ess authority, judging from the importance and
necessity of the case, that they would approve of our interference.

But this kind of necessity is now at an end: the government has
established a deposite of money in the hands of their minister here, and
we have nothing now to do but to furnish the money, which we are in the
course of doing, without looking into the purposes to which it is to be
applied. Their Minister is to be the judge of these, and to pay it to
whom and for what he pleases.

If it be urged that they have appropriated all the money we are
furnishing, to other objects, and that you are not authorized to divert
any of it to any other purpose, and therefore that you need a further
sum, it may be answered, that it will not lessen the stretch of
authority to add an unauthorized payment by us to an unauthorized
application by you; and that it seems fitter that their Minister should
exercise a discretion over their appropriations, standing as he does in
a place of confidence, authority, and responsibility, than we who
are strangers and unamenable to them. It is a respect we owe to their
authority, to leave to those acting under that the transaction of their
affairs, without an intermeddling on our part, which might justly appear
officious.

In this light I hope you will view our conduct, and that the consular
officers will be sensible, that in referring them to your care, under
which the national authority has placed them, we do but con-form
ourselves to that authority.

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

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXLV.--TO M. DE TERNANT, May 3,1793

TO M. DE TERNANT.

Philadelphia, May 3,1793.

Sir,

The Minister Plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majesty has represented to
the government of the United States, that on the 25th of April last, the
British ship Grange, while lying at anchor in the bay of the Delaware,
within the territory and jurisdiction of the United States, was taken
possession of by the Embuscade, a frigate of the French republic, has
been brought to this port, where she is now detained as prize and the
crew as prisoners, and has made a requisition in form, for a restoration
of the vessel and liberation of the crew. I have the honor to furnish
you with copies of the evidence given in by the British Minister, and to
observe, that the United States, being at peace with all parti