I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your friendly letter of June last—1

Since that time you have doubtless heard, how far our board has progressed, in the business of their commission. There is little prospect of our doing much more in relation to claims, on the Brit. Govt, until next April; when the term of 18 M[onth]s, limited, by the article, for the reception of complaints, except in extraordinary cases, will have expired— The Lords Commiss[ion]ers of appeal have not decided, definitively, more than three or four causes, within the last year.

The dec[larati]on of his Britannic Majesty, stating the causes of the failure of the late negotiation for peace, has been fully confirm’d to the mind of almost every man, by the correspondence of Lord Malmsbury—2

France is said to be very tranquil at present—and perfectly silent on the late revolution there, as well as on the naval victory of Admiral Duncan.3

All foreign newspapers are stopt by the postmaster—And little is known in that country, but what the Directory choose to Communicate—

Some predict another struggle, on the motion for excluding all nobles, & their relations— Barras was of the nobility, and to his patronage, Buonaparte in some measure, owes his greatness— The latter is expected in Paris—and we hear that the former will not be content with the order, tho’ he is personally excepted—

Our ministers were in Paris last Sunday— We do not learn that any thing has yet been done by them, with the Govt. of France. I pray you to present my best respects, with Mrs Gore’s, to Mrs Jay, & to believe to be very respectfully your friend, and obed servant,