It wd. give me great pleasure if it to have an opportunity of writing as a [illegible] to converse with you ^to Congress^ without Reserve—but Prudence ^too often^ Forbids it— Every Letter I receive from abroad bears Marks of Inspection, and I have too much Reason to believe that all Letters to and from America that that ^pass^ thro the Post Offices of France or Spain are read by the Ministry of both Kingdoms or by Pers the ^by^ Persons appointed by them for that Purpose—nay some of my Letters from hence to France have by the Post have miscarried— I am happy however in reflecting that many Years have elapsed since I have this none of my Letters contain any thing thing that which it would give me uneasiness ^[illegible]^ to see published.

Is It is ^not^ Time for America like other Nations to provide against these Inconveniences by proper Regulations and Establishments— They ought ^in my opinion^ to have an american Consul or Agent in that Port in ^the in some^ Port here and in France— There public Dispatches shd. be sent by Packets Boats to these Agents, and should on no account be delivered to any other Person—Their The Agents shd. be ordered to send them to the Courts to which they might be directed by a trusty American—one of the Officers of the Packet Boat for Instance—and he shd. be ordered to wait for and return with the Dispatches of the Minister— Till something like this be done their Correspondence will be subject to many Inconveniences and be necessarily very unsatisfactory—would it not also be proper to provide for the safe Conduct of Letters to Congress after their arrival in America, by appointing [illegible]. I have very good Reason to suspect that the French Consuls in America are very watchful and attentive to these Matters and good Care should be taken to keep american Letters out of their Way.3 This is really a very important Subject and I cannot forbear being more importunate about it than Congress may perhaps think proper. Tho many vessels have arrived and are daily arriving from America I have recd. but one Letter from the Come for foreign affairs one from the Govr. of Maryland, and four private ones of old Dates since I came to Spain. I am certain that others have reached Europe but have been been detained— It is really mortifying that every body hear ^here shd.^ know, more of american affairs than I do, when perhaps they are indebted for their Intelligence to the Contents of Letters directed to me— The Ministry here lately recd. from Mr. Miralles very particular Information on those Subjects by a Vessel which arrived after a short passage at Cadiz directly from Philadelphia—by this Vessel I recd. only a short one ^one not a single^ Letter from any body except a few Lines from Miss Livingston to her Sister which came enclosed from Philadelphia in a Letter from Mr. Mallet1 there to his Brother here. I entreat the Attention of Congress to this Subject, and have the Honor to be with great Respect & Esteem your Excellencys most obt. & most hble Servt.2

^[in margin] on the 29th. Ins Ult. I wrote to your Excellency by Mr. Harrison who went from here to Cadiz— It is very uncertain when such another opportunity may offer, and consequently when Congress will again hear any thing from me worth knowing—^4