I received your last dated Philadelphia Sept. 2d 1786, after I had recieved the copy of the 2d volum of the Amer Transactions, a separate copy of the long and instructif letter you did me the honour to write me, and a diploma of the American Phil. Society, for which all I repeat you my harty thancks. I hope you will have recieved the three copies of the second edition of my book Sur les vegetant which I sent some months ago to Mr. Jefferson, who promish’d me to forward the parcel by the first oportunity. There were in the parcel some copies of an epitaphical inscription on the death of the late king of Prussia in the lapidary Stile, which inscription is much admired here. One of my friends made it.

I was informed with some pleasure, by your last, that you obtained at last the account of my affairs with the two Mr. Whartons, and that you delivred it to Mr. Sam. Vaughan; and that John Williams told you lately he delivred my two loan-reciepts of the public loan office at Boston to his brother Jonathan. I wish Mr. John Williams had delivred you the intrest of that money and the capital sum of the same, or that he at least had delivred you an answer to me on so many letters and friendly requisitions to doe so. If Mr. Jonathan is setteled at the time in America, I begg the favour to press him as much as you can to finish this affaire with his brother at Boston, and to send me over the money, instrest and capital. I have not recieved the least intelligence from Mr. Jonathan, and being ignorant of his present abode, I have even not the satisfaction to inquire my self about my affaire. I have not recieved any intelligence about the account of Mrs. Wharton from Mr. Vaughan.

There must be a material fault in the management of the american post offices, as allmost all letters to me are or lost or come to hand very late. Two days ago I recieved a letter from Mr. S. Vaughan dated Philad. 30 Nov. 1785, to which lettre he referred in two others I recieved some time ago. All letters to me should be first directed to some house at Paris to be forwarded from there to me. Mr. Jefferson wrote me a little while ago, that all parcels or letters coming from you or send to his care by me will be speedily forwarded by him by the pacquets which regularly play between New York and Orient.

My last letter to you was forwarded in March last to the Hague and send to Mr. Van Bertel Dutch ministre at New York. It must have come to hand now there were in it one for Mr. S. Vaughan and one to Mr. J. Williams of Boston. I refer to them.

By farther consideration of my affaires, I thinck Mr. Wharton and Son, can if there is any justice in America, be forced to put into your hands the whole Sum he owes me, (without my having recours to Mr. Coffyn, who semms to be a man of no integrity) which must be at least the half of the sum which was sent over to Mr. Coffyn viz. 33280 Livres, of which remittance Mr. Coffyn did send me no more than four thousand two hundred and eighty four Livres. You ought to Consider that you can attest by your self what strict orders I gave to Mr. Wharton to send all my money directely thro your hands, and that, if even I had not given such orders, he had no more right to send my money to Mr. Coffyn than to a man at Canton. Mr. Wharton having borrowed, as he says, no money from Mr. Coffyn, could send no remittances to Mr. Coffyn but what was my share and that of Mr. Coffyn and Dr. Bankroft. Now, Mr. Coffyn and Dr. Bankroft had each but one sixth part in the joint undertaking. Mr. Coffyn thus had no right but to his one Share, viz to one fourth of the remittance, and Dr. Bankroft to the Same share. By this it is clear that I have a right to the half of the above mentioned sum, and that Mrs. Wharton are obliged to pay me that sum. He himself is to sue Mr. Coffyn to return him that money. And I have nothing to doe with Mr. Coffyn. I Hope, My dear Friend, you will find way to enforce this pretension. You are still vigourous, you are at the head of an empire. Your persuasion, your authority, public justice, the wrong done to one of your best friends, and evern the name of an American can, it seems to me, not fail of obtaining this just satisfaction for me. If Mr. Wharton should pretend to have no Contant money, he can borrow it on his land security, which he has all ready proposed to engage for it. As he has given his account, in which, no doubt will be Specifyed the remittances sent to Mr. Coffyn, this verry account is an incontestable proof of the justice of my claime, and of his fault wrong in sending Countrary to my orders, my money to an other man. He is my Debtor, and not Mr. Coffyn. If I have the misfortune to loos you, where will I ever find a man so powerfull as you are now? As Mra. Wharton is afrayed of loosing their reputation in this scandalous affaire, thy will probably not wish to loose it, if threatened to be exposed publikly. In short, it is the money du to me which I want, and, without that, all accounts, however so fair, are of no use at all to me.

I hope Mr. Jonathan Williams have not carryed my two loan receips of Boston to Europe. This would be next to madness, as they are of no use or valu here, and would very likely be reudced to nothing at all if send over to me. If you can prevent such unconceivable blunder, I hope you will not fail of doing it.

I am realy sorry to intertain you, at your age and in you elevated station, with affaires of such a desagreable nature; and as soon as they are finish’d I will keep an eternal silence about it.

Every thing in Europe bears a dismal aspect. My master will very likely be engaged in war at more than one place. My own Country is distracted. The English are the cause of those troubles. They want the Supreme power of the republic concentrated in one individual, who they may rule as they please. Their intrigues probably blow up dissentions in France on purpose to stop its interference in preventing the patriots being subdued. The turkish war is perhaps blown up from the same quarter on purpose to engage the attention of France that way. The newspapers will inform you of our precarious situation. bella horrida bella, Atque Istrum multo spumantem sanguine carno. Let me hear now and then from you. The information of your existence and good health is one of the most interesting news for mankind. This happy information given me by your self is not only the greatest happiness for myself, but it is a particular honour, which I value infinitely than a correspondence with the greatest monark of the world. I am respectfully my very dear and Respectable Friend Yours affectinately