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To John Dickinson Washington, Jan. 13, 1807
MY DEAR AND ANCIENT FRIEND, -- I have duly received your favor
of the 1st inst., 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,
-
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;
- the
administration of justice in our forms, principles, & language, with
all of which they are unacquainted, & are the more abhorrent, because
of the enormous expense, greatly exaggerated by the corruption of
bankrupt & greedy lawyers, who have gone there from the Ud S. &
engrossed the practice;
- the call on them by the land commissioners
to produce the titles of their lands. The object of this is really
to record & 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 & republicans. The former are as hostile
there as they are everywhere, & are the most numerous & 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 2d. cause, above
mentioned, which is deep-seated & 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 50 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, & have disseminated all
the discontent they could. I propose to the members of Congress in
conversation, the enlisting 30,000 volunteers, Americans by birth, to
be carried at the public expense, & settled immediately on a bounty
of 160 acres of land each, on the west side of the Mississippi, on
the condition of giving two years of military service, if that
country should be attacked within 7 years. The defence of the
country would thus be placed on the spot, and the additional number
would entitle the territory to become a State, would make the
majority American, & make it an American instead of a French State.
This would not sweeten the pill to the French; but in making that
acquisition we had some view to our own good as well as theirs, and I
believe the greatest good of both will be promoted by whatever will
amalgamate us together.
I have tired you, my friend, with a long letter. But your
tedium will end in a few lines more. Mine has yet two years to
endure. I am tired of an office where I can do no more good than
many others, who would be glad to be employed in it. To myself,
personally, it brings nothing but unceasing drudgery & daily loss of
friends. Every office becoming vacant, every appointment made, me
donne un ingrat, et cent ennemis. My only consolation is in the
belief that my fellow citizens at large give me credit for good
intentions. I will certainly endeavor to merit the continuance of
that good-will which follows well-intended actions, and their
approbation will be the dearest reward I can carry into retirement.
God bless you, my excellent friend, and give you yet many
healthy and happy years.
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