I am with great sincere esteem Dear Sir, your most obedient and most
humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
P.S. I have said nothing of our whale-oil, because I believe it is on a
better footing since the tariff than before. T. J.
LETTER CXV.--TO MR. VAN BERCKEL, July 2,1792
TO MR. VAN BERCKEL.
Philadelphia, July 2,1792.
Sir,
It was with extreme concern that I learned from your letter of June
the 25th, that a violation of the protection, due to you as the
representative of your nation had been committed, by an officer of this
State entering your house and serving therein a process on one of your
servants. There could be no question but that this was a breach of
privilege; the only one was, how it was to be punished. To ascertain
this, I referred your letter to the Attorney General, whose answer I
have the honor to enclose you. By this you will perceive, that from the
circumstance of your servant's not being registered in the Secretary
of State's office, we cannot avail ourselves of the more certain and
effectual proceeding which had been provided by an act of Congress for
punishing infractions of the law of nations, that act having thought
proper to confine the benefit of its provisions to such domestics only,
as should have been registered; We are to proceed, therefore, as if that
act had never been made, and the Attorney General's letter indicates
two modes of proceeding.
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