is prohibited, even in Hanover. How do their
whale-fisheries turn out, this year? I hope a deep wound will be given
them in that article soon, and such as will leave us in no danger from
their competition.

*****

I am, with very great esteem, Dear Sir, your most obedient, humble
servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXVII.--TO JOHN JAY, November 14, 1788

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, November 14, 1788.

Sir,

In my letter of December the 21st, 1787, I had the honor of
acknowledging the receipts of your two favors of July the 27th, 1787,
which had come to my hands December the 19th, and brought with them
my full powers for treating on the subject of the consular convention.
Being then much engaged in getting forward the _Arret_ which came out
the 29th of December, and willing to leave some interval between
that act, and the solicitation of a reconsideration of our consular
convention, I had declined mentioning it, for some time, and was just
about to bring it on the carpet, when it became necessary for me to go
to Amsterdam. Immediately after my return, which was about the last
of April, I introduced the subject to the Count de Montmorin, and have
followed it unremittingly, from that time. The office of Marine, as well
as that of Foreign Affairs, being to be consulted in all the stages of
the negotiation, has protracted its conclusions till this time: it is
at length signed this day, and I have now the honor to enclose the
original, for the ratification of Congress. The principal changes
effected are the following:

The clauses of the Convention of 1784, clothing consuls with privileges
of the law of nations, are struck out, and they are expressly subjected,
in their persons and property, to the laws of the land.

That giving the right of sanctuary to their houses, is reduced to a
protection of their chancery room and its papers.

Their coercive powers over passengers are taken away; and over those,
whom they might have termed deserters of their nation, are restrained to
deserted seamen only.

The clause, allowing them to arrest and send back vessels, is struck
out, and instead of it, they are allowed to exercise a police over the
ships of their nation generally.

So is that, which declared the indelibility of the character of subject,
and the explanation and extension of the eleventh article of the treaty
of amity.

The innovations in the laws of evidence are done away: and the
convention is limited to t