or, at most, of a moderate size. If we lay them off into such, they will
acquiesce; and we shall have the advantage of arranging them, so as to
produce the best combinations of interest. What Congress have already
done in this matter, is an argument the more, in favor of the revolt of
those States against a different arrangement, and of their acquiescence
under a continuance of that. Upon this plan, we treat them as
fellow-citizens; they will have a just share in their own government;
they will love us, and pride themselves in an union with us. Upon
the other, we treat them as subjects; we govern them, and not they
themselves; they will abhor us as masters, and break off from us in
defiance. I confess to you, that I can see no other turn that these two
plans would take. But I respect your opinion, and your knowledge of the
country, too much, to be over-confident in my own.

I thank you sincerely for your communication, that my not having sooner
given notice of the _Arrêts_ relative to fish, gave discontent to some
persons. These are the most friendly offices you can do me, because they
enable me to justify myself, if I am right, or correct myself, if wrong.
If those who thought I might have been remiss, would have written to me
on the subject, I should have admired them for their candor, and thanked
them for it: for I have no jealousies nor resentments at things of this
kind, where I have no reason to believe they have been excited by a
hostile spirit; and I suspect no such spirit in a single member of
Congress. You know there were two _Arrêts_; the first of August the
30th, 1784, the second of the 18th and 25th of September, 1785. As to
the first, it would be a sufficient justification of myself, to say,
that it was in the time of my predecessor, nine months before I came
into office, and that there was no more reason for my giving information
of it, when I did come into office, than of all the other transactions,
which preceded that period. But this would seem to lay a blame on Dr.