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I have been fully sensible of tbe anxieties of your situation, and that your attentions were wholly consecrated, where alone they were wholly due, to the succour of friendship and worth. How ever much I prize your society, I wait with patience the moment when 1 can have it without taking what is due to another. In the mean time, I am solaced with the hope of possessing your friend ship, and that it is not ungrateful to you to receive assurances of that with which I have the honor to be, Dear Sir, your most obedient,
and most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER LXII. TO JOHN ADAMS.
Passy, June 15, 1785.
SIR,
Among the instructions given to the ministers of the United States for treating with foreign powers, was one of the llth of May, 1 784, relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Picquet. It contains an acknowledgment, on the part of Con gress, of his merits, and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us the delivering him these acknowledgments in ho norable terms, and the making him such gratification as may in demnify his losses, and properly reward his zeal. This person is now in Paris, and asks whatever return is intended for him. Being in immediate want of money, he has been furnished with ten guineas. He expressed desires of some appointment either for himself or son at Lisbon, but has been told that none such are in our gift, and that nothing more could be done for him in that line, than to mention to Congress that his services well merit their re collection, if they should make any appointment there analogous to his talents. He says his expenses in the relief of our prisoners have been upwards of fifty moidores. Supposing that, as he is poor, a pecuniary gratification will be most useful to him, we pro pose, in addition to what he has received, to give him a hundred and fifty guineas, or perhaps four thousand livres, and to write a joint letter to him expressing the sense Congress entertain of his services. We pray you to give us your sentiments on this subject by return of the first post, as he is waiting here, and we wish the aid of your counsels therein.
