TheyhavebeenlongendeavoringtobatterdowntheGovernor，whohasalwaysbeenafirmrepublican。TherewerecharacterssuperiortohimwhomIwishedtoappoint，buttheyrefusedtheoffice：Iknownobettermanwhowouldacceptofit，anditwouldnotberighttoturnhimoutforonenotbetter。Butitisthe2d。cause，abovementioned，whichisdeep-seated&permanent。TheFrenchmembersoftheLegislature，beingthemajorityinbothHouses，latelypassedanactdeclaringthatthecivil，orFrenchlaws，shouldbethelawsoftheirland，andenumeratedabout50foliovolumes，inLatin，asthedepositoriesoftheselaws。TheGovernornegativedtheact。Oneofthehousesthereuponpassedavoteforself-dissolutionoftheLegislatureasauselessbody，whichfailedintheotherHousebyasinglevoteonly。Theyseparated，however，&havedisseminatedallthediscontenttheycould。IproposetothemembersofCongressinconversation，theenlisting30，000volunteers，Americansbybirth，tobecarriedatthepublicexpense，&settledimmediatelyonabountyof160acresoflandeach，onthewestsideoftheMississippi，ontheconditionofgivingtwoyearsofmilitaryservice，ifthatcountryshouldbeattackedwithin7years。Thedefenceofthecountrywouldthusbeplacedonthespot，andtheadditionalnumberwouldentitletheterritorytobecomeaState，wouldmakethemajorityAmerican，&makeitanAmericaninsteadofaFrenchState。
ThiswouldnotsweetenthepilltotheFrench；butinmakingthatacquisitionwehadsomeviewtoourowngoodaswellastheirs，andI
believethegreatestgoodofbothwillbepromotedbywhateverwillamalgamateustogether。
Ihavetiredyou，myfriend，withalongletter。Butyourtediumwillendinafewlinesmore。Minehasyettwoyearstoendure。IamtiredofanofficewhereIcandonomoregoodthanmanyothers，whowouldbegladtobeemployedinit。Tomyself，personally，itbringsnothingbutunceasingdrudgery&dailylossoffriends。Everyofficebecomingvacant，everyappointmentmade，medonneuningrat，etcentennemis。Myonlyconsolationisinthebeliefthatmyfellowcitizensatlargegivemecreditforgoodintentions。Iwillcertainlyendeavortomeritthecontinuanceofthatgood-willwhichfollowswell-intendedactions，andtheirapprobationwillbethedearestrewardIcancarryintoretirement。
Godblessyou，myexcellentfriend，andgiveyouyetmanyhealthyandhappyyears。