ary 13, 1807

TO JOHN DICKINSON.

Washington, January 13, 1807.

My Dear and Ancient Friend,

I have duly received your favor of the 1st instant, and am ever thankful
for communications which may guide me in the duties which I wish to
perform as well as I am able. It is but too true, that great discontents
exist in the territory of Orleans. Those of the French inhabitants have
for their sources, 1. the prohibition of importing slaves. This may be
partly removed by Congress permitting them to receive slaves from the
other States, which, by dividing that evil, would lessen its danger. 2.
The administration of justice in our forms, principles, and language,
with all of which they are unacquainted, and are the more abhorrent,
because of the enormous expense, greatly exaggerated by the corruption
of bankrupt and greedy lawyers, who have gone there from the United
States and engrossed the practice. 3. The call on them by the land
commissioners to produce the titles of their lands. The object of this
is really to record and secure their rights. But as many of them hold on
rights so ancient that the title papers are lost, they expect the
land is to be taken from them wherever they cannot produce a regular
deduction of title in writing. In this they will be undeceived by the
final result, which will evince to them a liberal disposition of the
government towards them. Among the American inhabitants it is the old
division of federalists and republicans. The former, are as hostile
there as they are every where, and are the most numerous and wealthy.
They have been long endeavoring to batter down the Governor, who has
always been a firm republican. There were characters superior to him,
whom I wished to appoint, but they refused the office: I know no better
man who would accept of it, and it would not be right to turn him out
for one not better. But it is the second cause, above mentioned, which
is deep seated and permanent. The French members of the legislature,
being the majority in both Houses, lately passed an act, declaring
that the civil, or French laws, should be the laws of their land, and
enumerated about fifty folio volumes, in Latin, as the depositories of
these laws. The Governor negatived the act. One of the Houses thereupon
passed a vote for self-dissolution of the legislature as a useless body,
which failed in the other House by a single vote only. They separated,
however, and have disseminated all the disconten