y for carrying on the business,
except such as you shall think too bulky and easily made here. It would
be proper, therefore, that they should consult you as to the necessary
implements and their prices, that they may act under your control.
The method of your paying for these implements and making reasonable
advances to the workmen, shall be the subject of another letter, after
the President shall have decided thereon. It should be a part of the
agreement of these people, that they will faithfully instruct all
persons in their art, whom we shall put under them for that purpose.
Your contract with them may be made for any term not exceeding four
years.

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

Th: Jefferson.

P. S. Should you not be able to procure persons of eminent
qualifications for their business, in England, it will be proper to
open a correspondence with Mr. Morris on the subject, and see whether he
cannot get such from France. Next to the obtaining the ablest artists,
a very important circumstance is to send them to us as soon as possible.
T. J.

LETTER CXIV.--TO GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, June 16, 1792

TO GOUVERNEUR MORRIS.

Philadelphia, June 16, 1792.

Dear Sir,

My last to you was of March the 28th. Yours of April the 6th and 10th
came to hand three days ago.

With respect to the particular objects of commerce susceptible of being
placed on a better footing, on which you ask my ideas, they will show
themselves by the enclosed table of the situation of our commerce with
France and England. That with France is stated as it stood at the time
I left that country, when the only objects whereon change was still
desirable, were those of salted provisions, tobacco and tar, pitch
and turpentine. The first was in negotiation when I came away, and
was pursued by Mr. Short with prospects of success, till their general
tariff so unexpectedly deranged our commerce with them as to other
articles. Our commerce with their West Indies had never admitted
amelioration during my stay in France. The temper of that period did
not allow even the essay, and it was as much as we could do to hold the
ground given us by the Marshal de Castries' _Arret_, admitting us to
their colonies with salted provisions, &c. As to both these branches of
commerce, to wit, with France and her colonies, we have hoped they would
pursue their own proposition of arrangi