thither. She will land me at Norfolk, and as I do not know any service
that would be rendered by my repairing immediately to New York, I
propose, in order to economize time, to go directly to my own house, get
through the business which calls me there, and then repair to New York,
where I shall be ready to re-embark for Europe. But should there be
any occasion for government to receive any information I can give,
immediately on my arrival, I will go to New York on receiving your
orders at Richmond. They may probably be there before me, as this goes
by Mr. Trumbull, bound directly for New York.

I enclose you herewith the proceedings of the National Assembly on
Saturday last, wherein you will perceive that the committee had approved
the plan of Mr. Necker. I can add from other sure information received
here, that the Assembly adopted it the same evening. This plan may
possibly keep their payments alive till their new government gets into
motion; though I do not think it very certain. The public stocks lowered
so exceedingly the last days of my stay at Paris, that I wrote to our
bankers at Amsterdam, to desire they would retain till further orders
the thirty thousand guilders, or so much of it as had not yet come on.
And as to what might be already coming on, I recommended to Mr. Short to
go and take the acceptance himself, and keep the bill in his own hands
till the time of payment. He will by that time see what is best to be
done with the money.

In taking leave of Monsieur de Montmorin, I asked him whether their West
India ports would continue open to us a while. He said they would be
immediately declared, open till February, and we may be sure they will
be so till the next harvest. He agreed with me, that there would be two
or three months' provision for the whole kingdom wanting for the ensuing
year. The consumption of bread for the whole kingdom, is two millions