I wish to have the pleasure of hearing from you and therefore I send you this line tho I have very little to say. As to any more of American negotiation I am not at present in any state of information. I am at present employed in drawing up such opinions as have occured to me upon the Subject and propose to lay them before the administration. I presume that some determination will be made upon this subject soon after the next meeting of Parliament; and probably there may be some arrangement in the ministry before that time. The public papers will inform you that your old friend Ld. Shelburne is made Marquess of Lansdown which has the appearance of being highly in favour. I make no enquiries about ministers or American plans. My principles are well known and if consistently with those principles I can transact any negotiation I am always ready; But as I made no enquiry I am quite ignorant of the plans of the present ministry or whether they employ any one else since my return from Paris. If anyone else is employed it can be no secret and therefore I should be obliged to you if you would let me know before I deliver in the paper which I am drawing up for the ministry as a general summation. I should likewise be very much obliged to you if you would send me any information of any public events or proceeding in America respecting commercial negotiations with Great Britain or having any such reference. Mr. Jefferson was so good as to promise me the favour of his correspondence upon these subjects and perhaps as being the younger man he would be so good as to give himself the trouble of giving me generally American information viz What States have confirmed the resolutions of Congress of April 30 1784 respecting powers to regulate the Commerce of the States—What States have consented to the 5 per cent impost for discharging the foreign debt &c &c &c. It has always been the misfortune of this Country to have the public prints filled with false reports and many of them such as have a tendency to make ill will, for which reason I wish to receive from my friends as much authentic information as possible. I have met with very confident assertions in this Country that the State of Virginia has passed an act to prohibit the payment of British debts. Mr. Jefferson told me that the act did not pass; at least so I understood him. I should be glad to know the certainty respecting this fact. Many and many things are asserted respecting the conduct of the States upon the claims of the Loyalists. I wish to be informed generally of public facts in America. Much good towards conciliation might arise from such authentic general information. Some fact or other would meet the falsehood of the day. I should be very happy to hear now as soon as convenient from you and from Mr. Jefferson for the purpose of comparing with the general summary which I am now drawing up. I understand that you are opening negotiations of commerce with all the courts of Europe. I presume among the rest with the Emperor in case the Scheld should be opened. I presume it is the American trade which the Emperor has in view principally in contending for the opening of the Scheld. That is the new object and event which constitutes the main difference between shutting up the Scheld 140 years ago and opening it now. The American trade was not meant to be included for many having at that time no existence. I came thro Brussels and Antwerp to England and I heard at both places this doctrine of the American trade being an object of the Emperor. This was their way of reasoning upon it. One of the principal Magistrates at Antwerp told me that he was actually in Correspondence with Americans to come and settle at Antwerp in case the Scheld should be opened. I hope you continue to enjoy good health. Pray remember me to Mr Adams and all his family, To Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Humphrys to Mr. W T Franklin and all friends I am Ever most affectionately yours