I Have Been Honoured with your letter January the 19th,1 and am Happy to Hear that fœderal ideas are thriving in America—the more I see, I Hear, and I think, in Europe, the more I wish for every Measure that can Ensure to the United States, dignity, power, and public Confidence—Your three Ministers Being in paris,2 they will of Course Acquaint You with the present state of American, and also of European politics—great Britain perseveres in Her ill Humour—Spain in Her ill understood policy—on my Arrival, I Repeated what I Had written—the idea of getting New Orleans, or at least to advise the Spaniards to make it a free port—the former is impossible—as to the second, I Had no positive Answer, But I am sure my opinion was not thrown a way—However, I Confess it is difficult to make Converts of a Spanish Cabinet—You know them Better than I do—I have Been very Freely writing my opinion By post, thinking they would Seem more Natural, when intercepted—Negotiations ^in Europe,^ are still going on, and there is Every Reason to Hope this will be terminated without Bloodshed—inclosed you will Find a declaration which Has Been published, Officially in some Measure, in the Leyden Gazette—Count de Maillebois3 is Now in Holland, where they are Raising troops, and where politics Run Very High—in the mean While, the Emperor had an other plan in view of which I wrote to You in my last letters—it was to Exchange His dominions in the Low Countries for the Electorate of Bavaria—But fortunately for all the Members of the Empire, the duke of deux ponts, Nephew and Heir to the Elector, Has firmly opposed it—a Report Had Been Spread, that the Emperor Had intended to Surprise Mastrick—But altho’ matters are not yet finally settled, I am pretty certain there will not Be this Year Any dutch War, nor Bavarian War, Both of Which Could not Fail to involve France—it is However difficult to be decided in an opinion upon a matter which the ideas of one man may derange.

You speak to me, my dear Sir, of the introduction of flour in the West indies—my wishes, and my efforts are not Unknown to You—But such Clamours Have Been Raised by the merchants Against what we lately Have obtained, that our efforts now must be directed towards Holding of it fast—There people are encouraged By the Narrow politics of England, Who, Say they, notwithstanding it, Have all the trade of America—4 I Have Appointed a Conference with the duke de la vauguion who is setting out for Spain, and will tell Him every thing I know Respecting the Mississipy5

Your Ministers will probably write to you Respecting the Algerine Business, what information I can Collect will Be presented to them

I Beg, my dear Sir, You will present my most Affectionate Respects to Mrs Jay—Mde deLafayette joins in tender Compliments to Her and to you—Remember me to Governor Livingston—to all your family, our friends, and my fellow Citizens in New York, particularly Mr duane, and the Chancellor—God Bless You, my dear Sir, I Have the Honour to Be Most Respectfully and Affectionately Your obedient humble Serv

inclosed is an extract of [illegible] Necker’s Book which I thought might be entertaining6