[. . . .] [unfavorable change in appearances there, unless we consider as such a procrastination which may be fairly ascribed to other causes. [. . . .] We find from our last information that we shall have one of the finest roads in the world from Athens to Fort Stoddert, which is within 180 miles of New Orleans. This last distance will admit a good road but an expensive one. All the stuff you see in the papers about danger of Indian hostilities is entirely false. The French part of the N. Orleans legislature have proved clearly that that people is not yet capable of self government] [. . . .]