I think, that a spirit of this country is
advancing towards a revolution in their constitution. There are not
wanting persons at the helm, friends to the progress of this spirit.
The Provincial Assemblies will be the most probable instrument of
effecting it.

Since writing thus far, I have received an intimation, that it will be
agreeable, not to press our commercial regulations at this moment, the
ministry being too much occupied with the difficulties surrounding
them, to spare a moment on any subject which will admit of delay. Our
business must, therefore, be suspended for awhile. To press it out of
season would be to defeat it. It would be felt as a vital benefit here,
could we relieve their finances, by paying what we owe. Congress will
judge by Mr. Adams' letters, how far the transferring all our debts in
this country, to Holland, is practicable. On the replenishing their
treasury with our principal and interest, I should not be afraid to ask
concessions in favor of our West India trade. It would produce a great
change of opinion as to us and our affairs. In the Assemblee des
Notables, hard things were said of us. They were induced, however, in
committing us to writing, to smother their ideas a little. In the
notes, now gone to be printed, our debt is described in these words.
"The twenty-first article of the account, formed of the interest of the
claims of his majesty on the United States of America, cannot be drawn
out for the present, except as a document. The recovery of these
claims, as well principal as perhaps even interest, although they
appear to rest on the most solid security, may, nevertheless, be long
delayed, and should not, consequently, be taken into account in
estimating the annual revenue. This article amounts to one million and
six hundred thousand livres." Above all things, it is desirable to hush
the foreign officers by payment. Their wants, the nature of their
services, their access to high characters, and connections with them,
bespeak the reasons for this. I hear also that Mr. Beaumarchais means
to make himself heard, if a memorial which he sends by an agent in the
present packet is not attended to, as he thinks it ought to be. He
called on me with it, and desired me to recommend his case to a
decision, and to note in my despatch, that it was the first time he had
spoken to me on the subject. This is true, it being the first time I
ever saw him; but my recommendations would be as displaced a