ed by
the provincial assemblies, and will content itself with that. The
parliament demand an assembly of the States; they are supported by the
ministers of the nation, and the object of asking that assembly is to
fix a constitution, and to limit expenses. They refuse to register any
edict for a new tax. This has so far lessened the credit of government,
that the purse of the money lender is shut. They speak here as freely
as Junius wrote. Yet it is possible that in the event of war, the
spirit of the nation would rise to support a cause which is approved--I
mean that of Holland.

I have had the Messrs. Le Coulteux sounded on the subject of lending
money. I had before tried the same thing with others. But nothing is to
be obtained for persons on our side the water. They have no confidence
in our laws. Besides, all the money men are playing deeply in the
stocks of the country. The spirit of "_agiotage_" (as they call it) was
never so high in any country before. It will probably produce as total
deprivation of morals as the system of law did. All the money of France
is now employed in this, none being free even for the purposes of
commerce, which suffers immensely from this cause.

Before I conclude, I must add, on the subject of rice, that, what
cannot arrive here a month before the careme, would miss its sale, and
must therefore go to another market. The merchant, however, to whom it
is consigned, will be competent to this measure whenever he finds it a
necessary one. I beg leave to be presented very respectfully to Mrs.
Izard and your family, and to assure you of the sincere sentiments of
esteem and attachment with which I am, dear Sir, your friend and
servant.

TO JAMES MADISON.

PARIS, August 2, 1787.

DEAR SIR,--My last was of June the 20th. Yours, received since that
date, are of May the 15th, and June the 6th. In mine I acknowledged the
receipt of the paccan nuts which came sealed up. I have reason to
believe those in the box have arrived at L'Orient. By the Mary, Captain
Howland, lately sailed from Havre to New York, I shipped three boxes of
books, one marked J. M. for yourself, one marked B. F. for Dr.
Franklin, and one marked W. H. for William Hay in Richmond. I have
taken the liberty of addressing them all to you, as you will see by the
enclosed bill of lading, in hopes you would be so good as to forward
the other two. You will have opportunities of calling on the gentlemen
for the freight, etc