ble to give a clear view of the excess
of our debts beyond our credits, nor whether we were diminishing or
increasing the debt. My own opinion was, that from the commencement of
this government to the time I ceased to attend to the subject, we had
been increasing our debt about a million of dollars annually. If Mr.
Gallatin would undertake to reduce this chaos to order, present us with
a clear view of our finances, and put them into a form as simple as they
will admit, he will merit immortal honor. The accounts of the United
States ought to be, and may be, made as simple as those of a common
farmer, and capable of being understood by common farmers.

Disapproving, as I do, of the unjustifiable largess to the demands
of the Count de Grasse, I will certainly not propose to rivet it by a
second example on behalf of M. de Chastellux's son. It will only be done
in the event of such a repetition of the precedent, as will give every
one a right to share in the plunder. It is, indeed, surprising you have
not yet received the British treaty in form. I presume you would never
receive it were not your cooperation on it necessary. But this will
oblige the formal notification of it to you.

My salutations to Mrs. Madison, friendly esteem to Mr. Giles, Page, &c.
I am, with sincere affection, yours,

Th: Jefferson.

P. S. Have you considered all the consequences of your proposition
respecting post-roads? I view it as a source of boundless patronage to
the executive, jobbing to members of Congress and their friends, and a
bottomless abyss of public money. You will begin by only appropriating
the surplus of the post-office revenues: but the other revenues will
soon be called in to their aid, and it will be a source of eternal
scramble among the members, who can get the most money wasted in their
State; and they will always get most who are meanest. We have thought,
hitherto, that the roads of a State could not be so well administered
even by the State legislature as by the magistracy of the county, on the
spot. How will they be when a member of New Hampshire is to mark out a
road for Georgia? Does the power to establish post-roads, given you by
the constitution, mean that you shall make the roads, or only select
from those already made those on which there shall be a post? If the
term be equivocal (and I really do not think it so), which is the safest
construction; that which permits a majority of Congress to go to cutting
down mo