ripening so fast, that there is great reason to hope a good result from the States General.  Their numbers (about twelve hundred) give room to fear, indeed, that they may be turbulent.  Having never heard of Admiral Paul Jones since the action, in which he took a part before Oczakow, I began to be a little uneasy.  But I have now received a letter from him, dated at St. Petersburg, the 31 st of January, where he had just arrived, at the desire of the Empress.  He has hitherto commanded on the Black Sea.  He does not know whether he shall be employed there, or where, the ensuing campaign.  I have no other interesting intelligence, which would not lead me into details, improper for the present mode of conveyance.  After observing, therefore, that the gazettes of France and Leyden, to the present date, accompany this, I shall only add assurance of the sincere esteem and respect, with which I have the honor to be, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CLXXXII.—­TO JOHN JAY, February 4, 1789

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, February 4, 1789.

Sir,

Your favor of November the 25th, by Gouverneur Morris, is duly received.  I must beg you to take the trouble of deciphering yourself what follows, and to communicate it to nobody but the President, at least for the present.

We had before understood, through different channels, that the conduct of the Count de Moustier was politically and morally offensive.  It was delicate for me to speak on the subject to the Count de Montmorin.  The invaluable mediation of our friend, the Marquis de la Fayette, was therefore resorted to, and the subject explained, though not pressed.  Later intelligence showing the necessity of pressing it, it was yesterday resumed, and represented through the same medium to the Count de Montmorin, that recent information proved to us, that his minister’s conduct had rendered him personally odious in America, and might even influence the dispositions of the two nations; that his recall was become a matter of mutual concern; that we had understood he was instructed to remind the new government of their debt to this country, and that he was in the purpose of doing it in very harsh terms; that this could not increase their desire of hastening payment, and might wound their affections:  that, therefore, it was much to be desired that his discretion should not be trusted to, as to the form in which the demand should be made, but that the letter should be written here, and he instructed to add nothing but his signature:  nor was his private conduct omitted.  The Count de Montmorin was sensibly impressed.  He very readily determined that the letter should be formed here, but said that the recall was a more difficult business:  that as they had no particular fact to allege against the Count de Moustier, they could not recall him from that ministry, without giving him another, and there