Your Letter of Sept. 28 1787 came to my hands but about two Weeks since. It found me very ill with a severe Fit of the Stone, which follow’d a Fall I had on the Stone Steps that lead into my Garden , whereby I was much bruised, and my Wrist sprained so as not to be capable of Writing for several Weeks. I therefore requested Mr. Vaughan to answer it for me which he has done in his Letter that I inclose. I will however add a little as my Hand is much strengthened, tho’ I still write with Pain.

All the Books you have sent to me and to the Philosophical Society here have been received. They will be acknowledged in our next Volume. In the mean time please to accept our hearty Thanks. There are few Books published in these Times that contain so much new and useful Knowledge as those you have written.

I lament with you the Prospect of a horrid War which is likely to engage so great a Part of Mankind. There is so little Good gain’d, and so much Mischief done generally by Wars, that I wish the Imprudence of undertaking them were more evident to Princes, in which case I think they would be less frequent. If I were Counsellor to the Empress of Russia, and found that she desired to possess some Part of the Dominions of the Grand Signior, I should advise her to compute what the annual Taxes raised from that Territory may amount to, and make him an Offer of Buying it, at the Rate of Paying for it Twenty Years Purchase. And if I were his Counsellor, I should advise him to take the Money and cede the Dominion of that Territory. For I am of Opinion that a War to obtain it will cost her more than that Sum, and the Event uncertain; and that the Defence of it will cost him as much; and not having embrac’d the Offer, his Loss is double. But to make and accept such an Offer, these Potentates should be both of them reasonable Creatures, and free from the Amtition of Glory, &c. which perhaps is too much to be supposed.

I am glad that Peace is likely to be established in your native Country, with so little Expence of Blood, tho’ it be done in a manner not agreable to a great Part of the Nation. If the French had entred with the Prussians, and made it the Seat of War, the Mischiefs would have been infinite.

I am truly sorry for the Losses you have met with in your Attempts to make Profit by Commerce in this Country. Jonathan Williams was in England and Ireland many Months before I left France; he has since been in different Parts of America collecting his Debts, and now happens to be here. I have talk’d with him about your Affairs. He Tells me that your Adventure to Carolina sold well, and that the Produce was return’d in Indigo, which if it had arriv’d would have render’d good Profit: But the Ship was taken; and tho’ his Correspondent had taken the Prudent Precaution to insure in Charleston, the Place being taken soon after, and the Insurers ruined, nothing of Value could be recovered and that he is himself a Loser of a hundred Guineas by the Share he took in that unfortunate Adventure. I was mistaken when I inform’d you that his Brother had given him your Certificates. It was only authenticated Copies of them. These he has now given me. But I have written to John to deliver the Originals to Mr. Charles Vaughan, now in Boston and to settle your Account with that Gentleman paying to him any Balance that may be in hand; which I make no doubt he will do. Such Certificates are low in Value at present, but we hope and believe they will mend when our new projected Constitution of Government is established. I lent to the old Congress £3000 hard Money in Value; and took their Certificates promising Interest at 6 per Cent. but I have receiv’d no Interest for several Years, and if I were now to sell the Principal, I cou’d not get more than 3s. 4d. for the Pound, which is but a sixth part. You must not ascribe this to want of Honesty in our Government, but to want of Ability; the War having exhausted the Faculties of the Country. The public Funds even of Great Britain sunk by the War, the 3 per Cents from 95 to 54. We had powerful Armies of Enemies in our Country, ravaging, plundering and destroying our Towns and obstructing our Agriculture while their Fleets ruined our Commerce; and this for eight Years together. I question whether the public Credit even of your rich Country, could have supported itself under similar Treatment: But we are recovering fast, and if Peace continues, which God grant, we shall soon be in flourishing Circumstances.

You seem to think that I could have procur’d Justice for you from Wharton, by the Power I am vested with in my Station. In this you mistake for want of knowing the Nature of our Government. I am indeed President of the supreme Executive Councils      our Duty is to see that the Laws are executed not to     without Law or contrary to Law. I cannot by Virtue of any Power I possess, recover a Shilling Debt due to    without complying with all the Formalities of the Law. And    considerd at your Refusing to send the necessary Power of Attorney, without which no Step will be taken to compel your Debtors to do you Justice.

S. Wharton himself has been very unfortunate      Situation. His Son that was with him in France shot himself in the Passage hither. Another Son, who had the management of your Goods, is become an incurable Sot being constantly drunk with Rum and thus incapable of any Business for the little time he probably has to live. The poor Father by an apopletic or paralytic Stroke, is almost reduced to a State of Imbecility, his Memory gone, and his Speech hardly intelligible or consistent. This is what I hear of them. In the Distress he has the Addition of being a Bankrupt, and it is said will not be able to pay a Shilling in the Pound. What the Circumstances of his Son are, I know not. Wharton always gave him as the Person answerable to you, and if your Power arrives he may be sued. I am but little acquainted with the Law of Merchants, but am told that in cases of joint Adventure, Remittance made by a Factor to one of the Company is understood to be made to all. If so you have a good Claim on any one of your Partners who may have received more than his Share.

I did not think I would have written so much. I have done it however, a little at a time. I can now only add that I remain with unalterable Esteem and Affection My dear Friend Yours most sincerely