I take this, the earliest occasion, of congratulating my country on your excellency’s appointment to the chair of government, and of assuring you, with great sincerity, of those sentiments of perfect esteem and respect, with which I have the honor to be your.  Excellency’s most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER XLVIII.—­TO JOHN JAY, February 8, 1787

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, February 8, 1787.

Sir,

The packet being to sail the day after to-morrow, I have awaited the last possible moment of writing by her, in hopes I might be able to announce some favorable change in the situation of the Count de Vergennes.  But none has occurred, and in the mean time he has become weaker by the continuance of his illness.  Though not desperately ill, he is dangerously so.  The Comptroller General, M. de Calonne, has been very ill also, but he is getting well.  These circumstances have occasioned the postponement of the Assemblee des Notables to the 14th instant, and will probably occasion a further postponement.  As I shall set out this day se’nnight for the waters of Aix, you will probably hear the issue of the Count de Vergennes illness through some other channel, before I shall have the honor of addressing you again.  I may observe the same as to the final decision for the enfranchisement of Honfleur, which is in a fair way of being speedily concluded.  The exertions of Monsieur de Creve-coeur, and particularly his influence with the Duke d’Harcourt, the principal instrument in effecting it, have been of chief consequence in this matter.

I have the honor to be, with the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER XLIX.—­TO MR. DUMAS, February 9, 1787

TO MR. DUMAS.

Paris, February 9, 1787.

Sir,

My last to you was dated December the 25th; since which I have been honored with your several favors of December the 29th, January the 5th, 9th, and 23rd.  I thought that your affairs could not be more interesting than they have been for a considerable time.  Yet in the present moment they are become more so, by the apparent withdrawing of so considerable a personage in the drama, as the King of Prussia.  To increase this interest, another person, whose importance scarcely admits calculation, is in a situation which fills us with alarm.  Nature is struggling to relieve him by a decided gout; she has my sincere prayers to aid her, as I am persuaded she has yours.  I have letters and papers from America as late as the 15th of December.  The government of Massachusetts had imprisoned three of the leaders of their insurgents.  The insurgents, being collected to the number of three or four hundred, had sent in their petition to the government, praying another act of pardon for their leaders and themselves, and on this condition offering to go every man home, and conduct himself dutifully afterwards.  This is the latest intelligence.