ee
or four days before that. I have only had time to read the letters; the
printed papers communicated with them, however interesting, being
obliged to lie over till I finish my despatches for the packet, which
despatches must go from hence the day after to-morrow. I have much to
thank you for; first and most for the cyphered paragraph respecting
myself. These little informations are very material towards forming my
own decisions. I would be glad even to know, when any individual member
thinks I have gone wrong in any instance. If I know myself, it would
not excite ill blood in me, while it would assist to guide my conduct,
perhaps to justify it, and to keep me to my duty, alert. I must thank
you, too, for the information in Thomas Burke's case; though you will
have found by a subsequent letter, that I have asked of you a further
investigation of that matter. It is to gratify the lady who is at the
head of the convent wherein my daughters are, and who, by her
attachment and attention to them, lays me under great obligations. I
shall hope, therefore, still to receive from you the result of all the
further inquiries my second letter had asked. The parcel of rice which
you informed me had miscarried, accompanied my letter to the Delegates
of South Carolina. Mr. Bourgoin was to be the bearer of both, and both
were delivered together into the hands of his relation here, who
introduced him to me, and who, at a subsequent moment, undertook to
convey them to Mr. Bourgoin. This person was an engraver, particularly
recommended to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Hopkinson. Perhaps he may have
mislaid the little parcel of rice among his baggage. I am much pleased
that the sale of western lands is so successful. I hope they will
absorb all the certificates of our domestic debt speedily, in the first
place, and that then, offered for cash, they will do the same by our
foreign ones.

The season admitting only of operations in the cabinet, and these being
in a great measure secret, I have little to fill a letter. I will,
therefore, make up the deficiency, by adding a few words on the
Constitution proposed by our convention.

I like much the general idea of framing a government, which should go
on of itself, peaceably, without needing continual recurrence to the
State legislatures. I like the organization of the government into
legislative, judiciary and executive. I like the power given the
legislature to levy taxes, and for that reason solely,