that department, in which he now manifests but too much skill. He is not a sailor by profession. Care is taken that he does not want good sufficiency of provisions; but he is not allowed pen, ink, and paper, nor any visitor whatever except the head jailer. W. Mowbray was to have sent me up an account of the papers and things left with him, or found on the man; but if it does not come soon, I must omit sending it till next post.

I am, sir, &c.,

THOMAS WREN.

P. S. Mr. Mowbray has sent his paper, but it is rather badly drawn out. Moor, Mure, or Muir, is a tall, thin man, five feet nine inches high, with dark-brown hair, tied behind-native of Scotland. He came from Charleston, South Carolina, in January last, in the ship John, Samuel Purchase, master, and arrived in London in March; says he was cook of the vessel; but this is doubted.

Ten different wood-cuts, which together form the borders of two notes of North Carolina currency, one of one pound, the other of five shillings. A quantity of metal flowers, cast by Mr. William Caslon, letter founder, Chiswell street, London, which will make the same impression as on the reverse sides of the above, and other notes which he wanted to have counterfeited.

The following is a copy of Mr. Caslon's bill, found on the person :

Mr.

London, April 12, 1787.

Bought of William Caslon,

.....

S. d. .2 2

2 lbs. 8 oz. of great primer flowers at 1s. per lb.. 3" 13" small pica, at 1s. 6d. per lb..... ....4 51 long primer, at 1s. 6d. per lb............4 5 brevier, at 2s. 6d. per lb

2" 15" 9"

Received for William Caslon,

...

...1 5

12 91

E. WHITE.

Part of the long primer flowers having been much used, supposed to be taken from some printing office. A card on which are fixed specimens cut from the originals of the ornaments required to go round the reverse sides of the notes.

An original five shilling (suppose) note North Carolina currency, the subscriber's name to it obliterated.

Another note, No. 17459, signed J. Hunt, B. McCullock.

A sixpenny note, signed J. Hunt, No. 1356.

A five shilling Charleston note, No. 3004, subscriber's name cut

out.

A two shilling note, No. 11849, signed J. Hunt and B. McCullock.

A twenty shilling note.

They appear to be all printed by Thomas Davis, of Halifax.

FROM WALTER MOWBRAY TO JOHN ADAMS.

Sir,

As the intelligence I am to communicate is, in my opinion, of the highest consequence to the mercantile interest of America, I presume any apology for the freedom I take in writing to your Excellency is

unnecessary.

The discovery I am to make is an intended forgery of the paper currency of America, so ingeniously executed as to elude discovery. One of the persons concerned in this nefarious business has applied to me to print off a considerable number of notes of different provinces; I gave him such an answer as inclined him to believe I would comply with his request, that I might have it in my power to destroy, in embryo, a scheme artfully calculated to invade private property, and materially injure the credit of a commercial nation. He went away satisfied, and returned in a few hours with a wood-cut of one of the notes, an exact copy of the original, and metal borders precisely the same as those on the reverse side. He had sundry other notes with metal ornaments, which he also wanted impressions of. He is meanly dressed as a sailor, and apparently ignorant; but his habits and conversation have the appearance of disguise.

There is no doubt but that he has accomplices in London; for, on discovering a deficiency of two articles in the border for a note of which he wanted one thousand copies, he informed me he would send to town for them. The wood-cuts and metal borders are so nicely imitated as to render a discovery of the forgery extremely difficult.

I am, &c.,

WALTER MOWBRAY.

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY.

Grosvenor Square, May 1, 1787.

Dear Sir, With this is enclosed an elegant volume of improvements in naval architecture, together with original letters to me, that accompanied it. I know nothing of the author but what is there said, viz: That he is a gentleman of character and fortune. America is the place in the world the most likely for such improvements to be adopted, if they are really founded in science and utility. If, upon examination, it appears to be of value, Congress will judge what acknowledgments should be made of it.

With great esteem, &c.,

JOHN ADAMS.

MR. THOMAS COUTTS, banker in the Strand, has the honor to deliver this, by desire of the author of the book, who is his friend, and a gentleman of eminent character and fortune.

April 28, 1787.

FROM PATRICK MILLER TO JOHN ADAMS.

Edinburgh, April 14, 1787.

Sir,

I beg leave to present your Excellency with the account of an invention for the improvement of naval architecture, which was intended for the general good of mankind.

As I trust it will be followed with happy effects to the nations who shall adopt it, and that I believe it will prove particularly useful to the different States of North America, from the nature of their coasts and inland navigation, I request your Excellency to transmit the book by the first opportunity to Philadelphia, to be delivered to the honorable the Congress of the United States of America. I have the honor to be, &c.,

PATRICK MILLER.

FROM JOHN JAY TO JOHN ADAMS.

Office for Foreign Affairs, July 4, 1787.

Dear Sir,

I have been honored with your letters of the 10th, 19th, and 30th April, and 1st May last. Since the sitting of the Convention, a

sufficient number of States for the despatch of business have not been represented in Congress, so that it has neither been in my power officially to communicate your letters to them, nor to write on several subjects on which it is proper that Congress should make known their sentiments to you.

Your information of the attempt to counterfeit the paper of the Carolinas, and the probable design of exporting base pence to this country, is interesting, and shall be made proper use of.

The public attention is turned to the Convention. Their proceedings are kept secret, and it is uncertain how long they will continue to sit. It is, nevertheless, probable that the importance and variety of objects that must engage their attention will detain them longer than many may expect. It is much to be wished that the result of their deliberations may place the United States in a better situation; for if their measures should either be inadequate or rejected, the duration of the Union will become problematical. For my own part, I am convinced that a National Government as strong as may be compatible with liberty, is necessary to give us national security and respectability. Your book gives us many useful lessons; for, although I cannot subscribe to your chapter on Congress, yet I consider the work as a valuable one, and one that will tend greatly to recommend and establish those principles of government on which alone the United States can erect any political structure worth the trouble of erecting.

The western Indians are uneasy, and seem inclined to be hostile. It is not to be wondered at; injustice is too often done them, and the aggressors escape with impunity; in short, our Governments, both particular and general, are either so impotent, or so very gently administered, as neither to give much terror to evil-doers nor much support and encouragement to those who do well. I have not answered Colonel Smith's letters, but I have not forgotten him, nor will I forget him. What Congress will say about your resignation or your successor, I know not; for that and other matters in this department are yet to come under their consideration. The great delays which mark their proceedings on almost every interesting subject are extremely inconvenient, and sometimes injurious.

With great and sincere esteem, &c.,

JOHN JAY.

Dear Sir,

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY.

Grosvenor Square, London, May 8, 1787.

I am honored with your letter of April 2d, and am happy to receive the resolutions of Congress enclosed in it, especially those of 21st of March, 1787.

The convention at Philadelphia is to consist of members of such ability, weight, and experience, that the result must be beneficial to the United States.

The settlement of so many great controversies, such as those between the Massachusetts and New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, New York and Vermont, &c., show that the Union has great weight in the minds of the people. It is, indeed, an object of such magnitude, that great sacrifices ought to be made to its preservation. The consequences of a division of the continent cannot be foreseen fully, perhaps, by any man; but the most short-sighted must perceive such manifest danger, both from foreign Powers and from one another, as cannot be looked upon without terror. The navigation of the Mississippi in the South, and the fisheries in the North, have ever appeared to me objects without which the Union cannot be preserved; and, therefore, whether the free use of them be obstructed for a time or not, it has ever appeared a dangerous policy to cede the right, even for a moment.

Enclosed is a letter from our unfortunate countrymen in captivity at Algiers, which must be sent in the original, as there is not time to transcribe it.

I hope, sir, ere long, to receive your orders in consequence of the resolutions of Congress, preparatory to my return home in the next spring. The conduct of this Court, in so imprudently, as well as uncivilly, neglecting to send a Minister to America, renders it impossible for Congress, consistently with their own dignity, to renew my commission. When the American Minister shall leave this country, they will begin to think it necessary to send one of their own to New York. They may (for what I know) wish, in this way, to get rid of one whom they have not been able to mould to their views, in hopes of obtaining another of a more ductile temper. Let them try the experiment-I dare say they will be disappointed; for, if Congress appoints another, he will not be found more to their taste.