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to the perseverance and efforts of Governor Clinton,are certainly correct, hut in speaking of Colles he isin error. I was well acquainted with Colles, sincethe year 1773; about that time he arrived at Phila-delphia, from Ireland; he was a very honest man,but did not possess as much knowledge and experi-ence as many ascribed to him; he was never in ourwestern country, and certainly never projected a planof canal from Erie to the Hudson; but possibly might,merely by examining the map of the state, havespoken of it as an event that would, at some futureperiod, take place. I am, with regard and esteem, Thy sincere friend, THOMAS EDDY.To ROBERT TROUP, ESQ. New Orleans, May 15th, 1821. RESPECTED FRIEND, The reasons which prevented me from doing morethan merely acknowledging your kind letter of Sep-tember last, and thanking you for the valuable col-lection of pamphlets which accompanied it, havecontinued ever since I wrote; but being now (as youwill perceive by the enclosure) seriously at work inthe formation of a criminal code for this state, I am extremely anxious to receive the report of your com-mittee on the penitentiary system; from which Ihave a right to expect so much important informa-tion, I hope you will not fail to forward a copy tome as soon as it appears. I regret very much, that for the reasons I formerlystated, I could not contribute any thing to the work. Unless I hear reasons much stronger than anywhich have been presented to me, either by reading,conversation, or reflection, I shall not give the pun-ishment of death a place in the code which I shallpresent; it appears to me to be a most inefficient pun-ishment, to say nothing of its irremediable nature;