Since the Date of my last to you which was the 6th. Septr. last, I have been honored with yours of the 10th. & 26th. June, & 19 & 29 July—1 with the Papers mentioned to be enclosed within They are now before Congress, and I am persuaded that the strong Marks they bear of Industry and Attention will give them Pleasure.

I perfectly concur with you in Sentiment respecting the conduct proper what ought to be the Conduct & policy of the United States, and I am not without Hopes that they will gradually perceive and pursue their true Interests. There certainly is much Temper as well as Talents in Congress, and altho it is not in their Power to do all that should be done, yet they are willing and industrious to do whatever depends upon them.

Your Letters I am sure are useful, they disseminate and inforce those fœderal Ideas which cannot be too forceably inculcated or too strongly impressed—our fœderal Governmt is incompetent to its Objects, and as it is the Interest of our Country, so it is the Duty of her leading Characters to cooperate in Measures for enlarging and invigorating it. The Rage for Separations & new States is mischievous—it will unless checked scatter our Resources and in every View enfeeble the Union. Your Testimony against such licencious anarchical Proceedings would I am persuaded have great Weight.

Your Letters as yet are silent respecting the Evacuation of our frontier Posts—This is an Interesting Subject, and tho I do not mean to press you either to do or an say any Thing unseasonably about it, yet for there are Times and Tides in human affairs to be watched and observed yet—2 I know your attention, and therefore rest satisfied that we shall hear from you on this interesting Subject as soon as we ^you^ ought to hear to write write abt. ^it^—during the ensuing Sessions ^of the Legislatures^ I shall watch their Acts, and endeavour to send you such as affect ^may respect^ the Interests of the Union. I find it extremely difficult to collect them—when I first came into this office I wrote a circular Letter to the Governors requesting them among other things to send me as from time to time printed Copies of their Acts—3 but whatever may have been the Cause, it has so happened that except in two or three Instances this Request has been entirely neglected.—

In one of ^With^ the news papers herewith sent, you will find the Requisition of Congress—what its Success will be cannot yet be determined—

The Algerines it seems have declared war agt us—if we act properly I shall not be very sorry for it—In my opinion it may lay the Foundation for a Navy, and tend to draw us more closely into a fœderal System—for On that Ground only we want Strength, and could our People be brought to see it in that Light and act accordingly we might bid Defiance to all the Nations [up?] should have little Reason to apprehend Danger from any Quarter4

Mr De Marbois has left us and is gone to St. Domingo where he has an Intendancy—Mr Otto succeeds him, and appears well disposed.—

As yet your Place at the Hague is vacant and several Gentlemen are in Nomination but the and among whom I hear are Mr Izard and Mr Maddison.5

Doctr Franklin is happy at Pha.—both Parties are striving to enlist him assiduous in their Attentions to him, and it is thought more than probably that he will succeed Mr Dickenson. I fear, in the Language of our Farmers that the a Day so remarkably fine for the Season may prove a Weather breeder—that is, that he will find it difficult to manage both parties—for if he gives himself up to one, he must expect Hostility from the other—I wish he may be able to reconcile them, and thereby restore that State to the Degree of Strength & Respectability which from its Population Fertility and Commerce it ought to possess—6

I congratulate you on the Issue of your Little Discussions with their High Mightinesses—Mr Dumas gave us an acct of it, and we are pleased to find that it terminated as it did.—With great & sincere Esteem and Regard I am Dr sir Your most obt. & very Hble Servt