Brest. I have sent to the Count de Vergennes
a statement of your case, of which the enclosed is a copy. I wish you
would read it over, and if there be any fact stated in it, which is
wrong, let me know it, that I may have it corrected. I at the same time
wrote him an urgent letter in your behalf. I have daily expected an
answer, which has occasioned my deferring writing to you. The moment I
receive one, you may be assured of my communicating it to you. My hopes
are, that I may obtain from the King a discharge of the persons of all
of you: but, probably, your vessel and cargo must go through a process.
I have sincerely sympathized with your misfortunes, and have taken every
step in my power to get into the right line for obtaining relief. If it
will add any comfort to your situation and that of your companions, to
be assured that I never lose sight of your sufferings, and leave nothing
undone to extricate you, you have that assurance. I am, Sir,

your very humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXXXVIII.--TO JOHN ADAMS, November 27, 1785

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Paris, November 27, 1785.

Dear Sir,

Your favor of the 5th came to hand yesterday, and Colonel Smith and
Colonel Humphreys (by whom you will receive one of the 19th from me)
being to set out to-morrow, I hasten to answer it. I sincerely rejoice
that Portugal is stepping forward in the business of treaty, and that
there is a probability that we may at length do something under our
commissions, which may produce a solid benefit to our constituents. I as
much rejoice, that it is not to be negotiated through the medium of the
torpid, uninformed machine, at first made use of. I conjecture, from
your relation of the conference with the Chevalier de Pinto, that he
is well informed and sensible. So much the better. It is one of those
cases, where the better the interests of the two parties are understood,
the broader will be the basis on which they will connect them.

To the very judicious observations on the subjects of the conference,
which were made by you, I have little to add.

Flour. It may be observed, that we can sell them the flour ready
manufactured, for much less than the wheat of which it is made. In
carrying to them wheat, we carry also the bran, which does not pay its
own freight. In attempting to save and transport wheat to them, much is
lost by the weavil, and much spoiled by heat in the hold of the vessel.
This loss must be laid on the whea