exchange.  A late contract by the Farm has, in a great measure, fixed in a single mercantile house the supplies of tobacco wanted for this country.  This arrangement found the established merchants with some tobacco on hand, some on the seas coming to them, and more still due.  By the papers now enclosed, it seems, that there are six thousand four hundred and eight hogsheads in the single port of L’Orient.  Whether government may interfere, as to articles furnished by the merchants after they had notice of the contract before mentioned, must depend on principles of policy.  But those of justice seem to urge, that, for commodities furnished before such notice, they should be so far protected, as that they may wind up, without loss, the transactions in which the new arrangement found them actually engaged.  Your Excellency is the best judge, how far it may be consistent with the rules of government, to interfere for their relief, and with you, therefore, I beg leave entirely to rest their interests.

Information lately received, relative to the Barbary States, has suggested, that it might be expedient, and perhaps necessary for us, to pave the way to arrangements with them, by a previous application to the Ottoman Porte.  Your Excellency’s intimate acquaintance with this subject would render your advice to us equally valuable and desirable.  If you would be pleased to permit me to wait on you, any day or hour which shall be most convenient to yourself, I should be much gratified by a little conversation with you on this subject.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your Excellency’s most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER VII.—­TO JOHN PAGE, May 4, 1786

TO JOHN PAGE.

Paris, May 4, 1786.

Dear Sir,

Your two favors of March the 15th and August the 23, 1785, by Monsieur de la Croix, came to hand on the 15th of November.  His return gives me an opportunity of sending you a copy of the Nautical Almanacs for 1786, 7, 8, 9.  There is no late and interesting publication here, or I would send it by the same conveyance.  With these almanacs, I pack a copy of some Notes I wrote for Monsieur de Marbois, in the year 1781, of which I had a few printed here.  They were written in haste, and for his private inspection.  A few friends having asked copies, I found it cheaper to print than to write them.  They will offer nothing new to you, not even as an oblation of my friendship for you, which is as old almost as we are ourselves.  Mazzei brought me your favor of April the 27th.  I thank you much for your communications.  Nothing can be more grateful at such a distance.  It is unfortunate, that most people think the occurrences passing daily under their eyes, are either known to all the world, or not worth being known.  They therefore do not give them place in their letters.  I hope you will be so good as to continue your friendly