Duplicate

My dear Sir,Paris 5 Feby 1794.

In a New’s Paper of this Day I find the Translation of your Message of the fifth of December to Congress, and observe that after stating the Violation of the Treaty by a Decree of the national Convention you tell them I have been instructed to make Representations on the Subject.1 Now this my dear Sir is the first I hear and all I know of such Instructions. Indeed I have received no Letters New’s paper or other Intelligence from America since those which Captain Culver brought.2 I suppose this arises from the Difficulty of Communication but whatever be the Cause I feel the Effect. It would be of some Use if a Clerk in the Office of foreign Affairs had by Triplicates mention’d from Time to Time which of my Letters were receiv’d. Thus on the present Occasion, I should know whether my Correspondence with the Minister on the Subject of this obnoxious Decree was before you.3 As it is, not being able to determine the nature of the Representations which you have desired me to make, I am oblig’d to be silent. And unless more than one Copy has been sent I may never receive your Orders, and at any Rate it will be at no early Day. I am sure it is superfluous to tell you how painful it is for a Person in my Situation to be totally ignorant of what passes in his own Country, and whether the Conduct which under Circumstances continually changing he finds it necessary to pursue does or does not consist with the Views of Government. Blaming a wrong Step would prevent a Repetition of it, but really at present I walk in the Dark or at best by the feeble Light of my own Conjectures. I know not whether my Brethren have the same Dearth of Intelligence. Mr Short complaind of it much when I last saw him and has since mentiond the same thing from Madrid so that I conclude the Evil to arise from the Negligence of those to whom Letters are entrusted.4 Might it not be adviseable to send every Month a small Packet to Europe. They might come alternately to Havre and Lisbon and that which arrives at Lisbon come on thence to Havre that which arrives at Havre go from thence to Lisbon. In this way a regular correspondence would be kept up and seizing for unimportant Communications, the private Conveyances which offer full Intelligence would be given and receiv’d. Six packets would be amply sufficient for the Service and if, as I believe, small Schooners could be safely employd the prime Cost would not be above three thousand Pound Sterling and the annual Expense I should suppose not more than Half that Sum.

I beg your Pardon my dear Sir for troubling you with this groaning Scheeming Epistle. I will not say one word of news as in supposeable Circumstances it might prevent this Letter from reaching you. I adhere to the Opinions exprest in my last.5 adieu I am very truly yours