Madison, and of referring the matter to your judgments
and discretion.
Mr. Barclay when in Europe was authorized to settle all the European
accounts of the United States: he settled those of Dr. Franklin and Mr.
Adams, and it was intended between us, that he should settle mine.
But as what may be done at any time is often put off to the last, this
settlement had been made to give way to others, and that of Beaumarchais
being pressed on Mr. Barclay before his departure for Morocco, and
having long retarded his departure, it was agreed that my affair should
await his return from that mission: you know the circumstances which
prevented his return to Paris after that mission was finished. My
account is therefore unsettled, but I have no anxiety on any article of
it, except one, that is, the outfit. This consists of, 1. clothes; 2.
carriage and horses; 3. household furniture. When Congress made their
first appointments of ministers to be resident in Europe, I have
understood (for I was not then in Congress) that they allowed them all
their expenses, and a fixed sum over and above for their time.
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