my letter to Mr. Jay, a disagreeable affair which Mr.
Barclay has been thrown into, at Bordeaux. An honester man cannot be
found, nor a slower, nor more indecisive one. His affairs, too, are so
embarrassed and desperate, that the public reputation is, every moment,
in danger of being compromitted with him. He is perfectly amiable and
honest, with all his embarrassments.

By the next packet, I shall be able to send you some books, as also
your watch and pedometer. The two last are not yet done. To search for
books, and forward them to Havre, will require more time than I had
between my return and the departure of this packet. Having been a
witness, heretofore, to the divisions in Congress on the subject of
their foreign ministers, it would be a weakness in me to suppose none
with respect to myself, or to count with any confidence 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, &c., 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 o