may be contented with a peaceable and passive opposition.
At this moment we are not sure of this; though as yet it is difficult
to say what form the opposition will take. It is a comfortable
circumstance, that their neighboring enemy is under the administration
of a minister disposed to keep the peace. Engage in war who will, may
my country long continue your peaceful residence, and merit your good
offices with that nation, whose affections it is their duty and interest
to cultivate.

Accept these and all other the good wishes of him, who has the honor to
be, with sincere esteem and respect, Dear Sir, your most obedient and
most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXXXVI.--TO JOHN JAY, May 23,1788

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, May 23,1788.

Sir,

When I wrote my letter of the 4th instant, I had no reason to doubt that
a packet would have sailed on the 10th, according to the established
order. The passengers had all, except one, gone down to Havre in this
expectation. However, none has sailed, and perhaps none will sail, as
I think the suppression of the packets is one of the economies in
contemplation. An American merchant, concerned in the commerce of the
whale-oil, proposed to government to despatch his ships from Havre and
Boston at stated periods, and to take on board the French courier and
mail, and the proposition has been well enough received. I avail myself
of a merchant vessel going from Havre, to write the present.

In my letter of the 4th, I stated to you the symptoms which indicated
that government had some great stroke of authority in contemplation.
That night they sent guards to seize Monsieur d'Epremenil and Monsieur
Goiskind, two members of parliament, in their houses. They escaped,
and took sanctuary in the Palais (or parliament house). The parliament
assembled itself extraordinarily, summoned the Dukes and Peers
specially, and came to the resolution of the 5th, which they sent to
Versailles by deputies, determined not to leave the palace till they
received an answer. In the course of that night a battalion of guards
surrounded the house. The two members were taken by the officers from
among their fellows, and sent off to prison, the one to Lyons, the other
(d'Epremenil), the most obnoxious, to an island in the Mediterranean.
The parliament then separated. On the 8th, a bed of justice was held at
Versailles, wherein were enregistered the six ordinances which had been
passed in Council on