_ToArchibaldStuart_
_Philadelphia，Dec。23，1791_
DEARSIR，——IreceiveddulyyourfavorofOctob22。andshouldhaveanswereditbythegentlemanwhodeliveredit，butthathelefttownbeforeIknewofit。
Thatitisreallyimportanttoprovideaconstitutionforourstatecannotbedoubted：aslittlecanitbedoubtedthattheordinancecalledbythatnamehasimportantdefects。Butbeforeweattemptit，weshouldendeavortobeascertainasispracticablethatintheattemptweshouldnotmakebadworse。IhaveunderstoodthatMr。Henryhasalwaysbeenopposedtothisundertaking：andI
confessthatIconsiderhistalentsandinfluencesuchasthat，wereitdecidedthatweshouldcallaConventionforthepurposeofamending，Ishouldfearhemightinducethatconventioneithertofixthethingasatpresent，orchangeitfortheworse。Woulditnotthereforebewellthatmeansshouldbeadoptedforcomingathisideasofthechangeshewouldagreeto，&forcommunicatingtohimthosewhichweshouldpropose?Perhapshemightfindoursnotsodistantfromhisbutthatsomemutualsacrificesmightbringthemtogether。