My Dear Sir, 

Your's of the 12^th instant is just rec'd¹.... 

I am fully sensible of the force of your arguments against privateering and if some proper methods were taken to restrain it to proper bounds, I make no doubt the public would be much benefitted by such restrictions; but (for want of a competent knowledge of those affairs I make no doubt) I am not quite satisfied that a total prohibition would be serviceable:² The Congress have some time since determined as soon as possible to take up the Marine affairs and make some very essential alterations in it and also the affair of our money which seems to be going to confusion by the enormous rise of everything, but when it will be done God knows. The almost innumerable letters and business that daily crowd upon Congress for want of regular Boards, properly appointed and filled, and the time it takes in such large Assemblies, to transact business, keeps us forever behind hand in our affairs and I am sorry to say that sometimes matters of very small importance waste a good deal of precious time, by long and repeated speeches and chicanery of gentlemen who will not wholly throw off the lawyer even in Congress. 

Till we get into better regulations as to our Marine affairs, I am persuaded no class of men are so much wanted in Congress as men acquainted with that business, for though Navy Boards are established, yet there is a constant appeal to the Marine Committee of Congress, who I am sure are at this time inadequate to the business. I hope our State will have wisdom enough to appoint you to relieve me here in the fall and that you will have virtue enough still to forego your own private interest for the public good and will accept of their appointment and without flattery I really think you would be very serviceable to the public here, especially in the Marine Department.³ If I knew you would not attend Congress I should be glad you might be appointed one of the Navy Board at Boston, for I am sure that Board does not attend sufficiently to the business, 

... The French fleet are gone to Rhode Island and you will hear of their operations sooner than we, the Admiral⁴ seems very desirous of doing something to effect and was greatly mortified when he found there was not water sufficient for his large ships to go up to New York. I have nothing to write you in the new's way—have sent you a paper or two by which you will see what is stirring here....