try,
to furnish them with the tobacco of Virginia and Maryland, which
propositions were procured for me by the Marquis de la Fayette. I take
the liberty of troubling you with them, on a supposition that it may be
possible to have this article furnished from those two States to this
country, immediately, without its passing through the _entrepot_
of London, and the returns for it being made, of course, in London
merchandise. Twenty thousand hogsheads of tobacco a year, delivered here
in exchange for the produce and manufactures of this country, many
of which are as good, some better, and most of them cheaper than in
England, would establish a rivalship for our commerce, which would have
happy effects in all the three countries. Whether this end will be best
effected by giving out these propositions to our merchants, and exciting
them to become candidates with the Farmers General for this contract, or
by any other means, your Excellency will best judge on the spot.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of due respect, your
Excellency's most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

P.S. I have written on the last subject to the Governor of Maryland
also.

LETTER LXIV.--TO COLONEL MONROE, June 17, 1785

TO COLONEL MONROE.

Paris, June 17, 1785.

Dear Sir,

I received three days ago your favor of April the 12th. You therein
speak of a former letter to me, but it has not come to hand, nor any
other of later date than the 14th of December. My last to you was of the
11th of May, by Mr. Adams, who went in the packet of that month. These
conveyances are now becoming deranged. We have had expectations of their
coming to Havre, which would infinitely facilitate the communication
between Paris and Congress; but their deliberations on the subject seem
to be taking another turn. They complain of the expense, and that their
commerce with us is too small to justify it. They therefore talk of
sending a packet every six weeks only. The present one, therefore, which
should have sailed about this time, will not sail till the 1st of July.
However, the whole matter is as yet undecided. I have hopes that when
Mr. St. John arrives from New York, he will get them replaced on
their monthly system. By the bye, what is the meaning of a very
angry resolution of Congress on his subject? I have it not by me, and
therefore cannot cite it by date, but you will remember it, and oblige
me by explaining its foundation.