Jefferson, Thomas | The Lister Asquith maritime affair

Jefferson, Thomas

Autograph letter signed (“Th: Jefferson”) as Minister Plenipotentiary to France to Borgnis Desbordes, Frères (“Gentlemen”), one page (245 x 196 mm) on a leaf of laid paper (watermarked posthorn | D & D Blauw), Paris, 17 June 1786, docketed at head by recipient; a couple of faint fox spots, marginal stain from an old paperclip. Blue morocco folding-case gilt.

This letter marks the culmination of long negotiation to free from prison in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Brittany, members of the crew of an American vessel, the William & Catherine, that was accused of smuggling tobacco into France. However, Jefferson believed, as he stated in his first letter on this matter to Borgnis Desbordes, Frères, 12 October 1785, that the men were innocent, being “forced into that port by stress of weather.” Jefferson informed Borgnis Desbordes that he had told Lister Asquith, the captain of the impounded vessel, that he could “draw bills on me from time to time for a livre a day for every person of them, and for what may be necessary to engage a lawyer for him. I will pray the favor of you to furnish him money for his bills drawn on me for these purposes which I will pay on sight. You will judge if he should go beyond this allowance and be so good as to reject the surplus. I must desire his lawyer in the first moment to send me a state of their case, in what court their process is, and when it is likely to be decided" (Papers 8:627–628).

 With that letter, Jefferson enclosed his letter of the same date to Captain Asquith, who had written to Jefferson explaining the situation and seeking his assistance. In the reply to Asquith, Jefferson told him, “I have received your letters of Sep. 28. and Octob. 3. but no information is yet received from your lawyer, so that I am utterly uninformed of the nature of the process instituted against you, and the court in which it is depending. Till I receive this I am unable to obtain advice how to interfere for your relief. That you may not suffer for want of money, I will advance for you what may be necessary to engage a lawyer, and a livre a day a head for the support of yourself and those with you, for which I shall expect yourself and your captain to make yourselves accountable. Draw bills on me for these purposes from time to time and Messrs. Desbordes, merchants at Brest, will give you money for them. I have written to these gentlemen to pray them to advise you what to do for your defence, to engage a good lawyer for you, and to desire him immediately to send me such information as may enable me to judge whether I can do any thing for your relief” (Papers 8:627).

For almost a year, Jefferson carried on parallel correspondences with the imprisoned Captain Asquith and the banking house Borgnis Desbordes, Frères, trying to ensure that the American prisoners were being supplied with monies for their subsistance and comfort and well as to allow them to engage a lawyer. (Asquith and Borgnis Desbordes were also in direct contact.)

Despite all of the letters being sent, the situation languished, and it was not until 12 June 1786 that Borgnis Desbordes, Frères provided Jefferson with an affidavit, 3 June 1786, for the release of Lister Asquith and his crew from prison, as well as their invoice for livres 2,620.2 livres. The present letter is the last, save one, by Jefferson regarding this unfortunate episode:

“I received your favor of the 12th. instant, the last night, and immediately wrote to inform Mr. Grand that a bill for 2620#2 in which you were interested, would be presented and desired him to pay it; which you may rest assured will be done. I am now to return you thanks for your attentions to these unfortunate men. I did not suspect they would have been necessary so long, when I took the liberty first of asking your care of them. Their destiny has been hard as the case has happened; but would have been infinitely worse but for your aid. I beg leave to assure you of my strong sense of your favours in this instance and of the sentiments of esteem and respect with which I have the honour to be Gentlemen your most obedient & most humble servt. …”

Jefferson’s letter to Grand, a Paris banker, ordering payment to Borgnis Desbordes for the expenses of Lister Asquith and his crew, has not been found.

REFERENCES

Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Boyd, 9:656 and passim for much related correspondence among the involved parties