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Marietta North Western Territory.
July 25th 1802.

With trembling anxiety, and for the third time,
do I address my friend. Since the receipt of your last letter,
which was sometime in the fall, I have twice written you.
With each revolving mail have I eagerly expected a letter,
and as often have my hopes and expectations been disappointed.
Suspicions have obtruded themselves, that new scenes and more
recent acquaintances had banished from your recollection
every idea of your once loved friend. But these injurious
thoughts arose but to disappear. I have too great a reliance on
the constancy of my friend to suppose, that for the fleeting joys
of the moment he would forsake the companion of his earliest
youth. No, I would rather presume, that your letters
have miscarried, and that citizen Gideon's new arranged
system is more theoretical than practical.

    Under these im=
pressions and flattered by the sweet deluder hope, I have
ventured to call your attention from the gay scenes of a
Cambridge life to
    "Where fair Ohio rolls her amber tide,"
    "And nature blossoms in her virgin pride."
But surrounded as you are by news from all parts of the natural
and political world, I can have but little to communicate,
which is novel and less, which is interesting. The damnable

proceedings of our present administration must be as well
known to you as to me. Our confidence in the government
of the Union is here fast diminishing. That spirit of
persecution and of tyranny, which has stalked with such
a gigantick step through every part of our country, has here
reared her baneful head. Our worthiest officers are displa-
ced, and others appointed in their stead, who in private
life are worse than contemptible, and whose only recommen-
dation is the universal detestation with which they are viewed.
You have undoubtedly heard of the intended possession
of Louisiana by our dear brethren the French.
This, of all other permissive acts of our present rulers, will be
to this portion of our country the most destructive. Seclu-
ded as we are from the rest of the civilized world, we have
no other means of obtaining those foreign articles, which are
necessary, than by exporting our super abundant productions
and the path for that exportation must be that formed by
Nature. Whoever possesses the mouth of the Misissippi
commands our trade, and commanding that, commands this
country. As no dependance is to be placed on the honor,
faith, or integrity of the French, what measures they may
pursue, I cannot conjecture. But if the supineness of our
General government continues thus to increase, perhaps the era is not far distant, when the country west of the moun-
tains will form but a provincial department of the French
Republick. God grant it may not be so. It is what you
in New England are not accustomed to contemplate. The
picture is a melancholy one, and as such I dismiss it.
We have found by melancholy experience, that, "incensa
Danai dominantur in urbe."' Congress without our consent and
directly in face of our articles of compact have intermeddled with
our internal concerns. They have right or wrong, willing or un-
willing, insisted on our becoming a State, and this they have
done against the wishes of the people, expressed by our legislature.
But I fear you will, if I thus continue, begin to think I have
become politically mad. Lest you should I will drop the
subject.

How do you come on now, Leverett? Is not this your
last year in college? How and where are all our old school
fellows? I have some hopes of crossing the mountains [ . . . ]
course of a year, and then may the scenes of youth [ . . . ]
Do you not find, that the longer you live the [ . . . ]
life? I find it the case with myself, and every [ . . . ]
that my happiest days are gone. Days in which [ . . . ]
disturbed me, and in which tomorrow took care of itself. Write
me an account of every occurence. Remember Recollect: -- that every little
event will to me be important. Remember me to all inquiring
friends and accept for yourself, my dear Leverett, the sincere wishes
and constant prayer of your ever affectionate,

[Address]

[Endorsement]