What are the sentiments of Congress on this subject, and what line they will pursue, can only be stated, conjecturally.  Congress as a body, if left to themselves, will in my opinion say nothing on the subject.  They may, however, be forced into a declaration by instructions from some of the States, or by other incidents.  Their sentiments, if forced from them, will be unfriendly to the institution.  If permitted to pursue their own path, they will check it by side-blows whenever it comes in their way, and in competitions for office, on equal or nearly equal ground, will give silent preferences to those who are not of the fraternity.  My reasons for thinking this are, 1.  The grounds on which they lately declined the foreign order proposed to be conferred on some of our citizens. 2.  The fourth of the fundamental articles of constitution for the new States.  I enclose you the report; it has been considered by Congress, recommitted and reformed by a committee, according to sentiments expressed on other parts of it, but the principle referred to, having not been controverted at all, stands in this as in the original report; it is not yet confirmed by Congress. 3.  Private conversations on this subject with the members.  Since the receipt of your letter I have taken occasion to extend these; not, indeed, to the military members, because, being of the order, delicacy forbade it, but to the others pretty generally; and, among these, I have as yet found but one who is not opposed to the institution, and that with an anguish of mind, though covered under a guarded silence which I have not seen produced by any circumstance before.  I arrived at Philadelphia before the separation of the last Congress, and saw there and at Princeton some of its members not now in delegation.  Burke’s piece happened to come out at that time, which occasioned this institution to be the subject of conversation.  I found the same impressions made on them which their successors have received.  I hear from other quarters that it is disagreeable, generally, to such citizens as have attended to it, and, therefore, will probably be so to all, when any circumstance shall present it to the notice of all.

This, Sir, is as faithful an account of sentiments and facts as I am able to give you.  You know the extent of the circle within which my observations are at present circumscribed, and can estimate how far, as forming a part of the general opinion, it may merit notice, or ought to influence your particular conduct.

It now remains to pay obedience to that part of your letter, which requests sentiments on the most eligible measures to be pursued by the society, at their next meeting.  I must be far from pretending to be a judge of what would, in fact, be the most, eligible measures for the society.  I can only give you the opinions of those with whom I have conversed, and who, as I have before observed, are unfriendly to it.  They lead to these conclusions. 1.