[Page 1 of this file is an archival placeholder reading "Illegible Text — Some or all of the pages of this file are wholly or in part illegible. We have not been able either to locate a better copy of the document, or to enhance its legibility electronically." No transcribable document text is present on that page.] Pittsfield March 1, 1787 My Dear Sir, Your favours at the [undecipherable] did not arrive untill this morning, or I should have acknowledged the rect of it before. I have long since noticed, as you [undecipherable], that [undecipherable] from the [undecipherable] the continental act. That the powers [undecipherable] to them were [undecipherable] enough but [undecipherable] to go a [undecipherable] should be enforced, by that born [undecipherable] their much [undecipherable] that their recommendations have been regarded in no [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] of their [undecipherable] to enforce them, that they would have for us their [undecipherable] to the United States in language the most unequivocal, that the honor, interest & [undecipherable] of their States depended upon a grant of power [undecipherable] different in their nature from [undecipherable] methods to [undecipherable] the balance to the different States & do them equal [undecipherable] names [undecipherable] that body to [undecipherable] the times. [undecipherable] & have the best interest of [undecipherable] among the nations of the World. That it [undecipherable] would have recommended to [undecipherable] have formed a Convention [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] representations [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] system [undecipherable] when [undecipherable], [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] officers [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] different States [undecipherable] should be honored & each to take their [undecipherable] aspect of the great [undecipherable]. I [undecipherable] then had gone [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] the United States all [undecipherable] if they would adopt [undecipherable] a [undecipherable], or one [undecipherable] in its [undecipherable], should be [undecipherable] that they would not hold the narrow [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] after a given period, [undecipherable] that they would render [undecipherable] all the powers which had [undecipherable] to them, & that they would not think themselves chargeable for any ill consequences which might arise. — I have [undecipherable] the most [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] the people would adopt any recommendation about a form of [undecipherable] in which [undecipherable] enlargment of their powers are included, they would immediately become jealous of them, & that the few were [undecipherable] to enslave the many; sentiments like this would be thrown out, & [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] at the [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. The recommendations of a Convention are not liable to these [undecipherable] as they would not be forming a system for themselves. I regret that not [undecipherable] themselves authorised to recommend a Convention [undecipherable] [undecipherable] they have reason to [undecipherable], to which I am a [undecipherable] strange — To [undecipherable] on the subject, it is a [undecipherable] point, & if I [undecipherable] only add my most fervent wishes that [undecipherable] Congress [undecipherable] their obligations to this matter, yet, perhaps as we are that we cannot long exist under our present Government as it is now modeled, one may indulge in a way the most rational, guard against the ill consequences that total dissolution of the little remains of it, if we have [undecipherable] practised a remedy, & that we may, before it is too late, be wise enough to establish a Government of choice, to some Government we must have, if not of choice, it may be of chance. Nothing very material has taken place [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] my late journey [undecipherable] might [undecipherable] after a day of the [undecipherable]. The town of Stockbridge [undecipherable] 120 of them, made [undecipherable] of a number of the good inhabitants [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] then moved to Barrington, where they [undecipherable] the most outrages against [undecipherable] & [undecipherable]; upon their approach the Barrington Militia retired before them & united and [undecipherable] under [undecipherable] Ashley, the Stockbridge & the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] under [undecipherable] Ashley, this force in number being [undecipherable] able to attack them, moved towards & fell in with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] Dispersed, they fell back into the hands of the other militia who were coming up, two or three men [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] among them [undecipherable] the leaders, [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] one of them [undecipherable] is now [undecipherable] among [undecipherable] in this county [undecipherable] the most [undecipherable] attacks on the [undecipherable] — I have information, tho not officially, from either of the Governments, that Connecticut & [undecipherable] have [undecipherable] the rebels who had taken shelter in their States, something [undecipherable] & there to [undecipherable] them, [undecipherable] induced them to [undecipherable] into the [undecipherable] Government. A Vermont [undecipherable] reason [undecipherable] they must be responsible for their conduct to be at least as [undecipherable] as possible, & they fly into the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] inhabitants of that State. [?] I have just [undecipherable] information by [undecipherable] Allen, a late [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] who is on his return from Vermont, that [undecipherable] George, [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] who have been [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] towards [undecipherable], perhaps if they can be permitted, they will remove within the [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. I [undecipherable] have [undecipherable] known a [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] men who have [undecipherable] time, but [undecipherable] arms against our [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] induced them to [undecipherable] that the inhabitants here have now little to apprehend from the parties which for some time past have been [undecipherable] within the [undecipherable] States. Indeed the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] seems nearly to be [undecipherable] decidedly the people & [undecipherable] in their [undecipherable] to government. The [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in this county [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] the minds of the people — if especially [undecipherable] in this [undecipherable] their [undecipherable] victory, the State [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] all that money which the good [undecipherable] [undecipherable] admit; I hope they will do it with a grace, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] disposition to forgive & to embrace [undecipherable] those who are forgiven; to repair the disorders at the [undecipherable] to bring them to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it is [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] dispositive [undecipherable] [undecipherable] For my better [undecipherable] the enclosed observations which I have [undecipherable] put into the hands of a [undecipherable] within [undecipherable] not [undecipherable] I [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] consider them, as they are not being more than private hints to a confidential [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it would not do to publish [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] while duty required my aiding in [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [signature] [undecipherable] March [undecipherable]