will be in this, and all similar
cases, all the expenses of your journey and voyage, taking a ship's
cabin to yourself, nine thousand dollars a year from your leaving
home till the proceedings of your mission are terminated, and then the
quarter's salary for the expenses of your return, as prescribed by law.
As to the time of your going, you cannot too much hasten it, as the
moment in France is critical. St. Domingo delays their taking possession
of Louisiana, and they are in the last distress for money for current
purposes. You should arrange your affairs for an absence of a year at
least, perhaps for a long one. It will be necessary for you to stay here
some days on your way to New York. You will receive here what advance
you choose.

Accept assurances of my constant and affectionate attachment.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CCCIII.--TO M. DUPONT, February 1, 1803

TO M. DUPONT.

Washington, February 1, 1803.

Dear Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favors of August the 16th
and October the 4th. The latter I received with peculiar satisfaction;
because, while it holds up terms which cannot be entirely yielded,
it proposes such as a mutual spirit of accommodation and sacrifice of
opinion may bring to some point of union. While we were preparing on
this subject such modifications of the propositions of your letter of
October the 4th, as we could assent to, an event happened, which obliged
us to adopt measures of urgency. The suspension of the right of deposite
at New Orleans, ceded, to us by our treaty with Spain, threw our whole
country into such a ferment as imminently threatened its peace. This,
however, was believed to be the act of the Intendant, unauthorized
by his government. But it showed the necessity of making effectual
arrangements, to secure the peace of the two countries against the
indiscreet acts of subordinate agents. The urgency of the case, as well
as the public spirit, therefore, induced us to make a more solemn appeal
to the justice and judgment of our neighbors, by sending a minister
extraordinary to impress them with the necessity of some arrangement.
Mr. Monroe has been selected. His good dispositions cannot be doubted.
Multiplied conversations with him, and views of the subject taken in all
the shapes in which it can present itself, have possessed him with our
estimates of every thing relating to it, with a minuteness which no
written communication to Mr. Livingston could