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these characters, as far as has come within my notice, you have acted
with judgment, with attention, with integrity and honor. I beg you to
accept this feeble tribute to truth, and assurances of sincere
attachment and friendship from, dear Sir, your most obedient, and most
humble servant.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY EDWARD RANDOLPH.

PARIS, August 3, 1787.

DEAR SIR,--A journey into the southern parts of France, and northern of
Italy, has prevented my sooner acknowledging the receipt of your
private favors of July 12th, 1786, and January 28 and May 3, 1787. I am
anxious to hear what you have done in your federal convention. I am in
hopes at least you will persuade the States to commit their commercial
arrangements to Congress, and to enable them to pay their debts,
interest and capital. The coercive powers supposed to be wanting in the
federal head, I am of opinion they possess by the law of nature, which
authorizes one party to an agreement to compel the other to
performance. A delinquent State makes itself a party against the rest
of the confederacy.

We have at present two fires kindled in Europe; 1, in Brabant. The
Emperor, the moment of his return to Vienna, disavowed the concessions
which had been made by his governors to quiet the Brabantines. They
prepared, therefore, for regular resistance. But as the Emperor had, at
the same time, called for deputies to be sent to Vienna to consult on
their affairs, they have sent them, but without power to conclude
anything, and in the meantime they go on arming. The enterprising,
unpersevering, capricious, Thrasonic character of their Sovereign
renders it probable he will avail himself of this little condescendence
in the Brabantines to recede from all his innovations. 2. The Dutch are
every now and then cutting one another's throats. The party of the
Stadtholder is strongest within the confederacy, and is gaining ground.
He has a majority in the States General, and a strong party in the
States of Holland. His want of money is supplied by his cousin George.
England and Prussia abet his usurpations, and France the patriotic
party. Were England and France in a condition to go to war, there is no
question but they would have been at it before now. But their
insuperable poverty renders it probable they will compel a suspension
of hostilities, and either arrange and force a settlement on the Dutch,
or if they cannot agree themselves on this, they will try to protract
thin