I have been so unlucky as being from home in the Country I have not had an Oppertunity of Seeing your Observations on the new proposed Constitution-but I admire & respect your Fortitude & Honesty in defending your private Opinion on it and think your fellow Citizens after they have fully considered for themselves must think otherways than as they are now in a Manner taught to believe witht exercising their own Judgments, observe many Capital Errors in it which MUST be mended in a short Time, but
I am decidedly for adopting it with all its Imperfections from believing: that we cannot long exisst as a Nation under the present chaotic Form; and that there is no probability of ever obtaining Another less Exceptionble than the proposed-
1It is plain that the Representation of the States are unequal,
the Institutions of Inferior Courts will be burthensome,
2 The order of the Cincinnati may obtain too great an Interest & Influence, & may engross so much of the publick Imployments as may endanger the Introduction of a standing Army in ye Time of Peace-
3but these My dear Friend, are Anticipations we must not give Way to, but rather adopt the Sentiment of Cicero-to Emulate wth each other Ne quid Detrimenti Respublica capiat, I honour yr Integrity, coincide with you that there must be an alteration made in it Here after, but Necessity fatal Necessity obliges me to determine in its Favr: if it was only to obtain the Institu[tion] of a Revenue to support public Credit or we are Undone wthout Benefit of Clergy- I write Currente Calamo and when I have seen your Observation[s] I will do myself the Honr to write you again.