Читать книгу The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (of 9) - Томас Джефферсон, Thomas Jefferson - Страница 121

Washington, July 30, 1807.

Dear Sir,—I kept up your letter of the 23d till the return of General Dearborne enabled us to give to the question of lending arms, a serious consideration. We find that both law and expediency draw a line for our guide. In general, our magazines are open for troops, militia, or others, when they take the field for actual service. Besides this, a law has expressly permitted loans for training volunteers who have engaged themselves for immediate service. The inference is, that we are not to lend to any others. And indeed, were we to lend for training the militia, our whole stock would not suffice, and not an arm would be left for real service. You are sensible, I am sure, that however desirous we might be of gratifying the particular request you have made, yet as what we do for one we must do for another, we could not afterwords stop.

Of the measures suggested in your preceding letter, one only did not exactly meet our ideas. We thought it better not to convene Congress till the 26th of October. Within a fortnight after that we may expect our vessel with the answer of England. Until that arrives there would be no ground sufficiently certain for Congress to act on. In the meanwhile we are making every preparation which could be made were they in session. The detachment act and its appropriation authorizes this. Congress could not declare war without a demand of satisfaction, nor should they lay an embargo while we have so much under the grasp of our adversary. They might, indeed, authorize the building more gun-boats; but having so lately negatived that proposition, it would not be respectful in me even to suggest it again, much less to make it the ground of convening them. If they should change their minds, and authorize the building more, (and indeed I think two hundred more, at least, are necessary, in aid of other works, to secure our harbors,) the winter will suffice for building them, and the winter will also enable us to do much towards batteries and fortifications, if the appropriation be made early. We find that we cannot man our gun-boats now at Norfolk. I think it will be necessary to erect our sea-faring men into a naval militia, and subject them to tours of duty in whatever port they may be.

We have been for some time under dread from the bilious season, now commencing. Mr. Madison and Mr. Gallatin have had symptoms of indisposition. We have nearly everything so arranged as that we can carry on the public affairs at our separate stations. I shall therefore leave this on the 1st of August, for that and the ensuing month. We shall avoid, as far as we honorably can, every act which would precipitate general hostilities, and shorten the interval so necessary for our merchants to get in their property and our seamen. Accept my salutations, and assurances of great esteem and respect.