[along the left margin:] Col. Ouherny Oct. 28th and 31st 1797 Trenton Oct, 28. 1797 Sir, This morning I was honoured with your letter of the 26th. My opinion is that by the second Monday in November the members of Congress may assemble in Philadelphia with proper [undecipherable] faster which was to be expected with [undecipherable]. The [undecipherable] of contagion in the [undecipherable]days to come. The [undecipherable] of the College & Schools [undecipherable] reasonable [undecipherable] to enter on the [undecipherable] from the purpose [undecipherable] Congress and all the [undecipherable] places [undecipherable] within the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that Mr. [undecipherable] that his office will be [undecipherable]from this day. [undecipherable]letter [undecipherable] will reform on Monday [undecipherable] Cannot Cannot so contrary to the wishes and reports of those men among us thow manifest a malignant pleasure at every insult offered to their countra or its deserving citizens by the French. _ As connected with the reception of your son, I have the pleasure to recite, from General Bruckney’s letter of July 30th, received last ebening, that Major Mountflorence has waited upon Mr. Talleyard, the new minister for foreign aggairs, and was very cordially received. Mr. Talleyrand enquired politely after General Pinckney, and added “he hoped forn to habe the pleaseure of seeing him in Paris.” Mr. Talleyard has dismissed all the officers in his department except M. Girandel, the Secretary general, whose politness to General Pinckney you will recollect was [undecipherable] in his letter fro Paris. Mr. Otto & Mr. LaForess, whom you [undecipherable] have [undecipherable] both at present employed in that department. Genl. Pickney [undecipherable] that M. Laforess several times called on him in Paris, & always expressed the most friendly sentiments towards the U.S. and shared and ernest desire that harmony might be restored between the two nations. I mentioned in my last, that the Consuls in the differet parts of France had requested to be furnished with the translated copies of my printed letter to General Pinckney Pickney. The General, in this last letter, mentiones the acquital of one American vessel and her cargo, at L’Orient, & of one other vessel, whose cargo was condanned; and then add_ “Mr. Nail, Consular Agent at that port, writes that your printed letter to me, and Mr. Pastorel’s speech, have had a decided influence on the mind of the judges.” The latest letter from Mr. King is dated the 21st of August. He can give no information of the negotiations at Lisle: but the last accounts from the Continent diminish the probability of a recommencement of war between Austria and France, tho’ the definitive treaty between them is not ye concluded." Mr. J.Q. Adams was still at London. He and Mr. Kind conducted that it would be left, prior to his departure for Berlin, to ascertai whether there would be any embarrassment in the proposal to review the commercial treaty with Prussia. This was done thro’ the Prussian minister, Mr. Balan, who has received an answer from the Prussian minister of foreign affairs in these words - “quant á Mr. nouvellerai avec plaisir, avec les Etats Unis de l’Amerique, le traité de commerce conclu entre nous; et que la mission de Mr. Adams que le President du Congrés se propose d’envoyer pour cet effet a Berlin ne pourra que on être tres agreable.” In a late letter Mr Kind recites his conferences with the Lord Chancellor on the Subject of the Maryland [undecipherable] Stock detained by the Government: and the probability is that is will soon be restored. A Mr. Russell who had a claim upon it on account of an estate confiscated by Maryland is dead, and his family received, among the long life, full compensation from the Crown. Judge Chan seemed to have been the agent of Maryland in this business; and as his request I have sent him the details, fro the infromation of their executive. G. Britain & Prussia concluded a treaty of commerce and navigation at Petersburg, on the 21st last February. I eccd. it with Mr. Kings last letter yesterday evening. I have had time but to cast a hasty eye over it. The principle of the armed [undecipherable] their [undecipherable] made for good, is not mentioned but this [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] Stores are not contraband. The [undecipherable] article stipulated , that the subject of the tow powers shd. pay no higher taxation of imprtations and exportation than the subjects by other nations. At the 11th of May the same nations that to the words “other natios, European nations alone are to be understood.” This explanation can have reference only to the UStates whose commerce consequently, may be exempted from any part of the duties imposed on that of Russia. I had the honor to be most respectfully Yir, your obt. Servt. Timothy Pickening