To the House of Representatives of the United States:
In my Message of January 20th, I stated that some papers forwarded by Mr. Daniel Clark of New Orleans to the Secretary of State, in 1803, had not then been found in the office of State, and that a letter had been addressed to the former chief Clerk, in the hope that he might advise where they should be sought for. By indications received from him they are now found. Among them, are two letters from the Baron de Carondelet, to an officer serving under him at a separate post, in which his views of a dismemberment of our Union are expressed. Extracts of so much of these letters as are within the scope of the resolution of the House are now communicated. With these were found the letters written by Mr. Clark to the Secretary of State, in 1803. A part of one only of these relates to this subject, and is extracted and enclosed for the information of the House. In no part of the papers communicated by Mr. Clark, which are voluminous, and in different languages, nor in his letters, have we found any intimation of the corrupt receipt of money by any officer of the United States from any foreign agent. As to the combinations with foreign agents for dismembering the Union, these papers and letters offer nothing which was not probably known to my predecessors, or which could call anew for inquiries, which they had not thought necessary to institute, when the facts were recent, and could be better proved. They probably believed it best to let pass into oblivion transactions which, however culpable, had commenced before this Government existed, and had been finally extinguished by the Treaty of 1795.
TH. JEFFERSON.
February 4, 1808.
Extract of a letter from the Baron de Carondelet, dated
New Orleans, July 10, 1796.
I suppose, sir, that you are now at the Bluffs, and in possession of a command which requires firmness, vigilance, conciliation, and prudence, as well with regard to the savages as to the Americans; for the evacuation of that important post is not yet so certain as not to admit of doubt, at least so long as the savages remain attached to us. Besides, it is proper to keep in view that the neighboring States, that is to say, Kentucky and Tennessee, are interested that it should remain in our power, for political reasons which cannot be trusted to paper. You must, of consequence, keep them in those sentiments, by treating their inhabitants, to whom the liberty of the navigation is granted, with kindness and regard. Let the friendship of the Chickasaws and the satisfaction of the Americans who navigate the river, be the basis of your conduct; as for the rest, I have not yet received any official news from the Court concerning the treaty, which we know nothing of but through the American gazettes.
All the appearances of an approaching peace in Europe have vanished; but it is probable that we shall not have war with the English. Fourteen French ships of the line, with ten thousand men, are actually to take possession of the Spanish port of St. Domingo; and France and Spain appear more united than ever. The Spanish inhabitants have lost their slaves.
Extract of a letter from the Baron de Carondelet, dated
New Orleans, Sept. 12, 1796.