hborhood of Brabant, and that Count Rochambeau has the command of
it. Its amount I cannot assert. Report says fifteen thousand men. This
will derange the plans of economy. I take the liberty of putting under
your cover a letter for Mrs. Kinloch, of South Carolina, with a packet,
and will trouble you to inquire for her, and have them delivered. The
packet is of great consequence, and therefore referred to her care, as
she will know the safe opportunities of conveying it. Should you not be
able to find her, and can forward the packet to its address, by any very
safe conveyance, I will beg you to do it.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect friendship
and esteem, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER LXIV.--TO DAVID HARTLEY, July 2,1787

TO DAVID HARTLEY.

Paris, July 2,1787.

Dear Sir,

I received lately your favor of April the 23d, on my return from a
journey of three or four months; and am always happy in an occasion of
recalling myself to your memory. The most interesting intelligence from
America, is that respecting the late insurrection in Massachusetts. The
cause of this has not been developed to me to my perfect satisfaction.
The most probable is, that those individuals were of the imprudent
number of those who have involved themselves in debt beyond their
abilities to pay, and that a vigorous effort in that government to
compel the payment of private debts, and raise money for public ones,
produced the resistance. I believe you may be assured, than an idea or
desire of returning to any thing like their ancient government, never
entered into their heads. I am not discouraged by this. For thus I
calculate. An insurrection in one of thirteen States, in the course of
eleven years that they have subsisted, amounts to one in any particular
state, in one hundred and forty-three years, say a century and a
half. This would not be near as many as have happened in every other
government that has ever existed. So that we shall have the difference
between a light and a heavy government as clear gain. I have no fear,
but that the result of our experiment will be, that men may be trusted
to govern themselves without a master. Could the contrary of this be
proved, I should conclude, either that there is no God, or that he is a
malevolent being. You have heard of the federal convention, now sitting
at Philadelphia, for the amendment of the Confederation.