ier de la Luzerne. I thought it
my duty to remind the Count de Montmorin, the other day, of the long
absence of their minister from Congress. He told me, the Chevalier de
la Luzerne would not be sent back, but that we might rely, that in the
month of October a person would be sent, with whom we should be content.
He did not name the person, though there is no doubt that it is the
Count de Mourtier. It is an appointment, which, according to the opinion
I have formed of him, bids as fair to give content, as any one which
could be made.

I also mentioned in my last letter, that I had proposed the reducing the
substance of Monsieur de Calonne's letter into the form of an _Arret_,
with some alterations, which, on consultation with the merchants at the
different ports I visited, I had found to be necessary. I received soon
after a letter from the Comptroller General, informing me, that the
letter of Monsieur de Calonne was in a course of execution. Of this, I
enclose you a copy. I was, in that moment, enclosing to him my general
observations on that letter, a copy of which is also enclosed. In these
I stated all the alterations I wished to have made. It became expedient
soon after, to bring on the article of tobacco; first, to know whether
the Farmers had executed the order of Bernis, and also to prepare some
arrangements to succeed the expiration of this order. So that I am
now pursuing the whole subject of our commerce, 1. to have necessary
amendments made in Monsieur de Calonne's letter; 2. to put it into a
more stable form; 3. to have full execution of the order of Bernis; 4.
to provide arrangements for the article of tobacco, after that order
shall be expired. By the copy of my letter on the two last points,
you will perceive that I again press the abolition of the Farm of this
article. The conferences on that subject give no hope of effecting that.
Some poor palliative is probably all we shall obtain. The Marquis de la
Fayette goes hand in hand with me in all these transactions, and is
an invaluable auxiliary to me. I hope it will not be imputed either
to partiality or affectation, my naming this gentleman so often in my
despatches. Were I not to do it, it would be a suppression of truth, and
the taking to myself the whole merit where he has the greatest share.

The Emperor, on his return to Vienna, disavowed the concessions of
his Governors General to his subjects of Brabant. He at the same time
proposed their sending