are in debt to the State 15,000l. Many reasons may
be urged to induce the legislature to take so many of
the unsubscribed shares, as amount to that sum;
they certainly would be more ready to do this, than
to relinquish a claim for the interest for four or five
years, as we proposed last winter. Whilst we are
obliged to pay 900l., per year, interest on the above
debt out of the tolls, we will not be able to divide
to the stockholders more than two per cent, as a
dividend. Perhaps some other way may occur to
thee to propose, for them to afford us pecuniary aid.

The claims of the people at Still-Water are not
yet satisfied. Suppose the directors were to lay a
requisition, payable 1st May next, and the stockhold-
ers refuse to pay, the comptroller would pay for the
shares held by the state, the claimants might then be
paid; the corporation dissolved, and the whole stock
of the Northern Company belong only to the state.
I take the liberty of sending those hints, in hopes thou
wilt be so good as to improve them, and if it meets
thy approbation, to draw a petition to the legislature
on behalf of the Western Company, containing some-
thing like what I have mentioned in the preceding
part of this letter, and a copy for the consideration
of the Board, with such further remarks as will occur,
to be sent to the vice president as soon as possible.
Thou wilt excuse my anxiety to have, this commu-
nication early, as I expect to leave here for the north,
and soon after the assembly meets.

The attorney general says, he had a good deal of
conversation with thee, relative to the proposed law,
to fix a punishment for small offences, and for regu-
lating county prisons. I beg to remind thee of the
plan I proposed, subject to thy improvement, viz. In
each county prison, to have as many rooms (or cells)
made as is convenient, six by eight feet. A single
justice to sentence an offender to be confined therein,
from twenty-four hours, to ten days. Three justices
to sentence a criminal for thirty days, and the Court