I received, my dear and very illustrious colleague, the honor which the American Philosophical Society has done me, with the appreciation it deserves. I sense that I owe this to the friendship with which you honor me, and I would like to be worthy of it by offering my services in this country to the Society, if they may be of any use in adding to their correspondence. No one has respected the United States of America more than I, nor admired more than I the generous efforts which gained them their liberty. The universe will owes you great examples; those which you will give it by the restructuring of all aspects of your legislation will not be any less useful. You will enlighten the world, both physically and morally, and the sciences which have already been cultivated with so much success in America will participate in all the kinds of progress which liberty incites in the human spirit.

Busy with work from the Assembly of Notables, I had forgotten the departure of the packet-boat, and in order to catch it, I only have time to renew, my dear and illustrious colleague, the strong and sincere expression of all the sentiments which attach me to you for life; please give my respectful thanks to the illustrious society to which I take great pride in being admitted.