PARIS, August 13, 1787.
DEAR SIR,--I received the letter with which you were pleased to honor
me, by Mrs. Oster, and immediately waited on her with a tender of my
services. She had, however, so far got her matters arranged as to be no
longer in fear of any disagreeable measure, and is since gone to
establish herself with her friends in Lorraine. I wish she may not
there have alarms of a different nature. We have hitherto been in hopes
that the desperate state of the finances of France and England would
indispose those powers to war, and induce them, by an armed mediation,
to quiet the affairs of Holland. The actual march, however, of the
Prussian troops, the departure of the British squadron somewhere
westwardly, and the preparations for a naval armament at Brest, and a
land one in the neighborhood of the Netherlands, render war at present
more expected than it has been. Still we look to the necessities of the
two principal powers as promising efficacy to the negotiations not yet
broken off. Though we shall be neutrals, and as such shall derive
considerable pecuniary advantages, yet I think we shall lose in
happiness and morals by being launched again into the ocean of
speculation, led to overtrade ourselves, tempted to become sea-robbers
under French colors, and to quit the pursuits of agriculture, the
surest road to affluence and best preservative of morals. Perhaps, too,
it may divert the attention of the States from those great political
improvements, which the honorable body, of which you are a member,
will, I hope, propose to them. What these may be, I know not, but I am
sure they will be what they should be. My idea is that we should be
made one nation in every case concerning foreign affairs, and separate
ones in whatever is merely domestic; that the Federal government should
be organized into Legislative, Executive and Judiciary, as are the
State governments, and some peaceable means of enforcement devised for
the Federal head over the States. But of all these things you are a
better judge. I have delivered your message to Mr. Mazzei, who is still
here. Be so good as to present me respectfully to Mrs. Blair, and to be
assured yourself of the sentiments of esteem and respect with which I
have the honor to be, dear Sir, your most obedient, and most humble
servant.