New York 3 January 1789 — Dear Sir I take this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your several favors of the 17 February 29 March & 22 June [strikethrough: You must have been [undecipherable] you ought not to attribute my [undecipherable: pleasure?] to [undecipherable] that you [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] letters — You [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] have been interrupted [undecipherable] already is more] am persuaded that your knowledge [superscript marginalia: no [undecipherable] letter] of the customs of the European world, will be a sufficient apology for my not entering into particular details of the politics or other objects of the country where you are — Instead of being [undecipherable] thereto [undecipherable] to have written amply to you upon any subjects of your private affairs here, or the objects which [undecipherable] here, I presume you [undecipherable] [undecipherable] shall be happy at all times to receive by [undecipherable: safe?] conveyances Your communications on any subjects wherein [I] could be of service to you — but I presume my making you [undecipherable] particular [undecipherable] by uncertain conveyances more [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable: needs inquiring them?]] I sincerely hope that you may be successful in your exertions to extricate your [undecipherable: affairs?] from the embarrassments under which they are laboring — and on this point I would [undecipherable] [undecipherable] before [undecipherable] that perseverance is capable of overcoming all difficulties I have been at [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Your Lady?] and your [undecipherable: four?] lovely children [undecipherable: were?] in perfect health — I hope the [undecipherable: time?] may soon arrive when you [undecipherable: may?] again rejoice them — [undecipherable] The New Constitution [undecipherable] [undecipherable] good [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] friends [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — Its opponents are diminishing daily — [undecipherable] and the [undecipherable: Majority?] of the Legislatures of New York and Virginia voted in [undecipherable] general convention but [undecipherable] other States [undecipherable] have already [undecipherable] to desire [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] experience should be the director of any future alterations North Carolina after rejecting the Constitution has call'd [undecipherable] the convention [undecipherable] near [undecipherable] — Rhode Island is still holding out [undecipherable] it must ultimately [undecipherable: conform?] to the great — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to the majority of the Country — The exports from the United States during the last year have exceeded any the exports of any preceding year — They estimate them when exported from [undecipherable] only upwards of 3,000,000 dolls worth — [undecipherable] included — The resources of the country are indeed [undecipherable] great, and are continually encreas[ing] with its [undecipherable] — I hope you [undecipherable] be able to avail yourself of the rising prosperity of this [undecipherable] United States I am Dear Sir with great sincerity your friend & humble Servant Knox [James Swan Esq —]