ntinued; this is far from
being the case; but as the new delegates are generally elected from
the number of gentlemen who have held important offices in their
respective States, they bring with them that knowledge, and habit of
business which they acquired at home. The establishment of Ministers
for the great executive department (a regulation which has taken place
since you left us) has been found to be productive of very great
advantages. Congress are no longer troubled with those little details,
which used to take up their time. The business brought before them
from those departments, is digested before it comes up, and they are
not now obliged to wade through a variety of unnecessary
circumstances, to come at what merits their attention. You are
personally acquainted with the Ministers of Finance, and War, so that
I need say nothing relative to the character of either. Their conduct
gives general satisfaction; and Mr Morris's attention, abilities, and
personal credit, have done much towards relieving that of the United
States.

As this revolution makes a new era in the history of man, which
furnishes no other instance of a whole people's uniting to form
governments for themselves, and their posterity, I have thought it
would not be unacceptable to the philosophic mind of the Empress of
all the Russias, to contemplate the first rudiments of these
governments, which may hope after the example of her own dominions, by
an assiduous application to the arts of peace and war, to obtain an
elevated station among the nations of the earth. I have, therefore,
directed to your care, a packet containing the confederation, and such
of the constitutions of the respective States as have been hitherto
printed.

Thus, Sir, I have endeavored to give you a general view of our
situation. In return for which I must pray you to be more minute in
your information of what passes with you. I have already explained to
you the objects on which I wish you particularly to enlarge. None of
your letters have embraced those objects. I would recommend it to you
to keep a journal of every remarkable event, to minute down every
conversation you have upon political subjects; and to digest them
weekly into a despatch for us; adding thereto, a sketch of the
character and station of the person whose sentiments you give. I know,
Sir, that this will be attended with some trouble, but I know too,
that you will have no reluctance to impose any task upon yo