war would arise, yet we said with energy what would take place when it should arise.  We did not, by our intrigues, produce the war; but we availed ourselves of it when it happened.  The other party saw the case now existing, on which our representations were predicated, and the wisdom of timely sacrifice.  But when these people make the war give us everything, they authorize us to ask what the war gave us in their day?  They had a war; what did they make it bring us?  Instead of making our neutrality the ground of gain to their country, they were for plunging into the war.  And if they were now in place, they would now be at war against the atheists and disorganizers of France.  They were for making their country an appendage to England.  We are friendly, cordially and conscientiously friendly to England, but we are not hostile to France.  We will be rigorously just and sincerely friendly to both.  I do not believe we shall have as much to swallow from them as our predecessors had.

*****

Present me respectfully to Mrs. Gates, and accept yourself my affectionate salutations, and assurances of great respect and esteem.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CCCVI.—­TO MR. BRECKENRIDGE, August 12, 1803

TO MR. BRECKENRIDGE.

Monticello, August 12, 1803.

Dear Sir,

The enclosed letter, though directed to you, was intended to me also, and was left open with a request, that when forwarded, I would forward it to you.  It gives me occasion to write a word to you on the subject of Louisiana, which being a new one, an interchange of sentiments may produce correct ideas before we are to act on them.

Our information as to the country is very incomplete:  we have taken measures to obtain it full as to the settled part, which I hope to receive in time for Congress.  The boundaries, which I deem not admitting question, are the high lands on the western side of the Mississippi enclosing all its waters, the Missouri of course, and terminating in the line drawn from the northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods to the nearest source of the Mississippi, as lately settled between Great Britain and the United States.  We have some claims, to extend on the sea-coast westwardly to the Rio Norte or Bravo, and better, to go eastwardly to the Rio Perdido, between Mobile and Pensacola, the ancient boundary of Louisiana.  These claims will be a subject of negotiation with Spain, and if, as soon as she is at war, we push them strongly with one hand, holding out a price in the other, we shall certainly obtain the Floridas, and all in good time.  In the mean while, without waiting for permission, we shall enter into the exercise of the natural right we have always insisted on with Spain, to wit, that of a nation holding the upper part of streams, having a right of innocent passage through them to the ocean.  We shall prepare her to see us practise on this, and she will not oppose it by force.