ublic mission
to the government of the United States, relative to which some previous
explanations might be proper, Mr. Jefferson has the honor to assure Mr.
Hammond, he shall be ready to receive any communications and enter
into explanations, either formally or informally, as Mr. Hammond shall
choose, and at any time suitable to him. He recollects with pleasure
his acquaintance with Mr. Hammond in Paris, and shall be happy in every
opportunity of rendering him such offices and attentions as may be
acceptable to him.

October 26,1791.

LETTER LXXX.--TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL, November 6, 1791

TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

Philadelphia, November 6, 1791.

Sir,

My last letter to you was of the 24th of August. A gentleman going from
hence to Cadiz will be the bearer of this, and of the newspapers to the
present date, and will take care that the letter be got safe to you, if
the papers cannot.

Mr. Mangnal, at length tired out with his useless solicitations at this
office, to obtain redress from the court of Spain for the loss of the
Dover Cutter, has laid the matter before Congress, and the Senate have
desired me to report thereon to them. I am very sorry to know nothing
more of the subject, than that letter after letter has been written to
you thereon, and that the office is in possession of nothing more than
acknowledgments of your receipt of some of them, so long ago as August,
1786, and still to add, that your letter of January the 24th, 1791,
is the only one received of later date than May the 6th, 1789. You
certainly will not wonder, if the receipt of but one letter in two years
and an half inspires a considerable degree of impatience. I have learned
through a circuitous channel, that the court of Madrid is at length
disposed to yield our right of navigating the Mississippi. I sincerely
wish it may be the case, and that this act of justice may be made known,
before the delay of it produces any thing intemperate from our western
inhabitants.

Congress is now in session. You will see, in the paper herewith sent,
the several weighty matters laid before them in the President's speech.
The session will probably continue through the winter. I shall sincerely
rejoice to receive from you, not only a satisfactory explanation of the
reasons why we receive no letters, but grounds to hope that it will be
otherwise in future.

I have the honor to be, with great esteem, Sir, your most obedient and
most humble servant,