they are suffering; they are deprived of that property which would have enabled them to procure counsel to place their injuries in a true light; they are distant from the stations of those who are appointed by their country to patronize their rights; they are not at liberty to go to them, nor able to have communication through any other than the uncertain medium of the posts; and they see themselves already ruined by the losses and delays they have been made to incur, and by the failure of the original object of their voyage.  They throw themselves, therefore, on the patronage of the government, and pray that its energy may be interposed in aid of their poverty and ignorance, to restore them to their liberty, and to extend to them that retribution which the laws of every country mean to extend to those who suffer unjustly.

LETTER CXXXV.—­TO JOHN ADAMS, November 19, 1785

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Paris, November 19, 1785.

Dear Sir,

I wrote to you on the 11th of October, by Mr. Preston, and again on the 18th of the same month, by post.  Since that, yours of September the 25th, by Mr. Boylston, of October the 24th, November the 1st, and November the 4th, have come safe to hand.  I will take up their several subjects in order.  Boylston’s object was, first, to dispose of a cargo of spermaceti oil, which he brought to Havre.  A secondary one, was to obtain a contract for future supplies.  I carried him to the Marquis de la Fayette.  As to his first object, we are in hopes of getting the duties taken off, which will enable him to sell his cargo.  This has led to discussions with the ministers, which give us a hope that we may get the duties taken off in perpetuum.  This done, a most abundant market for our oil will be opened by this country, and one which will be absolutely dependant on us; for they have little expectation themselves of establishing a successful whale-fishery.  It is possible they may only take the duties off of those oils, which shall be the produce of associated companies of French and American merchants.  But as yet, nothing certain can be said.

I thank you for the trouble you have taken to obtain insurance on Houdon’s life.  I place the thirty-two pounds and eleven shillings to your credit, and not being able, as yet, to determine precisely how our accounts stand, I send a sum by Colonel Smith, which may draw the scales towards a balance.

The determination of the British cabinet to make no equal treaty with us, confirms me in the opinion expressed in your letter of October the 24th, that the United States must pass a navigation act against Great Britain, and load her manufactures with duties, so as to give a preference to those of other countries:  and I hope our Assemblies will wait no longer, but transfer such a power to Congress, at the sessions of this fall.  I suppose, however, it will only be against