During your Absence from France I omittingd being so regular in my Correspondence, as I should ^otherwise^ have been. I have been honored with your Letters of the 18th. April & 6 Septr in the last Year,1 ^&^ with one of 11 Feby last—They were all communicated to Congress.

The account of your german Excursion is concise and interesting—The Sentiments & opinions respecting the United States & american affairs which ^you^ found there prevailing, appear to me very natural—Successful Revolutions ^& victorious arms^ have always a Degree of Splendor about them which shines at a Great Distance, and excites admiration with whether well or ill founded. Few have been at the pains of examining & understanding the Merits of the Case between Britain and us, and nine tenths of that few have taken their Sides less from conviction and opinion of Right that than from some of the many other more common & more stimulating motives which usually govern the Declarations and Conduct of the mass of mankind. It is equally natural that Reports to our Disadvantage, composed of such proportions of Truth and Falsehood as might be render them probable & palatable, there should be generally diffused and very often believed. There are few States and very few Ministers in them, who think it convenient to magnify america as either by Word or Deed. Politicians like critics are often more disposed to censure than to commend the works of others, and patriotic manœuvres pro bono publico, like pious Frauds pro sancta ^Salute animarum^ were never uncommon.

As there is and always was and will be an actual tho involuntary Coalition between the Men of too much art and the Men of too little, so they who manufacture either officially or from Choice make fabricate opinions for other Peoples use will never ^always^ find it difficult to persuade many to recieve and be influenced by them—so that ^Thus^ Errors proceeding from the Invention of designing Men, are very frequently adopted and cherished by others who recei mistake them for Truths. It must be easy for the maritime Nations to make the Rest of Europe believe almost what they please of this Country for some Years yet to come; & I shall be much mistaken if Fame should soon do us Justice especially as her Trumpet is in many places employed and hired for other purposes.

Whence it happens I know not but so the fact is that I have scarcely met with six Foreigners in the Course of my Life who really understood american affairs. The cause of Truth will ^probably^ be little indebted to their memoirs & Histories ^& Representations^, and when I consider what mistakes are committed by writers on american Subjects, I suspect the Histories of other Countries contain but very imperfect accounts of them.

I can easily concieve that at the German Courts you visited, you have done us service; because I know how able as well as how willing you are to do it.—I wish all who speake and write of us were equally ^well informed &^ well disposed—It is a common Remark in this Country that wherever you go, you do us good—For my part I give you Credit not merely for doing us good, but ^also^ for doing it uniformly ^constantly^ and upon System.2

Do you recollect your Letter to me of of the 2d March 1783 containing what passed between you and Count De Florida Blanca respecting our western Limits? I communicated ^that part^ of it some months ago to Mr Gardoqui in opposition to his Pretensions and Claims—He lately told me you had mistaken the Count, for that he never meant to convey to you, what you that any ^thing^ like a Dereliction of those Claims; which by the bye are too extensive to be admitted. In a word they do not mean to be restricted to the Limits established between Britain & us—Why should People who have so much more Territory than they know what to do with, be so sollicitous to acquire more?3

The monies due by the United States to Subjects of France have given occasion to applications by Mr DMarbois, & to Reports ^on them^ by the Board of Treasury on those app which now are now under the Consideration of Congress.4

You my Dear Sir are not unacquainted with the State of our Finances, nor with the Difficulties resulting from the inefficiency of our fœderal Government.—Time & more Experience must and will cure these Evils; when or how is less certain, and can only be conjectured—

I had the Honor last Summer of writing a Letter to the Marchioness in answer to one she was so obliging as to favor me with—did it ever come to Hand—Mrs Jay writes to her by this Conveyance—5 We and many others are pleased with the Expectation of seeing you both here, and with the opportunity we shall then have of personally assuring you of our Esteem and Attachmt.—I am Dr Sr you Afft. & obt. Servt.