nor possess the dexterity requisite for the purpose.  On the other hand, Mr. Adams, whom I expressly and sincerely recommend, stands already on ground for that business, which I could not gain in years.  Pray set me to rights in the minds of those, who may have supposed me privy to this proposition. En passant, I will observe with respect to Mr. Dumas, that the death of the Count de Vergennes places Congress more at their ease, how to dispose of him.  Our credit has been ill treated here in public debate, and our debt here deemed apocryphal.  We should try to transfer this debt elsewhere, and leave nothing capable of exciting ill thoughts between us.  I shall mention in my letter to Mr. Jay, a disagreeable affair which Mr. Barclay has been thrown into, at Bordeaux.  An honester man cannot be found, nor a slower, nor more decisive one.  His affairs, too, are so embarrassed and desperate, that the public reputation is, every moment, in danger of being compromitted with him.  He is perfectly amiable and honest, with all his embarrassments.

By the next packet, I shall be able to send you some books, as also your watch and pedometer.  The two last are not yet done.  To search for books, and forward them to Havre, will require more time than I had between my return and the departure of this packet.  Having been a witness, heretofore, to the divisions in Congress on the subject of their foreign ministers, it would be a weakness in me to suppose none with respect to myself, or to count with any confidence on the renewal of my commission, which expires on the 10th day of March next; and the more so, as instead of requiring the disapprobation of seven States, as formerly, that of one suffices for a recall, when Congress consists of only seven States, two, when of eight, &c. which I suppose to be habitually their numbers at present.  Whenever I leave this place, it will be necessary to begin my arrangements six months before my departure; and these, once fairly begun and under way, and my mind set homewards, a change of purpose could hardly take place.  If it should be the desire of Congress that I should continue still longer, I could wish to know it, at farthest, by the packet which will sail from New York in September.  Because, were I to put off longer the quitting my house, selling my furniture, he, I should not have time left to wind up my affairs; and having once quitted, and sold off my furniture, I could not think of establishing myself here again.  I take the liberty of mentioning this matter to you, not with a desire to change the purpose of Congress, but to know it in time.  I have never fixed in my mind, the epoch of my return, so far as shall depend on myself, but I never supposed it very distant.  Probably I shall not risk a second vote on this subject.  Such trifling things may draw on me the displeasure of one or two States, and thus submit me to the disgrace of a recall.