of the process of coinage, he is enabled to coin from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand pieces a day, with the assistance of only two persons, the pieces of metal being first prepared.  I send you by Colonel Franks three coins of gold, silver, and copper, which you will perceive to be perfect medals:  and I can assure you, from having seen him coin many, that every piece is as perfect as these.  There has certainly never yet been seen any coin, in any country, comparable to this.  The best workmen in this way acknowledge that his is like a new art.  Coin should always be made in the highest perfection possible, because it is a great guard against the danger of false coinage.  This man would be willing to furnish his implements to Congress, and if they please, he will go over and instruct a person to carry on the work:  nor do I believe he would ask any thing unreasonable.  It would be very desirable, that in the institution of a new coinage, we could set out on so perfect a plan as this, and the more so, as while the work is so exquisitely done, it is done cheaper.

I will certainly do the best I can for the reformation of the consular convention, being persuaded that our States would be very unwilling to conform their laws either to the convention, or to the scheme.  But it is too difficult and too delicate, to form sanguine hopes.  However, that there may be room to reduce the convention, as much as circumstances will admit, will it not be expedient for Congress to give me powers, in which there shall be no reference to the scheme?  The powers sent me, oblige me to produce that scheme, and certainly, the moment it is produced, they will not abate a tittle from it.  If they recollect the scheme, and insist on it, we can but conclude it; but if they have forgotten it (which may be), and are willing to reconsider the whole subject, perhaps we may get rid of something the more of it.  As the delay is not injurious to us, because the convention, whenever and however made, is to put us in a worse state than we are in now, I shall venture to defer saying a word on the subject, till I can hear from you in answer to this.  The full powers may be sufficiently guarded, by private instructions to me, not to go beyond the former scheme.  This delay may be well enough ascribed (whenever I shall have received new powers) to a journey, I had before apprized the minister that I should be obliged to take, to some mineral waters in the south of France, to see if by their aid I may recover the use of my right hand, of which a dislocation about four months ago, threatens to deprive me in a great measure.  The surgeons have long insisted on this measure.  I shall return by Bordeaux, Nantes, and L’Orient, to get the necessary information for finishing our commercial regulations here.  Permit me, however, to ask, as immediately as possible, an answer, either affirmative or negative, as Congress shall think best, and to ascribe the delay on which I venture, to my desire to do what is for the best.