PARIS, February 23, 1787.
DEAR SIR,--The Notables met yesterday; the King opened the Assembly
with a short speech, wherein he expressed his inclination to consult
with them on the affairs of his kingdom, to receive their opinions on
the plans he had digested, and to endeavor to imitate the head of his
family, Henry IV., whose name is so dear to the nation. The speech was
affectionate. The Garde des Sceaux spoke about twenty minutes,
complimented the clergy, the noblesse, the magistrates and tiers états.
The Comptroller General spoke about an hour. He enumerated the expenses
necessary to arrange his department when he came into it; he said his
returns had been minutely laid before the King; he took a review of the
preceding administrations, and more particularly of Mr. Neckar's; he
detailed the improvement which had been made; he portrayed the present
state of the finances, and sketched the several schemes proposed for
their improvement; he spoke on a change in the form of the taxes, the
removal of the interior custom-houses to the frontiers, provincial
administrations and some other objects. The Assembly was then divided
into committees. To-day, there was to be another grand Assembly, the
plans more fully explained and referred to the discussion of the
committees. The grand Assembly will meet once a week and vote
individually. The propriety of my attending the first audience day of
Count Montmorin, which will not be till the 27th, retards my departure
till then.
I have read your book with infinite satisfaction and improvement. It
will do great good in America. Its learning and its good sense will, I
hope, make it an institute for our politicians, old as well as young.
There is one opinion in it, however, which I will ask you to
reconsider, because it appears to me not entirely accurate, and not
likely to do good. Page 362, "Congress is not a legislative, but a
diplomatic assembly." Separating into parts the whole sovereignty of
our States, some of these parts are yielded to Congress. Upon these I
should think them both legislative and executive, and that would have
been judiciary also, had not the confederation required them for
certain purposes to appoint a judiciary. It has accordingly been the
decision of our courts that the confederation is a part of the law of
the land, and superior in authority to the ordinary laws, because it
cannot be altered by the legislature of any one State. I doubt whether
they are at all a diplomatic assembly. On the first news of this work
there were proposals to translate it. Fearing it might be murdered in
that operation, I endeavored to secure a good translator. This is done,
and I lend him my copy to translate from. It will be immediately
announced to keep others from attempting it. I am, with sincere esteem
and respect, dear Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.