is to be, must see that our interests, well understood, and our wishes are, that Spain shall (not for ever, but) very long retain her possessions in that quarter; and that her views and ours must, in a good degree, and for a long time, concur.  It is said in our gazettes, that the Spaniards have sunk one of our boats on the Mississippi, and that our people retaliated on one of theirs.  But my letters, not mentioning this fact, have made me hope it is not true, in which hope your letter confirms me.  There are now one hundred thousand inhabitants in Kentucky.  They have accepted the offer of independence, on the terms proposed by Virginia, and they have decided that their independent government shall begin on the first day of the next year.  In the mean time, they claim admittance into Congress.  Georgia has ceded her western territory to the United States, to take place with the commencement of the new federal government.  I do not know the boundaries.  There has been some dispute of etiquette with the new French minister, which has disgusted him.

The following is a state of the progress and prospects of the new plan of government.

*****

The conduct of Massachusetts has been noble.  She accepted the constitution, but voted that it should stand as a perpetual instruction to her Delegates, to endeavor to obtain such and such reformations; and the minority, though very strong both in numbers and abilities, declared viritim and seriatim, that acknowledging the principle that the majority must give the law, they would now support the new constitution with their tongues, and with their blood, if necessary.  I was much pleased with many and essential parts of this instrument, from the beginning.  But I thought I saw in it many faults, great and small.  What I have read and reflected, has brought me over from several of my objections, of the first moment, and to acquiesce under some others.  Two only remain, of essential consideration, to wit, the want of a bill of rights, and the expunging the principle of necessary rotation in the offices of President and Senator.  At first, I wished that when nine States should have accepted the constitution, so as to insure us what is good in it, the other four might hold off till the want of the bill of rights at least, might be supplied.  But I am now convinced that the plan of Massachusetts is the best, that is, to accept and to amend afterwards.  If the States which were to decide after her, should all do the same, it is impossible but they must obtain the essential amendments.  It will be more difficult, if we lose this instrument, to recover what is good in it, than to correct what is bad, after we shall have adopted it.  It has, therefore, my hearty prayers, and I wait with anxiety for news of the votes of Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia.  There is no doubt that General Washington will accept the presidentship; though he is silent on the subject.  He would not be chosen