Congratulates him on his return from Montreal and the Northwest; he too wishes that the British debts resolutions had not been passed, because it tends to weaken the federal bands and provides a pretext for the British to retain possession of the forts on the lakes; Joseph Jones has introduced a bill to provide for seven annual payments for repayment to begin in April 1786; only bill that has been passed was one granting James Rumsey a 10 year monopoly to develop the machine in a steamboat; discusses rejected bills, including one encouraging intermarriage with the Indians; General Assessment and circuit court bills will probably be thrown out, even with the influence of Patrick Henry; Monroe's letter recommending Colonel John Francis Mercer did not arrive in time to appoint him to a position; Joseph James has replaced William Short, and Spencer Roane and Miles Selden, Jr. have replaced Meriwether Smith and Colonel William Christian; Edward Carrington was very disappointed in losing by one vote when Colonel Jack Nicholas walked out on the last ballot; John Marshall attempted too to promote Monroe's friend's interest, Wilson Nicholas, who is about to marry Miss Margaret]Smith of Baltimore; Marshall's father is willing to help Monroe in regards to Monroe's western lands, but Marshall's cousin Humphrey Marshall would be better able to; discusses relative merits of selling or keeping Monroe's western lands. Photostat, Monroe Papers, Library of Congress, Washington D.C. Location of original is unknown.