ng general, and I think will not prevail.
But it is among possible events.

I have been thus particular, that you might be able to judge, not only
in the present case, but also in others, should any attempts be made
to speculate in your city, on these papers. It is a business, in which
foreigners will be in great danger of being duped. It is a science which
bids defiance to the powers of reason. To understand it, a man must not
only be on the spot, and be perfectly possessed of all the circumstances
relative to every species of these papers, but he must have that
dexterity which the habit of buying and selling them alone gives. The
brokers of these certificates are few in number, and any other person
venturing to deal with them, engages in a very unequal contest.

i have the honor to be, with the highest respect, gentlemen,

your most obedient humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CXXXI.--TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL, November 4, 1785

TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

Paris, November 4, 1785.

Dear Sir,

I had the honor of writing you on the 18th of October, and again on
the 25th of the same month. Both letters, being to pass through the
post-offices, were confined to particular subjects. The first of them
acknowledged the receipt of yours of September the 29th.

At length a confidential opportunity arrives for conveying to you a
cipher; it will be handed you by the bearer, Mr, Lambe. Copies of it are
in the hands of Mr. Adams, at London, Mr. Barclay, who is proceeding to
Morocco, and Mr. Lambe, who is proceeding to Algiers. This enables us
to keep up such correspondences with each other, as maybe requisite.
Congress, in the spring of 1784, gave powers to Mr. Adams, Dr. Franklin,
and myself, to treat with the Barbary States. But they gave us no money
for them, and the other duties assigned us rendered it impossible for
us to proceed thither in person. These things having been represented to
them, they assigned to us a certain sum of money, and gave us powers
to delegate agents to treat with those States, and to form preliminary
articles, but confining to us the signing of them in a definitive form.
They did not restrain us in the appointment of the agents; but the
orders of Congress were brought to us by Mr. Lambe, they had waited for
him four months, and the recommendations he brought, pointed him out, in
our opinion, as a person who would meet the approbation of Congress. We
therefore appointed him to negotiate