From the Borders of the Grave, revived, and even established in Health, I once more present my Respects with my accustomed Fervency to You and Yours.

But, with my Respects I must also send my Complaints and Supplications.

In a Transaction where you was only, according to your own chosen Expression, Teste di Legno, I was fretted disgraced & beslaved; and have taken some Measures for Emancipation. You will know why I was not Collector of this Port; but I have never told you how perfectly you reconciled me at first to my present Office, or how I ceased afterwards even to wish for any Change during the Remainder of my Days. But, Sir, what tended heretofore to give me Tranquillity serves at present to heighten my Chagrin. Possessing the good Will of the President and yourself I am martyred by one or more Committee-Men who have carried private Friendship and Relationships into their public official Doings. I know but two of the Committee one of whom can give no better Rationale of the inimical Transaction than because the other “perhaps was more a Friend to the Collector than to the Naval officer,” while in fact he was himself brother in Law to a Surveyor, and the Naval Officer is sacrificed to both.

This will appear œnigmatical till you have read my Letter to mr Gerry.1 I intreat you to do that; and to quiet me by a Condemnation of my Discontent, or by promoting Redress—according to the Verdict of that sound Judgement to which I now submit myself.

Be so good as to allow me to present my respectful Love to your Lady, and to think me continuing devotedly / Sir / Your obedient / Friend & Humble / Servant

I have been So much of an Antiœconomist as to leave your Letter of June the fifth unanswered to this day.

The Defence of the American Constitutions, is not I apprehend a “Misnomer.” Had the Patriots of Amsterdam repulsed the Duke of Brunswick from the Haerlem Gate, an History of the Action, might have properly been called an Account of the Defence of Amsterdam: although the City, on the Side of the Leyden Gate and Utrecht Gate, had been so ill fortified as to have been indefensible, had the Prussian Attack been made on either of those Quarters.1

My three Volumes are a Defence of the American Constitutions, on that Side on which they are attacked. Mr Turgot attacked them for aiming at three orders and a Ballance. I defended them in this Point only. Had he attacked them for not making their orders distinct and independent enough: or for not making their Ballances compleat, I should have been the last Man in the World to have undertaken their Defences. If another Edition should ever be published I would insert in the Title Page “A Defence &c against the Attack of Mr Turgot.[”] This I apprehend would cure all Defects, in Point of Title.

But as you observe the Feelings of Mankind are so much against any rational Theory, that I find my labour has all been in vain: and it is not worth while to take any more Pains upon the subject.

The Rivalry between the State Governments and the national Government, is growing daily more active and ardent. Thirteen Strong Men embracing thirteen Pillars at once, and bowing themselves in concert, will easily pull down a frail Edifice. If the Superiority of the national Government is not more clearly acknowledged, We shall soon be in a confusion, which We shall not get out of, for twenty Years.

There was never more occasion for firmness, in all who wish in Sincerity for Peace, Liberty or Safety.

The Secretary of the Treasury is all that you think him. There is no office in the Government better filled. it is unhappy that New York has taken away one of his Supports. Your Sentiments of other Characters, and of Measures in general appear to me to be so just, that I cannot but wish that You had more to do in public affairs. But they say that you “love Wit better than your friend”: and although I dont believe this, I expect from you, by Way of revenge for this Piece of information, a sheet or two of their Sarcasms upon me. I know that altho the ridiculous can never escape your observation, in a friend or an Ennemy; yet you love the former and have no ill Will against the latter.

The Independence of your fame and fortune, and your happiness in private Life are more to be envied than any public office or Station. For myself I find the office I hold, tho laborious, so wholly insignificant, and from the blind Policy of that part of the World from whence I came, So Stupidly pinched and betrayed that I wish myself again at the Bar, old as I am. My own Situation is almost the only one, in the World in which Firmness and Patience are Useless. I have derived so much pleasure from your Correspondence, that notwithstanding the long interruption of it, I hope you will not deny it in future / to your friend & humble sert [. . . .]