You ask, what encouragements are given to emigrants by the several
States. No other than a permission to become citizens, and to
participate of the rights of citizens, except as to eligibility to
certain offices in the government. The rules, as to these, are not
uniform in the states. I have found it absolutely impracticable to
obtain, even for my office, a regular transmission of the laws of the
several States: consequently, it would be more so to furnish them to
our ministers abroad. You will receive by this or the first proper
conveyance, those of Congress, passed at their last session.
It is impossible for me to give any authority for the advance of monies
to Mr. Wilson. Were we to do it in his case, we should, on the same
principles, be obliged to do it in several others wherein foreign
nations decline or delay doing justice to our citizens. No law of the
United States would cover such an act of the executive; and all we can
do legally is, to give him all the aid which our patronage of his claims
with the British court can effect.
With respect to the payment of your allowances, as the laws authorize
the payment of a given number of dollars to you, and as your duties
place you in London, I suppose we are to pay you the dollars there, or
other money of equal value, estimated by the par of the metals.
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