think it a happy idea, removing the only objection which could have been justly made to the proposition.  The time too is the present, before the admission of the western States.  I am very differently affected towards the new plan of opening our land office, by dividing the lands among the States, and selling them at vendue.  It separates still more the interests of the States, which ought to be made joint in every possible instance, in order to cultivate the idea of our being one nation, and to multiply the instances in which the people should look up to Congress as their head.  And when the States get their portions they will either fool them away, or make a job of it to serve individuals.  Proofs of both these practices have been furnished, and by either of them that invaluable fund is lost, which ought to pay our public debt.  To sell them at vendue, is to give them to the bidders of the day, be they many or few.  It is ripping up the hen which lays golden eggs.  If sold in lots at a fixed price, as first proposed, the best lots will be sold first; as these become occupied, it gives a value to the interjacent ones, and raises them, though of inferior quality, to the price of the first.  I send you by Mr. Otto, a copy of my book.  Be so good as to apologize to Mr. Thomson for my not sending him one by this conveyance.  I could not burthen Mr. Otto with more, on so long a road as that from here to L’Orient.  I will send him one by a Mr. Williams, who will go ere long.  I have taken measures to prevent its publication.  My reason is, that I fear the terms in which I speak of slavery, and of our constitution, may produce an irritation which will revolt the minds of our countrymen against reformation in these two articles, and thus do more harm than good.  I have asked of Mr. Madison to sound this matter as far as he can, and if he thinks it will not produce that effect, I have then copies enough printed to give one to each of the young men at the College, and to my friends in the country.

I am sorry to see a possibility of * * being put into the Treasury.  He has no talents for the office, and what he has, will be employed in rummaging old accounts to involve you in eternal war with * *, and he will, in a short time, introduce such dissensions into the commission, as to break it up.  If he goes on the other appointment to Kaskaskia, he will produce a revolt of that settlement from the United States.  I thank you for your attention to my outfit.  For the articles of household furniture, clothes, and a carriage, I have already paid twenty-eight thousand livres, and have still more to pay.  For the greatest part of this, I have been obliged to anticipate my salary, from which, however, I shall never be able to repay it.  I find, that by a rigid economy, bordering however on meanness, I can save perhaps, five hundred livres a month, at least in the summer.  The residue goes for expenses so much of course and of necessity, that I cannot avoid them