　floors　of　a　house。

The　vast　command　of　running　water　at　this　place；　at　different　heights

from　30　to　200　feet　above　tide　water；　enables　us　to　effect　this

desirable　object　by　forming　a　lower　bason　into　which　the　tide　water

shall　float　the　vessel　and　then　have　its　gates　closed；　and　adjoining

to　this；　but　24　feet　higher；　an　upper　bason　275　feet　wide；　and　800　f。

long　（sufficient　to　contain　12　frigates）　into　which　running　water　can

be　introduced　from　above；　so　that　filling　both　basons　（as　in　a　lock）

the　vessel　shall　be　raised　up　and　floated　into　the　upper　one；　and　the

water　being　discharged　leave　her　dry。　　Over　a　bason　not　wider　than

175　feet；　a　roof　can　be　thrown；　in　the　manner　of　that　of　the　Halle　au

ble　at　Paris；　which　needing　no　underworks　to　support　it；　will　permit

the　bason　to　be　entirely　open　and　free　for　the　movement　of　the

vessels。　　I　mean　to　propose　the　construction　of　one　of　these　to　the

National　legislature；　convinced　it　will　be　a　work　of　no　great　cost；

that　it　will　save　us　great　annual　expence；　and　be　an　encouragement　to

prepare　in　peace　the　vessels　we　shall　need　in　war；　when　we　find　they

can　be　kept　in　a　state　of　perfect　preservation　and　without　expence。




　　　　　　　　The　first　thing　to　be　done　is　to　chuse　from　which　of　the

streams　we　will　derive　our　water　for　the　lock。　　These　are　the　Eastern

branch；　Tyber；　Rock　creek；　and　the　Potomak　itself。　　Then　to　trace　the

canal；　draw　plans　of　that　and　of　the　two　basons；　and　calculate　the

expence　of　the　whole；　that　we　may　lead　the　legislature　to　no　expence

in　the　execution　of　which　they　shall　not　be　apprised　in　the

beginning。　　For　this　I　ask　your　aid；　which　will　require　your　coming

here。　　Some　surveys　and　elevations　have　been　already　made　by　Mr。　N。

King；　a　very　accurate　man　in　that　line；　and　who　will　assist　in　any

thing　you　desire；　and　execute　on　the　ground　any　tracings　you　may

direct；　unless　you　prefer　doing　them　yourself。　　It　is　very　material

too　that　this　should　be　done　immediately；　as　we　have　little　more　than

4　weeks　to　the　meeting　of　the　legislature；　and　there　will　then　be　but

2　weeks　for　them　to　consider　and　decide　before　the　day　arrives　（Jan。

1）　at　which　alone　any　number　of　labourers　can　be　hired　here。　　Should

that　pass　either　the　work　must　lie　over　for　a　year；　or　be　executed　by

day　labourers　at　double　expence。　　I　propose　that　such　a　force　shall

be　provided　as　to　compleat　the　work　in　one　year。　　If　this　results；　as

it　will　receive　all　our　present　ships；　the　next　work　will　be　a　second

one；　to　build　and　lay　up　additional　ships。　　On　the　subject　of　your

superintending　the　execution　of　the　work　it　would　be　premature　to　say

any　thing　till　the　legislature　shall　have　declared　their　will。　　Be　so

good　as　to　let　me　hear　from　you　immediately；　if　you　cannot　come　so

soon　as　you　can　write。　　Accept　my　best　wishes　and　respects。







　　　　　　　　〃A　NOISELESS　COURSE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Thomas　Cooper_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　29；　1802_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　Oct　25　was　received　in　due　time；　and

I　thank　you　for　the　long　extract　you　took　the　trouble　of　making　from

Mr。　Stone's　letter。　　Certainly　the　information　it　communicates　as　to

Alexander　kindles　a　great　deal　of　interest　in　his　existence；　and

strong　spasms　of　the　heart　in　his　favor。　　Tho　his　means　of　doing　good

are　great；　yet　the　materials　on　which　he　is　to　work　are　refractory。

Whether　he　engages　in　private　correspondences　abroad；　as　the　King　of

Prussia　did　much；　his　grandmother　sometimes；　I　know　not；　but

certainly　such　a　correspondence　would　be　very　interesting　to　those

who　are　sincerely　anxious　to　see　mankind　raised　from　their　present

abject　condition。　　It　delights　me　to　find　that　there　are　persons　who

still　think　that　all　is　not　lost　in　France：　that　their　retrogradation

from　a　limited　to　an　unlimited　despotism；　is　but　to　give　themselves　a

new　impulse。　　But　I　see　not　how　or　when。　　The　press；　the　only　tocsin

of　a　nation；　is　compleatly　silenced　there；　and　all　means　of　a　general

effort　taken　away。　　However；　I　am　willing　to　hope；　as　long　as　anybody

will　hope　with　me；　and　I　am　entirely　persuaded　that　the　agitations　of

the　public　mind　advance　its　powers；　and　that　at　every　vibration

between　the　points　of　liberty　and　despotism；　something　will　be　gained

for　the　former。　　As　men　become　better　informed；　their　rulers　must

respect　them　the　more。　　I　think　you　will　be　sensible　that　our

citizens　are　fast　returning；　from　the　panic　into　which　they　were

artfully　thrown　to　the　dictates　of　their　own　reason；　and　I　believe

the　delusions　they　have　seen　themselves　hurried　into　will　be　useful

as　a　lesson　under　similar　attempts　on　them　in　future。　　The　good

effects　of　our　late　fiscal　arrangements　will　certainly　tend　to　unite

them　in　opinion；　and　in　a　confidence　as　to　the　views　of　their　public

functionaries；　legislative　&　executive。　　The　path　we　have　to　pursue

is　so　quiet　that　we　have　nothing　scarcely　to　propose　to　our

Legislature。　　A　noiseless　course；　not　meddling　with　the　affairs　of

others；　unattractive　of　notice；　is　a　mark　that　society　is　going　on　in

happiness。　　If　we　can　prevent　the　government　from　wasting　the　labors

of　the　people；　under　the　pretence　of　taking　care　of　them；　they　must

become　happy。　　Their　finances　are　now　under　such　a　course　of

application　as　nothing　could　derange　but　war　or　federalism。　　The

gripe　of　the　latter　has　shown　itself　as　deadly　as　the　jaws　of　the

former。　　Our　adversaries　say　we　are　indebted　to　their　providence　for

the　means　of　paying　the　public　debt。　　We　never　charged　them　with　the

want　of　foresight　in　providing　money；　but　with　the　misapplication　of

it　after　they　have　levied　it。　　We　say　they　raised　not　only　enough；

but　too　much；　and　that　after　giving　back　the　surplus　we　do　more　with

a　part　than　they　did　with　the　whole。




　　　　　　　　Your　letter　of　Nov　18　is　also　received。　　The　places　of

midshipman　are　so　much　sought　that　（being　limited）　there　is　never　a

vacancy。　　Your　son　shall　be　set　down　for　the　2d；　which　shall　happen；

the　1st　being　anticipated。　　We　are　not　long　generally　without

vacancies　happening。　　As　soon　as　he　can　be　appointed　you　shall　know

it。　　I　pray　you　to　accept　assurances　of　my　great　attachment　and

respect。




　

　　　　　　　　CRISIS　ON　THE　MISSISSIPPI




　　　　　　　　_To　the　Special　Envoy　to　France_

　　　　　　　　（JAMES　MONROE）

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Jan。　13；　1803_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　dropped　you　a　line　on　the　10th　informing　you　of

a　nomination　I　had　made　of　you　to　the　Senate；　and　yesterday　I

enclosed　you　their　approbation　not　then　having　time　to　write。　　The

agitation　of　the　public　mind　on　occasion　of　the　late　suspension　of

our　right　of　deposit　at　N。　Orleans　is　extreme。　　In　the　western

country　it　is　natural　and　grounded　on　honest　motives。　　In　the

seaports　it　proceeds　from　a　desire　for　war　which　increases　the

mercantile　lottery；　in　the　federalists　generally　and　especially　those

of　Congress　the　object　is　to　force　us　into　war　if　possible；　in　order

to　derange　our　finances；　or　if　this　cannot　be　done；　to　attach　the

western　country　to　them；　as　their　best　friends；　and　thus　get　again

into　power。　　Remonstrances　memorials　&c。　are　now　circulating　through

the　whole　of　the　western　country　and　signing　by　the　body　of　the

people。　　The　measures　we　have　been　pursuing　being　invisible；　do　not

satisfy　their　minds。　　Something　sensible　therefore　was　become

necessary；　and　indeed　our　object　of　purchasing　N。　Orleans　and　the

Floridas　is　a　measure　liable　to　assume　so　many　shapes；　that　no

instructions　could　be　squared　to　fit　them；　it　was　essential　then　to

send　a　minister　extraordinary　to　be　joined　with　the　ordinary　one；

with　discretionary　powers；　first　however　well　impressed　with　all　our

views　and　therefore　qualified　to　meet　and　modify　to　these　every　form

of　proposition　which　could　come　from　the　other　party。　　This　could　be

done　only　in　full　and　frequent　oral　communications。　　Having

determined　on　this；　there　could　not　be　two　opinions　among　the

republicans　as　to　the　person。　　You　possess　the　unlimited　confidence

of　the　administration　and　of　the　western　people；　and　generally　of　the

republicans　everywhere；　and　were　you　to　refuse　to　go；　no　other　man

can　be　found　who　does　this。　　The　measure　has　already　silenced　the

Feds。　here。　　Congress　will　no　longer　be　agitated　by　them：　and　the

country　will　become　calm　as　fast　as　the　information　extends　over　it。

All　eye