I am, with sincere esteem, Dear Sir,

your friend and servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER III.—­TO JOHN JAY, April 23, 1786

TO JOHN JAY.

London, April 23, 1786.

Sir,

In my letter of March the 12th, I had the honor of explaining to you the motives which had brought me to this place.  A joint letter from Mr. Adams and myself, sent by the last packet, informed you of the result of our conferences with the Tripoline minister.  The conferences with the minister of Portugal have, been drawn to a greater length than I expected.  However, every thing is now agreed, and the treaty will be ready for signature the day after to-morrow.  I shall set out for Paris the same day.  With this country nothing is done:  and that nothing is intended to be done, on their part, admits not the smallest doubt.  The nation is against any change of measures:  the ministers are against it; some from principle, others from subserviency:  and the King, more than all men, is against it.  If we take a retrospect to the beginning of the present reign, we observe, that amidst all the changes of ministry, no change of measures with respect to America ever took place; excepting only at the moment of the peace; and the minister of that moment was immediately removed.  Judging of the future by the past, I do not expect a change of disposition during the present reign, which bids fair to be a long one, as the King is healthy and temperate.  That he is persevering, we know.  If he ever changes his plan, it will be in consequence of events, which, at present, neither himself nor his ministers place among those which are probable.  Even the opposition dare not open their lips in favor of a connection with us, so unpopular would be the topic.  It is not, that they think our commerce unimportant to them.  I find that the merchants here set sufficient value on it.  But they are sure of keeping it on their own terms.  No better proof can be shown of the security in which the ministers think themselves on this head, than that they have not thought it worth while to give us a conference on the subject, though, on my arrival, we exhibited to them our commission, observed to them that it would expire on the 12th of the next month, and that I had come over on purpose to see if any arrangements could be made before that time.  Of two months which then remained, six weeks have elapsed without one scrip of a pen, or one word from a minister, except a vague proposition at an accidental meeting.  We availed ourselves even of that, to make another essay to extort some sort of declaration from the court.  But their silence is invincible.  But of all this, as well as of the proceedings in the negotiation with Portugal, information will be given you by a joint letter from Mr. Adams and myself.  The moment is certainly arrived, when, the plan of this court being out of all doubt, Congress and the States may decide what their own measures should be.