Your very acceptable letter reached me at this place— of course unopened. I thank you kindly for the Suggestions it contains & hope to be able to make them useful. If you have any choice as to the course which may be pursued by the President, in regard to the misconstruction of your Veto to the Bill for the disposition of the Bonus had from the Bank of the United States I wish you had intimated it. It would I know be most agreeable to the President to write that which would prove most acceptable to yourself.

The point which perplexes me most in regard to the general subject, is, to lay down & describe some general rule for our government, in sanctioning appropriations for Light Houses, Harbors, Rivers & connected with foreign commerce, which will not, either in turns, or by parity of reasoning embrace those which it is desirable to avoid– at least for the present. If without unreasonably taxing yourself, you should at any time between this & fall be able to give me any further hints upon this, or any other branch of the Subject, you will besides doing a public Service, greatly increase the personal obligation already conferred upon me. Desiring to be kindly remembered to Mrs. Madison I remain Sir with sincere [wishes] for your health & happiness Your friend & obdt. Servt