think proper to endeavor, by their own agent,
to obtain a reimbursement from the government or from individuals of
Hispaniola, I take the liberty of recommending their cause to your
patronage, so far as evidence and law shall be in their favor. If they
address the government, you will support their demands on the ground
of right and amity; if they institute process against individuals,
counterpoise by the patronage and weight of your public character, any
weight of character which may be opposed to their obtaining of justice.

I am, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XLI.--CIRCULAR TO THE CONSULS, August 26, 1790

_Circular to the Consuls and Vice-Consuls of the United States_.

New York, August 26, 1790.

Sir,

I expected ere this, to have been able to send you an act of Congress
prescribing some special duties and regulations for the exercise of the
consular offices of the United States: but Congress not having been able
to mature the act sufficiently, it lies over to the next session. In
the mean while, I beg leave to draw your attention to some matters of
information, which it is interesting to receive.

I must beg the favor of you to communicate to me every six months, a
report of the vessels of the United States which enter at the ports of
your district, specifying the name and burthen of each vessel, of what
description she is (to wit, ship, snow, brig, &c), the names of the
master and owners, and number of seamen, the port of the United States
from which she cleared, places touched at, her cargo outward and inward,
and the owners thereof, the port to which she is bound, and times of
arrival and departure; the whole arranged in a table under different
columns, and the reports closing on the last days of June and December.

We wish you to use your endeavors that no vessel enter as an American in
the ports of your district, which shall not be truly such, and that none
be sold under that name, which are not really of the United States.

That you give to me, from time to time, information of all military
preparations, and other indications of war which may take place in your
ports; and when a war shall appear imminent, that you notify thereof the
merchants and vessels of the United States within your district, that
they may be duly on their guard; and in general, that you communicate
to me such political and commercial intelligence, as you may think
interestin