With a Gentleman in Your Excellency’s Public capacity I flatter myself there is No Need of Appology for Troubling you with a letter on Maters of a Public tendency; Therefore, I Shall merely endeavour with Concise precision to communicate the Substance of what I have to propose; Submitting the Merits to that Solid Judgment Which Your Excellency is so Able to form, through a general knowledge of the world, and the particular situation of Affairs in that New World (Not to Call it Empire) Which Nature by a succession of Events seems determined to compleat and foster to Maturity in the American Quarter—Where Many usefull Arts, Manufactures, and Sciences at present in Infant Epitome need only the Concurrence of Public Aid to foster them to the Ne pluss of Perfection and Consequently Under the Situation ultimately an Emporium of Staple Commodities—Sir—I have it in my power to Offer you the establishment of a Superfine Cloth, Cossamion, [Cossamier?,] and Frize Manufactory—in all its Branches from the Raw Material to the Taylors board; Finished to equal any thing that either England or France can Produce in quality, Colour or Price; upon Condition that the Raw Material’s are to be Obtained equally Cheap I know nothing to the Contrary, and Am Confident that Many of the essentials are to be, or may be procured cheaper in America than in England or Europe.

For the fulfiling of this Offer I have 100 Protestant emigrants ready to embark for Whatever Situation May be found most eligible. They are all respectively qualified for Some particular part of the business, and the whole equal to Compleat What I Propose.

The Great Question is To know from Your Excellency How far Such an Establishment would be Eligible? In What Manner Such an Emigration could be facilitated So as to enable those people to Transport themselves with a Certain portable proportion of their Particularly Necessary Implements? And What In turn encouragement they might expect? They are all Sober, Industrious, and Able working people—Through Whose instruction in a very few Years Some Thousands of able Manufacturers May be raised—I scarce need to add that their view as Emigrants is to better their Circumstances—As Such they expect encouragement—They are willing to depend upon their industry for their support, as Soon as the Establishment is Compleatly Effected—And Yet Your Excellency Must See that it will require not only some Dead Time to transport them, but also full 6 Months before their respective labours can be brought to a Marketable State so as to continue the Circulation of their future Support and Maintenance as the fruits of their Daily Labours.

Their head Manufacturer is Able, Sober and industrious, fully equal to the tasks of directing and Superintending.

And with respect to Myself I hope I may without much presumption Suppose I have attained a thorough knowledge of Manufactures in General; a knowledge acquired by a 25 Years particular attention and Observation of their respective Natures properties qualities and even defects by closely attending to the various modes of performing the Business in England, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy in Which Countries I have been at least a 25 Years Constant Traveller for the Sole purpose of acquiring the requisite information to qualify a Man to Say he knows Manufactures in General—And Yet in Justice to My Country I think it Necessary to add that I have listed them by the Standard of Great Britain and Ireland Where Manufactures in General are upon the Whole in the Most Standard Perfection—Supposing the Proposal to treat Your Excellency’s Approbation—It is expected that not only propper provision Shall be Made for the Transport and Maintenance of the Emigrants but also to advance a Certain encouraging Quantum to each individual to enable them to equip themselves comfortably for their Expedition; and Yet that Quantum I will engage shall be in great moderation.

Farther, with respect to the great point of establishing the Manufactury with a Certainty of Permanence it is Necessary that the State Should furnish a Capital to lay in a Stock of Raw Materials to the Amount of £5000. that Sum will Put the establishment upon Such a footing as Neither to Starve the Cause, or render the State liable to future Calls for additional Supplys; So that the Whole of this business may be reasonably concluded to be within the Compos of £8000 Sterling.

An advance exceedingly moderate When Compared to the Sums invested by Many private individuals in the like Manufactures in England &c &c &c.

The Sum Advanced for Materials will be held as a Loan from the State, for 10 Years, Under the best Security that the Head Manufacturer and myself can give Our integrity I flatter myself upon Close investigation will do away all possibility of hesitation—And with respect to the Expences of Transport &c: they May be either immediately paid by the State, or under the Administration of the Managers with incontestible Vouchers or under Any More eligible Modus Which Your Excellency may Sugest—It is Not An easy matter to reduce the first overtures of a Business of this Moment to a very narrow compas—Therefore I hope Your Excellency will excuse the length of My Letter.

Should Matters in Your Excellency’s Opinion be found probably eligible, and that you wish to discuss the Sundry Particulars, If Your Excellency is willing to furnish a reasonable traveling Sum, I will bring the Chief Manufacturer with Me, and Wait upon Your Excellency in Paris, Where the detail of the business May be explicitly gone through to Your Excellency’s entire Satisfaction; and in that Case, I will also bring with Me the Model of a Machine, of My Own Construction, Which I deem and Stile a Primum Mobile Because, Independent of Wind, Water, Fire, or Animal Force, I will by the power of a Man engage to Work the Stores of Any Corn mill Now in Use—Without being liable to the Vicissitudes of Climates, Seasons, or the Capritious Extreems of the Elements, I can effect My force totally under Cover, in a Narrow Compas, commodiously Portable and Applicable with facility to every Species of Movement that either Arts Sciences or Manufactures can require let the force requisite be What it Will—But Where the Purchases are exceedingly great, there I Must (instead of Mans force) avail Myself of Animal force—Or I can adapt a rill of Water totally unequal (according to the present system of Mill Work) to Work a Mill Store and yet by its Aid I will work a Machean of Uncommon Power; Solidly demonstrable by Geometrical Principles and the fact it Self So as to Wield With Any requisite     the Great Hammer of An Iron Forge—the Celinder of a Sugar Engine, or Flating Mill, or to Clear the Shaft of Any groove or Mine of Any dead Weight that such work may require; and all this at an Expence exceedingly inferior to what works of Such a Nature now Cost.

If Your Excellency dos Me the Honor of an Answer by the return of Post, directed to me here, Your Excellency may rely I shall pay due difference to its Contents and Govern Myself Accordingly—As I should be glad to know the Mere outlines of Your Excellency’s Opinion before I Set off for Potsdam (that I may regulate My plan of operations Accordingly) Where by invitation I am engaged to go for a Short Space—Interim I remain with Profound respect Your Excellencies Most Obedient Humble Servant