*

Congress are still engaged in their funding bills. The foreign debts did
not admit of any difference of opinion. They were settled by a single
and unanimous vote: but the domestic debt requiring modifications and
settlements, these produce great difference of opinion, and consequently
retard the passage of the funding bill. The States had individually
contracted considerable debts for their particular defence, in addition
to what was done by Congress. Some of the States have so exerted
themselves since the war, as to have paid off near the half of their
individual debts. Others have done nothing. The State creditors urge,
that these debts were as much for general purposes as those contracted
by Congress, and insist that Congress shall assume and pay such of
them as have not been yet paid by their own States. The States who have
exerted themselves most, find, that notwithstanding the great payments
they have made, they shall by this assumption, still have nearly as much
to pay as if they had never paid any thing. They are therfore opposed
to it. I am in hopes a compromise will be effected by a proportional
assumption, which may reach a great part of the debts, and leave still
a part of them to be paid by those States who have paid few or none
of their creditors. This being once settled, Congress will probably
adjourn, and meet again in December, at Philadelphia. The appearance of
war between our two neighbors, Spain and England, would render a longer
adjournment inexpedient.

I have the honor to be, with great esteem, Dear Sir, your most obedient
and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXXII--TO WILLIAM SHORT, July 26, 1790

TO WILLIAM SHORT.

New York, July 26, 1790.

Dear Sir,

My public letters to you have been of the 28th of March, the 6th and
30th of April. Yours, which remain to be acknowledged, are of March the
9th, 17th, 29th, April the 4th, 12th, 23rd, and May the 1st; being from
No. 21 to 28, inclusive, except No. 23, which had come to hand before. I
will state to you the dates of all your letters received by me, with the
times they have been received, and length of their passage.

*****

You will perceive that they average eleven weeks and a half; that the
quickest are of nine weeks, and the longest are of near eighteen weeks
coming. Our information through the English papers is of about five
or six weeks, and we generally remain as long afterwards in anxious
suspense, till th