From Du Pont de Nemours to E. I. du Pont de Nemours, Esqre, Care of Mr. Thos. Newlin,
Red Lyon Inn, Market Street, Philadelphia.

Wilmington, August 5, 1816. My dear child,

I am constantly thinking of the extraordinary condition that now exists in this country
among their people, the most fortunate that lives and has ever lived on the earth.

In fifteen years:
The Population has increased by more than half,
Wealth has almost doubled,
Agriculture has made great progress,
Manufactures have been created and have attained notable importance,
The war ended very honorably, and demonstrated this country's power on land and sea.
The value of houses, of establishments both public and private, of land and all that
covers it, is more than doubled,
All warehouses are over-filled with an enormovs mass of movable wealth equal to about
two milliards of francs or four hundred millions of dollars.
And no one can pay what he owes, nor collect what is due him, nor buy nor sell--commercial
circulation is suspended.
That condition extends over a population of ten millions, over eight hundred million
square leagues, from Maine to Louisiana, and from sea to the lakes, and beyond the Ohio.
It is a situation of which history gives no example and that would seem impossible.
A Government could prevent it.
If I were Government I would prevent it with a little Law, or Order, of four lines, that
would have to be obeyed whether it was liked or not, because in the end it would be for
the public welfare.
A King and his council could arrange it, because Kings have an advantage over Republican
Governments in that they reign constantly; they can always issue decrees, and their decrees
are most often followed when they have the wisdom to order that nothing is to be done.

But here, to accentuate the situation there is no Government. The Country, as it is today,
the Nation-parties and constitutions are helpless.

The President is at his country-seat, and at the end of his reign.

He has no Cabinet nor council of Ministers.

The Ministers are scattered. Only one is in his place and that one is at the head of
foreign affairs. He has no authority, and no affair is less foreign-more evidently interior,
than the present situation.

It must have a solution and lead to something: the solution must be found soon.

Between what is and what will be the money-lenders are building a bridge that is narrow,
inadequate, with no hand-rail, and on which the tolls are heavy.

My order would be: "All means of constraint are suspended, as are the means of payment;
for it is foolish to command what no one will or can do.-Until December 31, 1817, there
shall be no judicial order for the payment of debts that are now due, or that will be due
within the next three months."

During those fifteen or sixteen months of general and reciprocal delay the commerce in food
supplies and other necessities would continue, congestion would decrease, merchandise would
become desirable and desired; payment by exchange, which is the natural basis of all
payments, would become practicable. Paper pledging such exchange would have circulation and
value.

The country would have slept and would wake in good health: hasta erecta.

If that is the only door, it will be openedL

For a nation cannot die when it is at peace.

So great an accumulation of wealth cannot be useless.

Good sense and necessity will do what no one has the right to order-in a country where no
orders are given.

Whoever can give reasonable security will be given time.

And perhaps that is a better way than the cmpulsory suspension of my order.

It will be less definite and less general; but more just. And it will result in more
individual suffering.

That is all very simple and offers hope for old debts. But for future debts, for engagements to be made and supplies to be procured?

The outlook is less bright. However, the dealers in saltpetre are as much embarrassed as
manufacturers of gunpowder, and they can sell to no one else. They must arrange it.

Do not let us be unreasonably alarmed, my dear son. We must use our brains and our energy.
We must swim and swim with the current and with the help that the current gives.

Res nolunt male admi-nistrari. Every illness has a tendency toward recovery-a germ of remedy. It is that germ that makes the reputation,and the success of medical men.

Alexis and Sophie are well, and the others fairly so-including me. I have written to
Bidermann, the Father, to his son's satisfaction. I hope that what I have written here will
be for the satisfaction of mine.

I embrace you.  Vale et me ama.






page 164 Life of E.I dupont, 1814-1819 Vol 10