Since your last of March the 27th, I have only written that of May
the 3th. The cause of this long silence, on both parts has been the
expectation I communicated to you of embarking for America. In fact, I
have expected permission for this, every hour since the month of March,
and therefore always thought that by putting off writing to you a few
days, my letter, while it should communicate the occurrences of the day,
might be a letter of adieu. Should my permission now arrive, I should
put off my departure till after the equinox. They write me that my not
receiving it, has proceeded from the ceasing of the old government in
October last, and the organization of the higher departments in the new,
which had not yet taken place when my last letters came away. Bills
had been brought in, for establishing departments of Foreign Affairs,
Finance, and War. The last would certainly be given to General Knox. Mr.
Jay would probably have his choice of the first and second; and it was
supposed Hamilton would have that which Mr. Jay declined. Some thought
Mr. Jay would prefer and obtain the head of the law department, for
which Wilson would be a competitor. In such a case, some have supposed
C. Thomson would ask the Foreign Affairs. The Senate and Representatives
differed about the title of the President. The former wanted to style
him 'His Highness George Washington, President of the United States,
and Protector of their Liberties.' The latter insisted and prevailed, to
give no title but that of office, to wit, 'George Washington, President
of the United States.' I hope the terms of Excellency, Honor, Worship,
Esquire, for ever disappear from among us, from that moment: I wish that
of Mr. would follow them. In the impost bill, the Representatives had,
by almost an unanimous concurrence, made a difference between nations in
treaty with us, and those not in treaty. The Senate had struck out
this difference, and lowered all the duties. _Quære_, whether the
Representatives would yield? Congress were to proceed, about the 1st of