[draft] Boston 21 January 1785 I have [struck: the satisfied] the satisfaction my dear Sir to aknowledge [sic] the receipt of your kind favors of Decr [inserted: and Jany 5th. ] for which I beg you to receive my warmest thanks. I [struck: esteem it] [inserted: regard these letters] as a fresh proof of your [inserted: unchanging] friendship and kindness [struck: which is not changed by absence or altered by [inserted: circumstances] altered by an alteration of situations.] which I shall ever hold as [struck: a] [struck: valuable] [inserted: one] of the first blessings of my Life - [struck: In the state temper] The indians being in a bad temper when you went to the Westward, [struck: I] [strikeout] I felt [struck: an extreme] [inserted: great] solicitude on your account as I was apprehensive you would have proceeded to the utmost [struck: length] [inserted: distance] you at first intended. I [struck: am happy] [inserted: was glad] to learn that you altered your determination. You must [struck: however] have been chagrined to [struck: find] to have found your Lands possessed by a [inserted: lawless] people who [struck: not only disregard your services but the claims of equity and Justice - your equitable claims] - the first principle of Society - These and other circumstances my [struck: gen] dear sir you will experience as exercises to your [2] to your Philosophy - But it will be to you a [struck: sufficient] consolation, full of peace, to reflect that you have in all your actions obeyed the dictates of a mind [struck: Philantropic mind] [inserted: [struck: for] replete with patriotism and universal benevolence] - This is a happiness that few possess, and perhaps not one on Earth has reason to possess it in [struck: so] [inserted: a more] eminent a degree than you [struck: have] - [struck: Were I [inserted: a person] to argue of the future character of America as a Nation, from the dispositions the several states have evinced since the peace, [struck: I should] they would pronounce much evil. [struck: We have] [inserted: The states have] as you justly observe different views [sic Your remarks on the present situation of our Country are indeed too just - The different states have not only different views upon the same subject, but some of them have views that sooner or later must [struck: end in blood] [inserted: involve the Country in all the horrors [struck: of] [strikeout] [inserted: of civil War If There is any [inserted: good] policy which prevades [struck: their] [inserted: general] [strikeout] [inserted: our public] measures [struck: generally] it is too mysterious to to be comprehended by people out of the secrets - A neglect in every state of those principles which lead to Union and national greatness - An adoption of local [struck: measu] [3] in preference to general measures appear to actuate [struck: the] the greater part of the state politicians - We are entirely destitute of those traits which should stamp us one nation - and the Constitution of Congress does not [struck: seem to] promise any capital alteration for the better - [strikeout] [struck: every] Great measures will not be carried [inserted: in Congress] so much by the [struck: ability] propriety [inserted: utility] and necessity of things but as a matter of compromise for some other thing which may [inserted: may be evil itself or] may have a tendency to evil - This is not so much the fault of the Members as the defect of human nature - every state [struck: ser] considers their representatives at Congress not so much the [struck: political fathers] [inserted: Legislatures] of the whole [inserted: Union], as their own immediate Agents or Ambassadors, to negociate [struck: for them &] to endeavor [sic] as much as possible [struck: to exonerate them from] [4] [struck: Their just proportion of the expence of the whole] - and to create in [inserted: an influence in to favor] Congress [struck: certain dispositions [strikeout] particular views &c - With [struck: such] a constitution producing such dispositions is it possible that the Americans can ever rival the roman name? The [struck: attempt] operation of opening of [inserted: navigation of the powtomack at its source] [struck: tho] is truly noble - and if successful, of which I hope there is not a doubt [inserted: it] must [struck: have the] be followed by the most extensively beneficial consequences, which will [struck: grow with] encrease in exact proportion to the encrease of the population of the Country - I am pleased that you [struck: have] are so much interested in this great work - You are so kind as to ask whether Genl Lincoln and myself had [struck: and] an agreable tour to the Eastward? - [struck: we have] and [inserted: whether -] the state societies making moves towards obtaining charters? - We went to the eastern Line of this State, and found that the british had made excessive encroachments upon our territories - There are several rivers [inserted: in the bay of Passamaquoddy to which they have [struck: given the] within 20 years [struck: last] past given the name of St Croix but the ancient St. Croix is the the most eastern one - They have settled on the middle one called Scudac - although the mouth [struck: of those rivers are] [inserted: those two rivers Scudac & St Croix run north about sixty miles to their sources] are only nine miles apart yet their sources are [docket on page 1] From Genl Knox Jany 21st 1785