Your favour of the 27th. ulto. came safe to hand yesterday.

I attended the Convention last week and after choosing a President &c we heard the Constitution Read by paragraps with the objections which were verry few and of no great importance, and were fully answered a Committe was then appointed to draw a Bill of Rights with such Amendments as they tho’t necessary. which they Reported and after the necessary discussion they were Received.

A Motion was then made to Adjorn. which was carrid by a Majority of Nine. The Bill of Rights with the Amendments were Order’d to be Printed and sent out to the people to be consider’d of by them at the Annual Town Meetings. to be held on the Third Monday of April and the Convention Adjorned to the Twenty fourth Day of May—1

We are not much disappointed in the event but much Mortify’d; more especially as we cañot see any end to our sufferings, if good arose to the Ud States from our opposition to the five per Cent Impost— I fancy your Excellency will be obliged to Rack your Invention to point out the advantages that can possibly arise to the United or to this particular State from our late determination.

We had five old Tories in the Convention who would keep a Day of Thanksgiving on hearing that the Federal Government was dissolved, and some of the principle officers carrid away prisoners to Babilon alsius2 G.B. we had many of Desperate Circumstances and the principle heads of the Papermoney faction, all added their strength together made the Collom to firm [. . .] broken, and these same people never will come [. . .] so long as they can possibly keep a 268 Majority [. . .] the Convention we are almost discouraged from making furthur Exertions. our best Citizens are looking out to dispose of their property, and to Remove out of the Government. the Restrictions on Trade will fall intirely on our Friends at which the oposers of the Fedl. Government will be will pleased. so that on the whole we begin to turn our Eyes back on the Country that we left and must all turn Tories, for any thing I can see.

be so kind Sir as to let the President know how our Convention has ended and that the Friends of the Federal Goverment are in disponding Circumstances, at present.

We would willingly Receve the necessary Officers for Collecting the Impost; if Congress would Order them to be appointed.

I Remain with much Esteeme Your / most Obedient & verry Humb Servant

By your indulgence in permitting me to ask you any questions, I am emboldened to send you one of my circular letters; by which you may see that I intend to leave no practicable source of information unexplored. If it should be in your power to suggest any thing relative to either of the topics mentioned, I should be happy in receiving the communication.

There is another point about which I wish for satisfaction, & I know no person more capable of giving it than yourself. The annalist Chalmers had free access to the Plantation Office in London; where he found many things much to his purpose.1 There are also 269 doubtless many which might serve mine; but I cannot go to Europe. Can you tell me, Sir, whether that Office is under such regulations as that an American might have access to it—& if it is, do you know of any person who might be employed—& do you think a search there could be made without any considerable expense?

I am Dr sir with much Respect / Yr obliged & obedt Servt