"We are here & I believe every where all Impatience to know something of your conventional Deliberations. If you cannot tell us what you are doing, you might at least give us some Information of what you are not doing. This w^d afford food for political conjecture, and perhaps be sufficient to satisfy present Impatience. I hope you have already discovered the means of preserving the American Empire united--& that the scheme of a Disunion has been found pregnant with y^e greatest Evils--But we are not at this distance able to judge with any accuracy upon subjects so truly important & interesting as those w^{ch} must engage you at present--We can only hope, that you will all resemble Cæsar, at least in one particular: 'nil actum reputans si quid superesset agendum';--& that your Exertions will be commensurate to y^e great Expectations w^{ch} have been formed... "J. MADISON."[A] [A] President of William and Mary College, and the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Virginia. He was a second cousin of James Madison, of Orange. (Mad. MSS.) "RICHMOND Aug^t 5. 87. "DEAR SIR, "I am much obliged to you for your communication of the proceedings of y^e Convention, since I left them; for I feel that anxiety about y^e result, which it's Importance must give to every honest citizen. If I thought that my return could contribute in the smallest degree to it's Improvement, nothing should Keep me away. But as I know that the talents, knowledge, & well-established character, of our present delegates have justly inspired the country with y^e most entire confidence in their determinations; & that my vote could only _operate_ to produce a division, & so destroy y^e vote of y^e State, I think that my attendance now would certainly be useless, perhaps injurious.