some
of the States, or by other incidents. Their sentiments, if forced from
them, will be unfriendly to the institution. If permitted to pursue
their own path, they will check it by side-blows whenever it comes in
their way, and in competitions for office, on equal or nearly equal
ground, will give silent preferences to those who are not of the
fraternity. My reasons for thinking this are, 1. The grounds on which
they lately declined the foreign order proposed to be conferred on
some of our citizens. 2. The fourth of the fundamental articles of
constitution for the new States. I enclose you the report; it has
been considered by Congress, recommitted and reformed by a committee,
according to sentiments expressed on other parts of it, but the
principle referred to, having not been controverted at all, stands in
this as in the original report; it is not yet confirmed by Congress.
3. Private conversations on this subject with the members. Since the
receipt of your letter I have taken occasion to extend these; not,
indeed, to the military members, because, being of the order, delicacy
forbade it, but to the others pretty generally; and, among these, I have
as yet found but one who is not opposed to the institution, and that
with an anguish of mind, though covered under a guarded silence which
I have not seen produced by any circumstance before. I arrived at
Philadelphia before the separation of the last Congress, and saw there
and at Princeton some of its members not now in delegation. Burke's
piece happened to come out at that time, which occasioned this
institution to be the subject of conversation. I found the same
impressions made on them which their successors have received. I hear
from other quarters that it is disagreeable, generally, to such citizens
as have attended to it, and, therefore, will probably be so to all, when
any circumstance shall present it to the notice of all.

This, Sir, is as faithful an account of sentiments and facts as I am
able to give you. You know the extent of the circle within which my
observations are at present circumscribed, and can estimate how far, as
forming a part of the general opinion, it may merit notice, or ought to
influence your particular conduct.

It now remains to pay obedience to that part of your letter, which
requests sentiments on the most eligible measures to be pursued by the
society, at their next meeting. I must be far from pretending to be a
judge of what would,