To Thomas Jefferson.

DEAR SIR,—The silence which prevails as to the negociations of our Envoys, is not less surprising to my view than to yours. We may be assured, however, that nothing of a sort to be turned to the party objects on the anvil has been received, unless, indeed, the publication should be delayed for a moment deemed more critically advantageous. As we are left to mere conjectures, the following have occurred to me. The long continuance of the Envoys at Paris of itself indicates that difficulties of some sort or other have sprung up, or been created. As the French Government seems to have provided for the future security of our commerce by repealing the decrees under which it had been violated, and as the ultimatum of the Executive, explained by former instructions, permitted a waiver at least of claims for past spoliations, it would seem that no insuperable obstacles would be likely to arise on these articles. In looking for other solutions, my attentions have fallen on the articles contained in the Treaty of 1778, relating—1. To free ships freeing their Cargoes. 2. To the permissions granted to prizes. 3. To convoys. That a difficulty may have happened on the first is rendered not improbable by the late transaction with Prussia; the 2d is suggested by the circumstances under which the stipulation was sought and obtained by G. B.; and the 3d, by the late occurrences and combinations in Europe. Should any one or more of these conjectures be just, the explanation will also coincide with the reports from different quarters, which speak of the Treaty of ’78 as at the bottom of the impediments; and if so, it seems more likely that they would be found in such parts of it as have been alluded to, than in the guaranty which cannot be needful to France, and which her pride would be more ready to reject than to claim.