I thank you for the case in the Siman Sea, which escaped my recollection. It was indeed a very favorable one. I have adopted your other amendments, except as to the not building _now_; my own opinion being very strongly against this for these reasons: 1st. The 127 gun-boats cannot be built in one, two, or even six months. Commodore Preble told me he could build those he undertook, in two months. They were but four, and though he was preparing during the winter, was engaged in April, and pressed to expedite them, they were not ready for sea till November. 2d. After war commences they cannot be built in New York, Boston, Norfolk, or any seaport, because they would be destroyed by the enemy, on the stocks. They could then be built only in interior places, inaccessible to ships and defended by the body of the country, where the building would be slow. 3d. The first operation of war by an enterprising enemy would be to sweep all our seaports, of their vessels at least. 4th. The expense of their preservation would be all but nothing, because I have had the opinion of, I believe, every captain of the navy, that the largest of our gun-boats can be drawn up, out of the water, and placed under a shed with great ease, by preparing ways and capstans proper for it, and always ready to let her down again. Such of them as are built in suitable places may remain on the stocks unlaunched. 5th. Full the half of the whole number would be small, and not costing more than three-fifths of the large ones. Affectionate salutations. TO THOMAS SEYMOUR, ESQ. WASHINGTON, February 11, 1807. SIR,--The mass of business which occurs during a session of the Legislature, renders me necessarily unpunctual in acknowledging the receipt of letters, and in answering those which will admit of delay. This must be my apology for being so late in noticing the receipt of the letter of December 20th, addressed to me by yourself, and several other republican characters of your State of high respectability. I have seen with deep concern the afflicting oppression under which the republican citizens of Connecticut suffer from an unjust majority. The truths expressed in your letter have been long exposed to the nation through the channel of the public papers, and are the more readily believed because most of the States during the momentary ascendancy of kindred majorities, in them have seen the same spirit of opposition prevail. With respect to the countervailing prosecutions now instituted in the Court of the United States in Connecticut, I had heard but little, and certainly, I believe, never expressed a sentiment on them. That a spirit of indignation and retaliation should arise when an opportunity should present itself, was too much within the human constitution to excite either surprise or censure, and confined to an appeal to truth only, it cannot lessen the useful freedom of the press.