I have received your favour of December 31, with the extrace of a letter which you wish to have translated and published here. But seven States having, before it arrived, ratified the new Constitution, and others being daily expected to do the same, after the fullest discussion in convention, and inall the public papers, ’till every body was tired of the argument; it seemed too late to propose delay, and especially the delay that must be occasioned by a revision and correction of all the separate Constitutions. For it would take at least a year to convince thirteen States that the Constitutions they have practised ever since the revolution, without observing any imperfections in them so great as to be worth the trouble of amendment, are nevertheless so ill formed as to be unfit for continuation, or to be parts of a federal government. And when they should be so convinced, it would probably take some years more to make the connections. An eighth State has since acceded, and when a ninth is added, which is now daily expected, the Constitution will be carried into execution. It is probably however that at the first meeting of the new Congress, various amendments will be proposed and discussed, when I hope your Ouvrage sur les principes et le bien des republiques en general &c. &c. may be ready to put into their hands; and such a work from your hand I am confident, though it may not be entirely followed, will afford useful hints, and produce advantages of importance. But we must not expect that a new government may be formed, as a game of chess may be played, by a skilful hand, without a fault. The players of our game are so many, their ideas so different, their prejudices so strong and so various, and their particular interests independent of the general seeming so opposite, that not a move can be made that is not contested; the numerous objections confound the understanding; the wisest must agree to some unreasonable things, that reasonable ones of more consequence may be obtained, and thus chance has its share in many of the determinations, so that the play is more like tric-trac with a box of dice.

We are much pleased with the disposition of your government to favour our commerce, manifested in the late réglement. You appear to be possessed of a truth which few governments are possessed of, that A must take some of B’s produce, otherwise B will not be able to pay for what he would take of A. But there is one thing wanting to facilitate and augment our intercourse. It is a dictionary, explaining the names of different articles of manufacture, in the two languages. When I was in Paris I received a large order for a great variety of goods, particularly of the kind called hardwares, i. e. wares of iron and steel: and when I shewed the invoice to your manufacturers, they did not understand what kinds of goods or instruments were meant by the names: nor could any English and French dictionary be found to explain them. So I sent to England for one of each sort, which might serve both as explanation and as a model, the latter being of importance likewise, since people are prejudiced in favour of forms they have been used to, though perhaps not the best. They cost me 25 guineas, but were lost by the way, and the peace coming on the scheme dropped. It would however, as I imagine, be well worth receiving. For our merchants say we still send to England for such goods as we want, because they understand our orders, and can execute them precisely. With great and sincere esteem, I am, &c.