o the Comptroller General,
he might possibly ask me, whether, in a like case, of a French vessel in
America acting through ignorance, against law, we would suspend the law
as to her? I should be obliged honestly to answer, that with us there
is no power which can suspend the law for a moment; and Captain Thomas
knows that this answer would be the truth. The Senegal company seems to
be as much engaged in it as he is. I should suppose his most probable
means of extrication, would be with their assistance, and availing
himself of their privileges, and the apparent authority he has received
from the officers of government there. I am sorry his case is such a
one, as I cannot present to the minister. A jealousy of our taking
away their carrying trade, is the principal reason which obstructs our
admission into their West India islands. It would not be right for me to
strengthen that jealousy.

I have the honor to be, with much esteem, Sir, your most obedient,
humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXX.--TO JOHN JAY, December 31, 1787

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, December 31, 1787.

Sir,

Since the receipt of the letter of Monsieur de Calonne, of October the
22nd, 1786, I have several times had the honor of mentioning to you,
that I was endeavoring to get the substance of that letter reduced into
an _Arret_, which, instead of being revocable by a single letter of a
Comptroller General, would require an _Arret_ to repeal or alter it, and
of course must be discussed in full Council, and so give time to prevent
it. This has been pressed as much as it could be with prudence. One
cause of delay has been the frequent changes of the Comptroller General;
as we had always our whole work to begin again, with every new one.
Monsieur Lambert's continuance in office for some months has enabled us,
at length, to get through the business; and I have just received from
him a letter, and the _Arret_ duly authenticated; of which I have the
honor to send you a number of printed copies. You will find, that the
several alterations and additions are made, which, on my visit, to the
seaports, I had found to be necessary, and which my letters of June the
21st and August the 6th particularly mentioned to you. Besides these,
we have obtained some new articles of value, for which openings arose
in the course of the negotiation. I say we have done it, because
the Marquis de la Fayette has gone hand in hand with me through this
business, and has