Since my last to you I have received your two favors of May 31 and June 14th. I could find no papers whatever relating to Mr David M. Randolph's case. I wrote to him on the subject immediately.

Enclosed you have a copy of three of Genl Washington's letters to Genl Andrew Lewis, according to your request; they are all I can find, but they do not seem to meet your views. 

The papers as you will have heard are all safely arrived. I have arranged them in cases made for the purpose, and in such a manner as to insure the greatest safety. Mr Cazenove has never sent me any charges for the freight of the boxes that came by water. 

In the plan for publishing I have made no progress except to employ agents to procure subscriptions in different parts of the United States. This will be a work of more than a year. 

I am quite at a loss to determine in what manner to proceed in the publication. No publisher will undertake it, that I can find who will agree to allow us what I think a fair compensation; and the very large amount of money necessary to be paid in advance, to put the printing and publishing business in operation, in addition to the pay of agents for obtaining names; I fear will be much greater than it will be prudent for me to risk, even if my credit is such as to enable me to procure it. As yet therefore I am wholly in doubt as to the mode which it is best to adopt.

If I could command the means the work might be published without essential interference in connexion with the North American Review, and under my own eye. But even then, it would be source of trouble and anxiety to me, which my other pursuits render it quite important that I should not be encumbered with. If a better arrangement with a regular publisher cannot be made, however, than present prospects warrant us to anticipate, it is probable this mode will be resorted to in the end. 

These hints will show you how things now stand, and I shall take care to keep you informed of any future measures affecting the general interests of the work. 

Some intelligent officers in the army have expressed a hope that the opinions of the Major Generals during the revolution would be published, particularly for the use of the army. They will make one or two volumes, and if a subscription can be obtained they may be published hereafter, but not in connexion with General Washington's Works. 

Upon the plan of publishing the work at my own charge and risk, I forsee so many difficulties which will be likely to arise in keeping distinct accounts and making a just division of profits, that I could heartily wish some fixed amount might be agreed on which I should pay you. 

There will be large contracts with paper makers, printers, and binders; contracts with agents in various parts; expenses for clerks, transportation of books, postage, and losses on counterfeit money, distant currency and bad debts that will remain long unsettled after the work is closed; and also innumerable smaller charges which cannot be foreseen. 

To keep all such accounts seperately through a space through a space of four or five years, and make such a statement of them as will lead to a fair and equitable division of profits, will be a task of no ordinary perplexity, if indeed it be practicable at all.

I propose therefore as a measure fraught with the least difficulty that you should name a definite sum which you will accept for your interest in one edition of General Washington's Works, prepared and published according to our contract in a series of volumes not less than eight nor more than twelve in number. In other words what you will take as a consideration for one half of the profits of one edition, it being agreed on my part, that I will pay you in sums proportioned to the number of volumes published, nine months from the date of their publication respectively.

It is to be particularly understood in naming this amount that whatever disposition I may be able to make of the work in Europe, if any, shall be for my benefit alone; and also that neither of the letters received by General Washington heretofore proposed to be published, nor the opinions of the Major Generals above mentioned are to be taken into the account.

If we can mutually fix on such a sum, with such conditions, you will readily perceive how much it will simplify all future proceedings, and remove every possible occasion of misunderstanding and embarrassment. I shall be glad if you will make a proposition of this sort, which I will take into consideration, and trust it may result satisfactorily to us both. At present I have no other means of judging on the subject than yourself, nor in fact does the case admit of any near approach to an exact estimate. With great respect and regard I am, Sir, your friend and most obedient servant