In your last you ask me what we are doing? Many Things indeed. And if you will suppose some things to be done well, I will frankly confess to you that in my opinion others might have been done better. I think we do as well as we can considering the Pile of Business every Morning laid on our table. In order that the Affairs of the Treasury may be better attended than they possibly can be by Members of Congress who are obliged to give their Attendance in the House we have establishd a new Board to consist of a Treasurer Comptroller Auditor & two Chambers of Accots of three each. These officers are all chosen from without Doors. We are taking Measures for the Appretiation of the Currency. Every Adept in financiering is busily employd and I hope we shall before long agree in an effectual Plan. We have appointed Dr F. Minister Plenipo. at Versailes & written a Letter of Credence to our good & great Ally. The Situation of the general Affairs of Europe render it somewhat difficult to determine to which of the other Powers at present to make our Court. Every Cabinet will, I suppose, this winter be deeply engagd in making Arrangements and preparing for the opening a Campaign in Case of a general War which it is more than probable will happen. Our Friend A L is in Spain. Our other Friend J A will be employd somewhere. France must be our Pole Star & our Connection must be formd with hers. Holland whose Policy is always to be at Peace may be open to Negociation & the sooner we tempt her the better. Spain must joyn with France. But she is dilatory. I wish she would recollect how much she was injured by it the last War, when she sufferd the common Enemy to beat France & her self in Detail. The Spirit of Chatham is indeed extinguishd in Britain. His decisive Mind might have dictated the Seizure of their Float at Sea. Perhaps it is well the Great Man is no more. The Millions are safely arrivd & the Tone of Neutrality at Madrid is become languid. A formidable Fleet lies equip'd in Cadiz which operating with that of France at this Juncture might give a fatal Blow to the boasted Sovereignty of Britain on the Ocean. The Count D' Estaings Squadron I suppose will go to the West Indies. If so, must not the British follow with a great Part of their Troops, if they mean to keep Possession of their own Islands. They may leave Garrisons at N York & Newport, with a View of obliging us still to maintain a great Army, in hopes we shall be undone by Expences while they despair of subduing us by the Power of their Army. We must have a respectable Army in the Spring to put a good face on our Negociations or to fight. I hope we shall secure to the United States, Canada Nova Scotia & the Fishery by our Arms or by Treaty. Florida too is a tempting object in the South. Perhaps if you should show this Letter to some Folks, it may be thought to confirm an opinion from whence an objection was drawn against me on a late occasion "that I was averse to