Sir,—In my letter of May 6th I asked the favor of your Excellency, as I did of the Governors of other States not furnishing in their interior country flour sufficient for the consumption of the State, to take the trouble of giving certificates, in favor of any merchants meriting confidence, for the quantities necessary for consumption beyond the interior supplies. Having desired from the Treasury Department a statement of the quantities called for under these certificates, I find that those of your Excellency, received at the Treasury, amount to 51,000 barrels of flour, 108,400 bushels of Indian corn, 560 tierces of rice, 2,000 bushels of rye, and, in addition thereto, that there had been given certificates for either 12,450 barrels of flour, or 40,000 bushels of corn. As these supplies, although called for within the space of two months, will undoubtedly furnish the consumption of your State for a much longer time, I have thought it advisable to ask the favor of your Excellency, after the receipt of this letter, to discontinue issuing any other certificates, that we may not unnecessarily administer facilities to the evasion of the embargo laws; for I repeat what I observed in my former letter, that these evasions are effected chiefly by vessels clearing coastwise. But while I am desirous of preventing the frauds which go to defeat the salutary objects of these laws, I am equally so that the fair consumption of our citizens may in nowise be abridged. It would, therefore, be deemed a great favor if your Excellency could have me furnished with an estimate, on the best data possessed, of the quantities of flour, corn, and rice, which, in addition to your internal supplies, may be necessary for the consumption, in any given time, of those parts of your State which habitually depend on importation for these articles. I ask this the more freely, because I presume you must have had such an estimate formed for the government, of your discretion in issuing the preceding certificates, and because it may be so necessary for our future government. I salute you with assurance of great respect and esteem.
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE.
Washington, July 17, 1808.
Sir,—After writing my letter of the 9th, I received one from Mr. Pitot in the name of the New Orleans Canal Company, which ought to have come with the printed report, stating more fully their views, and more explicitly the way in which we can aid them. They ask specifically that we should lend them $50,000, or take the remaining fourth of their shares now on hand. This last measure is too much out of our policy of not embarking the public in enterprises better managed by individuals, and which might occupy as much of our time as those political duties for which the public functionaries are particularly instituted. Some money could be lent them, but only on an assurance that it would be employed so as to secure the public objects. The first interests of the company will be to bring a practicable navigation from the Lake Pontchartrain through the Bayou St. Jean and Canal de Carondelet to the city, because that entitles them to a toll on the profitable part of the enterprise. But this would answer no object of the government unless it was carried through to the Mississippi, so that our armed vessels drawing five feet water might pass through. Instead therefore of the ground I suggested in my last letter, I would propose to lend them a sum of money on the condition of their applying it entirely to that part of the canal which, beginning at the Mississippi, goes round the city to a junction with the canal of Carondelet; and we may moreover at our own expense erect the locks. The Secretary at War not being here, I cannot propose these or any other terms precisely, but you may more openly than I proposed in my last letter, give these as the general shape of the aid which we contemplate, collect the ideas of individual members, and communicate them to me, so that when I shall have an opportunity of consulting the Secretary at War we may put our proposition in the form most acceptable to them. On this subject I shall wish to hear from you soon.
Mr. Livingston was here lately, and finding that we considered the Batture as now resting with Congress, and that it was our duty to keep it clear of all adversary possession till their decision is obtained, wrote a letter to the Secretary of State, which, if we understand it, amounts to a declaration that he will on his return bring the authority of the court into array against that of the executive, and endeavor to obtain a forcible possession. But I presume that the court knows too well that the title of the United States to land is subject to the jurisdiction of no court, it having never been deemed safe to submit the major interests of the nation to an ordinary tribunal, or to any one but such as the Legislature establishes for the special occasion; and the Marshal will find his duty too plainly marked out in the act of March 3, 1807, to be at a loss to determine what authority he is to obey. It will be well however that you should have due attention paid to this subject, and particularly to apprize Mr. Grymes to be prepared to take care that the public rights receive no detriment.
I salute you with great respect and esteem.
TO GOVERNOR LEWIS.
Washington, July 17, 1808.
Dear Sir,—Since I parted with you in Albemarle in September last, I have never had a line from you, nor I believe has the Secretary at War with whom you have much connection through the Indian department. The misfortune which attended the effort to send the Mandan chief home, became known to us before you had reached St. Louis. We took no step on the occasion, counting on receiving your advice so soon as you should be in place, and knowing that your knowledge of the whole subject and presence on the spot would enable you to judge better than we could what ought to be done. The constant persuasion that something from you must be on its way to us, has as constantly prevented our writing to you on the subject. The present letter, however, is written to put an end at length to this mutual silence, and to ask from you a communication of what you think best to be done to get the chief and his family back. We consider the good faith, and the reputation of the nation, as pledged to accomplish this. We would wish indeed not to be obliged to undertake any considerable military expedition in the present uncertain state of our foreign concerns, and especially not till the new body of troops shall be raised. But if it can be effected in any other way and at any reasonable expense, we are disposed to meet it.
A powerful company is at length forming for taking up the Indian commerce on a large scale. They will employ a capital the first year of 300,000, and raise it afterwards to a million. The English Mackinac company will probably withdraw from the competition. It will be under the direction of a most excellent man, a Mr. Astor, merchant of New York, long engaged in the business, and perfectly master of it. He has some hope of seeing you at St. Louis, in which case I recommend him to your particular attention. Nothing but the exclusive possession of the Indian commerce can secure us their peace.