placed you than if still with me, has solaced me on my parting with you, which my love for you has rendered a difficult thing. The acquirements which I hope you will make under the tutors I have provided for you will render you more worthy of my love; and if they cannot increase it, they will prevent its diminution. Consider the good lady who has taken you under her roof, who has undertaken to see that you perform all your exercises, and to admonish you in all those wanderings from what is right or what is clever, to which your inexperience would expose you consider her, I say, as your mother, as the only person to whom, since the loss with which Heaven has pleased to afflict you, you can now look up; and that her displeasure or disapprobation, on any occasion, will be an immense misfortune, which should you be so unhappy as to incur by any unguarded act, think no concession too much to regain her goodwill. With respect to the distribution of your time, the following is what I should approve :

From 8 to 10, practice music.

From 10 to 1, dance one day and draw another. From 1 to 2, draw on the day you dance, and write a letter next day.

From 3 to 4, read French.

From 4 to 5, exercise yourself in music.

From 5 till bed-time, read English, write, etc.

Communicate this plan to

Mrs. Hopkinson, and if

As long as Mrs. Trist

she approves of it, pursue it. of it, pursue it. remains in Philadelphia, cultivate her affection. She has been a valuable friend to you, and her good

sense and good heart make her valued by all who know her, and by nobody on earth more than me. I expect you will write me by every post. Inform me what books you read, what tunes you learn, and inclose me your best copy of every lesson in drawing. Write also one letter a week either to your Aunt Eppes, your Aunt Skipwith, your Aunt Carr, or the little lady from whom I now enclose a letter, and always put the letter you so write under cover to me. Take care that you never spell a word wrong. Always before you write a word, consider how it is spelt, and, if you do not remember it, turn to a dictionary. It produces great praise to a lady to spell well. I have placed my happiness on seeing you good and accomplished; and no distress this world can now bring on me would equal that of your disappointing my hopes. If you love me, then strive to be good under every situation and to all living creatures, and to acquire those accomplishments which I have put in your power, and which will go far towards ensuring you the warmest love of your affectionate father.

P.S.-Keep my letters and read them at times, that you may always have present in your mind those things which will endear you to me.

TO JAMES MADISON.

MAD. MSS.

ANNAPOLIS, Dec. 11. 1783.

DEAR SIR,-Your determination to avail yourself of the fine weather proved I fear a very unfortunate I pitied your probable situation in the tem

one.

pestuous season which immediately succeeded your departure. It is now above a fortnight since we should have met, and six states only appear. We have some hopes of Rhode Island coming in to-day, but when two more will be added seems as insusceptible of calculation as when the next earthquake will happen. We have at length received the Definitive treaty with a joint letter from all our Commissioners. Not a tittle is changed in the treaty but the preamble & some small things which were of course. The Commissioners write that the riot of Philadelphia & departure of Congress thence made the most serious impressions in Europe, and have excited great doubts of the stability of our confederacy, & in what we shall end. The accounts were greatly exaggerated, & it is suspected that Gr. Br. wished to sign. no treaty.

You have seen G[eorge] M [ason] I hope, & had much conversation with him. What are his sentiments as to the amendment of our constitution? What amendment would he approve? Is he determined to sleep on, or will he rouse and be active? I wish to hear from you on this subject, & at all times on any others which occupy your thoughts. I see Bradford advertises Smith's history of N. York. As I mean to write for one for myself, and think I heard you say you had it not, I shall add one for you. Our news from the good family we left is not agreeable. Mrs. Trist is much agitated by the doubts and difficulties which hang over her & impede her reunion with Mr. Trist. They are

without lodgers except those we left there, & the ladies we left there propose soon to depart. We hear some circumstances of rudeness in Mr. S. inconsistent with the inoffensiveness of character we had given him credit for. I wish I wish you much happiness and am with the sincerest esteem Dr. Sir, your friend and servt.

P.S. I have taken the liberty of putting under cover to you a book for my nephew Peter Carr, who is at Mr. Maury's in your neighborhood.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS.1

C.C.

[December, 1783.]

The committee appointed to revise the files of reports and appointment of Committees & to report what matters will require the attention of Congress previous to an adjournment have revised the files of reports, digested them under five heads and agreed to the following report thereon.

The first head comprehends important reports requiring the assent of 9 states. These relate to the ratification of the definitive treaty, the military arrangements in time of peace, the civil arrangements foreign and domestic, the territories on our western border, and the definition of the powers proper for a committee of the states, which several matters are thought essential for the consideration of Congress before their adjournment.

The second head comprehends reports which also require the assent of 9 states, they relate to matters of account, & particular claims for money which may probably be dispatched in those short intervals on portions of the day in which it may not be

1 Endorsed: "No. 37. Report of Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Williamson to revise the files and report the matters that will require the attention of Congress previous to an adjournmt." It was probably drawn up immediately after the meeting of Congress at Annapolis, Dec. 13, 1783.

convenient to discuss the first great subjects. Many of them however are such as ought not to detain Congress whenever they shall be ready for adjournment.

The third head comprehends reports which may be acted on by 7 states & which therefore may be taken up by Congress immediately.

The fourth comprehends those which should be postponed to another session, some of them being not at all pressing and others not yet matured for determination.

The fifth comprehends those reports which having been rendered useless by subsequent events may be postponed generally. The committee having not had time yet to revise the appointment of Committees, and to arrange their objects under the same heads, beg leave to report again when they shall have made further progress.

REPORT ON DEFINITIVE TREATY.'

C.C.

[December 16, 1783.]

The Committee to whom were referred the Definitive treaty of peace, between the United States of America and his Britannic Majesty, and the joint letter from mr. Adams mr Franklin and mr Jay have agreed to the following report.

Resolved that the said Definitive treaty be ratified by the United States in Congress assembled.

That a Proclamation should be immediately issued notifying the said definitive treaty & ratification to the several states of the Union, & requiring their observance thereof.

That Congress should immediately & earnestly recommend to the legislatures of the respective States, to provide for the restitution of all estates, rights & properties, which have been confiscated, belonging to real British subjects and also of the estates, rights & properties of persons resident in districts which were in the possession of his Britannic majesty's arms at any time between the 30th day of November 1782, and the 14th

1 Endorsed "No. 5. Report of Mr. Jefferson etc. on defin. treaty, delivered 16 December 1783; read.-entd. passed January 14, 1784."