I take the liberty of recommending to your notice and civility Mr. Austin and Mr. Morse, two young Clergimen, educated at the University in that State, who are travelling to the Southern States, for the sake of obtaining information respecting their own Country, and particularly for the purpose of acquiring geographical knowledge of it. Altho I am not personally much acquainted with either of them, I have heard an extremely good character of both: Should your Excellency be able to give them any advice on the object of their tour, I am confident you will do it with pleasure.

I am sorry I cannot give you a more agreeable account of the complexion of public affairs in the Eastern States, than you will already have received thro’ the channel of the News Papers. Matters are still very serious in the Massachusetts. Every thing is in confusion in Rhode Island on account of paper Money. Here, it is true, we are very quiet at present; but we are doing little or nothing to aid the federal Government. I have been attending at this place, for some weeks, as a member of the Legislature, and have only the mortification to say we have hitherto, in spite of all our efforts, found a majority against complying with the Requisitions of Congress. We have some of us spoke and wrote, reasoned and ridiculed in conversation and in print as much as lay in our power. It little availd to have the best of the argument, and the weight of abilities on our side, so long as the plurality of Votes were constantly against us. God only know to what awful Crisis we are hastening. But I will not anticipate evils. They approach but too rapidly and really; without our precipitating them, or creating any imaginary or unreal ones. With my best Complements to Mr. Franklin I have the honor to be With sentiments of the sincerest Veneration and esteem Your Excellency’s Most obedient and most humble Servant