PARIS, August 15, 1787.
SIR,--In consequence of the permission you were so kind as to give me,
when I had the honor of seeing you at Milan, I shall sometimes take the
liberty of troubling you with a line. I cannot begin with an act of
greater justice than that of expressing to you all my gratitude for
your attentions and services while in your capital, and to which I am
indebted for the best informations I received there. I then mentioned
some late publications on the subject of America, of which I would do
myself the honor of sending you one, because it was my own, and two
others because worth reading. Mine are some notes only on the State of
Virginia. The others are Ramsay's history of the war and Soulé's
history. The first is very authentic, there being no fact in it which
may not be relied on; but it is confined to the war in the southern
States. The last is a general history, of which we can only say it is
the best of those written in Europe. There is a history of the same
period now printing in London, though written in America by an English
clergyman of the name of Gordon. He had access to some collections of
papers not known to any other writer. But I am unable to say as yet
what may be the merit of his work. You must have observed when in
America, that time and trial had discovered defects in our federal
constitution. A new essay, made in the midst of the flames of war,
could not be perfect. The States have appointed deputies, who are now
sitting at Philadelphia, to consider what are the defects, and to
propose new articles to be added to the instrument of confederation for
amending them. The articles to be proposed by them will have to be
confirmed by Congress and by the Legislature of every State before they
will be in force. As yet their proceedings are not known. Probably they
go to the following points: 1. To invest Congress with the exclusive
sovereignty in every matter relative to foreign nations and the general
mass of our Union, retaining to the States their individual sovereignty
in matters merely domestic. 2. To devise some peaceable mode whereby
Congress may enforce their decisions. 3. To organize Congress into
three branches, Legislative, Executive and Judiciary. I had the honor
of informing you of the commotions which had taken place in
Massachusetts, the only ones which had ever taken place since the
declaration of Independence. I have now that of informing you that
those commotions have been entirely quieted. General Washington is
well, and is president of the federal convention sitting at
Philadelphia, as before mentioned. Dr. Franklin and others, the
greatest characters of America, are members of it. I do not give you
European news; you have that from other quarters; after adding
therefore, that the books before mentioned, are delivered to Messieurs
Cathalan, of Marseilles, who will send them to their correspondent at
Genoa, with instructions to forward them to you at Milan. I shall only
repeat very sincere assurances of the esteem and respect with which I
have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.