Philadelphia Jan. 21. 99 My dear Sir I wrote to my dear Maria on the 1st inst. and covered it in one to yourself on the 3d. I have not yet received [sic] any letters either from you or Monticello since I left home, now five weeks -? you will have seen the debates on Logan's law, as it is called. The forged paper they endeavored to palm on the H. of R. as [inserted above: if] written & presented by Logan to the French directory, being made appear to have been written by a mr. Codman of Paris, a friend and correspondent of His, who pressed Logan to present it, but was refused, begins now to be thought a contrivance from this side [of] the water to ensnare Logan. Yet they had the audacity to send the paper here and to bring it forward as genuine. They were however completely discomfited & disgraced by the detection. Still they brazened the law through by their majority, & it will probably pass the Senate as fast as forms will admit. On the Reports from the Secretary of the navy, purging the statement of revenue & expense from articles not permanent, the regular revenue appears to be (in round numbers) Impost 7 1/2 Millions of dollars, Excise, auctions licenses, & carriages 1/2 million, residuary taxes about 1/8 of a million, making 8 1/8 million. The stamp act will probably bring in enough to pay the expence of collecting the direct tax, so that we may state these two at two millions, it making in the whole 10 1/8 millions. The expenses are as follows, annually the civil list 3/4 million foreign intercourse 1/2 million interest on the public debt 4 millions the existing navy 2 1/2 millions the existing army (5000 men) 1 1/2 millons 9 1/4 so that there is a surplus of near a million. But the additional army to be raised (about 9000 men) will add 2 1/2 millions, & the additional navy proposed by the Secretary 3 millions, so that when they are complete these will be wanting for annual expenses 4 1/2 millions of dollars to be raised by new taxes [inserted above: to which add half a million nearly for the interest of the new loan.] The existing taxes are 2 1/2 dollars ahead on a population of four [2] millions. With the future they will be 3 3/4 D. a head. -? We are now reading Gerry's communication of what passed between him & Talleyrand after the departure of his colleagues. They show the most anxious desire & earnest endeavors of that government to prevent a breach with us, and Gerry gives it explicitly as his opinion that a just treaty could have been obtained from them at any time before his departure. Logan's enthusiastic enterprise was fortunate, as it prevented the effect which our actual hostilities on their vessels would have produced. Whether they will be able to stand the regular cruises now established by us [strikeout] about their islands & fixed there is questionable. Gerry's communications are now in the press & I will send you a copy when done. They have opened a loan for money to raise the army & build the navy of 5 millions at 8 per cent. So it is that folly begets folly. Every newspaper kills Buonaparte in a different form but the news of London, Vienna & Constantinople is merely fabricated to keep up the spirits of their own people. The last rational accounts from Buonaparte, showed him in a very firm position. I do not believe he was destined to proceed further than Egypt. The London accounts of Irish affairs are thought equally fabulous. That rebellion is probably strong & organised. The French have certainly sustained considerable losses in endeavoring to assist them; but still in the long [struck] nights of the winter, they will be probably able to throw in considerable reinforcements. I expect to hear from you soon in answer to my letter of the 3d. relative to your lands at the Hundred. My tenderest love to Maria and affectionate salutations to yourself. The same to the family at Eppington. Th: Jefferson [Address leaf:] free Th: Jefferson John W. Eppes near Petersburg