Philadelphia. It is to that place, therefore, that your future letters
had better be addressed. They have still before them the bill for
funding the public debts. That has been hitherto delayed by a question,
whether the debts contracted by the particular Slates for general
purposes should, at once, be assumed by the General Government. A
developement of circumstances, and more mature consideration, seem to
have produced some change of opinion on the subject. When it was first
proposed, a majority was against it. There is reason to believe, by
the complexion of some later votes, that the majority will now be for
assuming these debts to a fixed amount. Twenty-one millions of dollars
are proposed. As soon as this point is settled, the funding bill will
pass, and Congress will adjourn. That adjournment will probably be
between the 6th and 13th of August. They expect it sooner. I shall then
be enabled to inform you, ultimately, on the subject of the French
debt, the negotiations for the payment of which will be referred to the
executive, and will not be retarded by them an unnecessary moment. A
bill has passed, authorizing the President to raise the salary of a
_Chargé des Affaires_ to four thousand five hundred dollars, from the
first day of July last. I am authorized by him to inform you, that
yours will accordingly be at that rate, and that you will be allowed for
gazettes, translating or printing papers, where that shall be necessary,
postage, couriers, and necessary aids to poor American sailors, in
addition to the salary, and no charge of any other description, except
where you may be directed to incur it expressly. I have thought it would
be most agreeable to you to give you precise information, that you may
be in no doubt in what manner to state your accounts. Be pleased to
settle your account down to the 1st of July last, and state the balance
then due, which will be to be paid out of the former fund. From that
day downwards, a new account must be opened, because a new fund is
appropriated to it, from that time. The expenses for the medals,