TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
Monticello, July 25,1808.
Dear Sir,—I enclose you the petition of Somes, to do in it whatever is agreeable to general rule.
Punqua Winchung, the Chinese Mandarin, has, I believe, his head quarters at New York, and therefore his case is probably known to you. He came to Washington just as I had left it, and therefore wrote to me, praying permission to depart for his own country with his property, in a vessel to be engaged by himself. I enclose you Mr. Madison's letter, which contains everything I know on the subject. I consider it as a case of national comity, and coming within the views of the first section of the first embargo act. The departure of this individual with good dispositions, may be the means of making our nation known advantageously at the source of power in China, to which it is otherwise difficult to convey information. It may be of sensible advantage to our merchants in that country. I cannot therefore but consider that a chance of obtaining a permanent national good should overweigh the effect of a single case taken out of the great field of the embargo. The case, too, is so singular, that it can lead to no embarrassment as a precedent.
I think, therefore, he should be permitted to engage a vessel to carry himself and his property, under such cautions and recommendations to him as you shall think best.
I leave it therefore to yourself to direct all the necessary details without further application to me, and for this purpose send you a blank passport for the vessel, &c., and Mr. Graham will obtain and forward you passports from the foreign ministers here. I salute you with affection and respect.