Since mine of Jan. 14. yours of Jan. 2. & Mar. 1. have been handed to me; the former by mr̃ Jones, whom I am glad to know on your recommendation and to make him the channel of evidencing to you how much I esteem whatever comes from you. the internal agitations of this country & the inactivity to which England is reduced by the State of imbecillity in which the madness of the king has terminated, will leave the Southwestern parts of Europe in peace for the present year. Denmark will probably continue to furnish only it’s stipulated succours to Russia, without engaging in the war as a principal. perhaps a pacification may be effected between Sweden & Russia: tho at present there is little appearance of it: so that we may expect that the war will go on this year between the two empires, the Turks & Swedes, without extending any further. even the death of the emperor, should it take place, would hardly withdraw his dominions from the war this summer. the revolution in this country has gone on hitherto with a quietness, a steadiness and a progress unexampled. but there is danger of a balk now. the three orders which compose the statesgeneral seem likely to stumble at the threshold on the great preliminary question How shall they vote, by orders or persons? if they get well over this question, there will be no difficulty afterwards, there is so general a concurrence in the great points of constitutional reformation. if they do not get over this question (& this seems possible) it cannot be foreseen what issue this matter will take. as yet however, no business being begun, no votes taken, we cannot pronounce with certainty the exact state of parties. this is a summary view of European affairs.

Tho I have not official information of your election to the Presidency of the Senate; yet I have such information as renders it certain. accept I pray you my sincere congratulations. no man on earth pays more cordial homage to your worth nor wishes more fervently 447 your happiness.— tho’ I detest the appearance even of flattery, I cannot always suppress the effusions of my heart.— present me affectionately to mrs Adams, Colo. and mr̃s Smith. I hope to see you all this summer, and to return this fall to my prison; for all Europe would be a prison to me, were it ten times as big. Adieu my dear friend / your affectionate humble sert

You will pardon me a few observations upon some apprehended arrangements, by a Committee of conference now in being—

When Mr Thomson was my competitor, it was a doctrine, that the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of State were inseparably blended by the Constitution, and to elect other than Mr Thomson Secretary of the Senate, would be an exclusion of him—

The doctrine was admitted, and I accordingly offered myself as a candidate, upon equal ground, at least, for any thing of which Mr Thomson’s friends might think him worthy—

Clearly all the business heretofore assigned to the Secretary of Congress is now to be done by the Secretary of the Senate, as the Senate act both in a legislative and executive capacity; except affixing the Seal; and except what is done by the Clerk of the House; or will naturally and more properly devolve upon the Supreme Executive.— And will there be a necessity to establish a department merely to keep the Seal? Is it any better than providing a Sine Cure, for a Man passed the meridian of life, of ample fortune and childless?

But the late Secretary corresponded with the several States as occasion required! will not this in future be done much more properly by the President, or at least under his particular direction.? or if not, the Secretary of the Senate from the nature of his office, a keeper of the papers and records, it falls naturally under his department— “But no man can turn to the papers of the former Congress except Mr Thompson”! There are millions of old papers to which no human eye will ever have occasion again to turn, and turning to such as may be wanted is a simple business indeed, provided, the papers are in due arrangement; and if not, Mr Thomson is by no means the 448 probable person to arrange them after so long neglect:1 besides the Secretary of the Senate has Mr. Thomson’s best Clerk with him, and who has many years been versed in the arrangements of the secretarys office.— And as to communications to the President, bills, resolves &c after concurrence in the Senate, they may go forward by their Secretary or by a Committee, or they may go forward by the Secretary or Clerk of the House according to their origination, and perhaps this would be proper for the reason, that all rejected Bills &c shall be return’d to the originating Branch—

Addresses &c ought in every event to go by a Committee of the Senate and House, or if seperate addresses by a Committee of the Houses respectively, a practice found convenient in some States, and respectful to the Supreme Executive, without lowering the dignity and independence of either House by going in a body—

Communications from the President at any event will be made by his Secretary, who will be announced to the Senate and House as a confidential officer—

By this arrangement the branches will have their Secretary independent of each other, and the Seal be affixed according to law, by him from whose department the paper may issue; a method simple economical, dignified and responsible, without the pomposity and expense of a home department and the creation of a Sine Cure, the officer of which would assume dictatorial airs of superiority, hurt the feelings and depress another officer, who from the nature of his appointment seems to be the Secretary of State, as the business of the Senate is Legislative, executive, and judicial;—nor will the establishment of such an officer be more grateful to the Clerk of the House, who views himself already at the head of a department—

Subjoining the Commission2 of the Secretary of Congress, I am / Very respectfully / Your most Huml. / Sert