e on the renewal of my commission,
which expires on the 10th day of March next; and the more so, as instead
of requiring the disapprobation of seven States, as formerly, that of
one suffices for a recall, when Congress consists of only seven States,
two, when of eight, &c. which I suppose to be habitually their numbers
at present. Whenever I leave this place, it will be necessary to begin
my arrangements six months before my departure; and these, once fairly
begun and under way, and my mind set homewards, a change of purpose
could hardly take place. If it should be the desire of Congress that I
should continue still longer, I could wish to know it, at farthest, by
the packet which will sail from New York in September. Because, were
I to put off longer the quitting my house, selling my furniture, he,
I should not have time left to wind up my affairs; and having once
quitted, and sold off my furniture, I could not think of establishing
myself here again. I take the liberty of mentioning this matter to you,
not with a desire to change the purpose of Congress, but to know it in
time. I have never fixed in my mind, the epoch of my return, so far as
shall depend on myself, but I never supposed it very distant. Probably
I shall not risk a second vote on this subject. Such trifling things may
draw on me the displeasure of one or two States, and thus submit me to
the disgrace of a recall.

I thank you for the paccan nuts, which accompanied your letter of March.
Could you procure me a copy of the bill for proportioning crimes and
punishments, in the form in which it was ultimately rejected by the
House of Delegates? Young Mr. Bannister desired me to send him regularly
the _Mercure de France_. I will ask leave to do this through you, and
that you will adopt such method of forwarding them to him, as will save
him from being submitted to postage, which they would not be worth. As
a compensation for your trouble, you will be free to keep them till you
shall have read them. I am, with sentiments of the most sincere esteem,
Dear Sir, your friend and servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER LXI.--TO JOHN JAY, June 21,1787

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, June 21,1787.

Sir,

I had the honor of addressing you in a letter of May the 4th, from
Marseilles, which was to have gone by the last packet. Bat it arrived
a few hours too late for that conveyance, and has been committed to a
private one, passing through England, with a promise that it