Upon my leaving America, your Father gave me an order upon Messrs W. & J Willink for five obligations on a Loan of the United States, for a thousand Guilders each, bearing an interest of five per cent. and upon which one years interest will be due, on the first of 267 June next, which he directed me to hold in trust for your use, and subject to your orders. This instruction has been complied with and in conformity to his further commands, I hereby inform you that I am in possession of the obligations numbered 3003. 3004, 3005, 3009, 3010. in trust for you, and subject to any orders you may think proper to give me for their disposal, or that of the annual interest, accruing from them.

I suppose that the giver of this very handsome present, who has been equally liberal to his other sons, has mentioned the circumstance to you, and given you his advice as to the disposition of the property. He appeared to me desirous that you Should keep the obligations, and receive the interest by draughts upon me, or orders to me annually to lay out the arising interest in such books or other articles as you may have occasion for.

You will however determine for yourself—and if your intention should be to draw the Capital out of its present situation, you can order me to sell the obligations, and you may then draw Bills upon me for the proceeds. They are at this moment one or two pr cent below par. Whatever your Commands upon the subject may be, they shall be faithfully executed by / your affectionate Brother.

About a month after I last took my leave of you in New York, I sailed from Boston, and after a passage of twenty eight days landed at Deal in England. We spent a fortnight in London, where we saw several of your friends who enquired particularly after you: and have now been about three weeks in this Country, principally at the Hague.

It is at a very critical and dangerous period for this Country, that we have arrived. The french armies are advancing rapidly into the Heart of the Country. The nation internally is divided into parties extremely inveterate against each other. Their troops are dispirited; their allies troublesome, their fortresses incapable of defence, and their present apparent resources, almost reduced to nothing.

But the appearance of the Country is remarkably quiet; and except as a topic of conversation, which frequently occurs, you would 268 scarcely imagine the United Netherlands to be in a State of War. Even the dread of conquest is very much abated by the treatment experienced in the towns already taken; and the people in general here appear to be rather indifferent as to the event of the War, provided they can save their money. There is little apprehension of personal danger to any body, particularly at the Hague; there will be certainly none for us.

Please to remember my best regards to the Coll: and my respects to Mrs: Smith, and her family. Love to your children, and tell William and John they must not forget me. Our Brother Thomas is well and writes you by this opportunity.1 His company has been the greatest alleviation to the tediousness both of the voyage, and of my residence here.

I am anxiously desirous to hear from my friends in America, among whom there is none whose welfare, more than your’s is at the heart of your ever affectionate brother