John Bondfield to John Adams, November 20, 1789

Bordeaux 20 Nov 1789

Sir

I am this day honor’d with your favor of the 16 September

I am happy to find that the affairs of America are in a state to
fix a permanent line of Reimburssment, becoming thereby truely independant.

Notwithstanding the weight of Opossion against the leading Members
of the National Assembly, the steddy perseverance of the few and the effectual support
of the Marquis de La fayette in whose hands are the reigns of the National Troops. that
the Motions made by the Patriote Committees are decretted by a Powerful majority

The Revolution is Compleat unless you regard leaving in the Person
of the King a Susperiur Power and an hereditary Succession, [. . .] abuses
both have limits that render the nation a Curb to infractions

the distinction of orders are Vanish’d, the Incorporated Bodies are
Supprest, all provincial distinctions of charters Privalidges and Customs are destroy’d
the formadable Body of the Parliaments and all Religious Orders Supprest. The Estates of
the Clergy Sequester’d for the benefit of the Nation applicable to the discharge of the
National Debt, the Courts of Justice suspended to the Establishment of a New Code—

The Old Mansion is thus entirely demolish’d and the materials are
colected to A heap to be destroyd by time The Plan of the New fabrique is before the
House of Assembly They have begun by the Ground Work, by a New division of the Kingdom
into 80 equal parts of 36 by 36 Leagues. called Departement, the 80
departments into 9 equal divivissions of 6 by 6 Leagues call’d Com̃unes or
Districts. The Communes into 9 equal Divissions of 2 by 2 Leagues called Cantons or
Primaires The Names of the Old Provinces have no longer existence

The present deliberations are imploy’d in organizing the
Municipality’s. The Represtations are to take Rise from the Cantons or Primaires in the
proportion of Population of 1 to 600 to form the provincial assemblys

from these outlines you see a methodique order establish’d by the
Moteurs of the Revolution and all personalties being set asside and a general chain of
Popular measures pursued. the People at large approve the measusurs and smother the
murmurs of the discontented 1

The Austrian Netherlands [. . .] in Arms have Publish’d
their manifest against the Souveregnety of the Emperor, but their , Start deletion, principals , End, motifs not springing from Liberal
Principles but from Religious fermentations fomented by discontented Religious Orders
who were supprest by order of Gouverment it is posible their resistence may prove a
Civil Slaughter without reaping any Solid advantages. 2

I shall ship by the french Pacquet that will leave this in ten or
fifteen Days the wine you have pleased to Commission 3

If on application that will be made to you for Supplies of Wheat
and flour from the Ministry of france should be complied with permit me to Solicite your
Influence in my favor as your Agent for the Receipt of the Cargoes that may be addrest
to this port 4

with respectful Attatchment I have the Honor to be / Sir, / Your
most Obedient / Humble Servant

John Bondfield