Rumour at a distance magnifies, and seldom reports truth. I have not written you a word upon a subject which I know would have made you at least very uneasy. about three weeks ago, a Letter was sent, or rather brought here of a sunday Evening by two young women of the City, one of whom said passing the House a few day before She took up a paper in a small alley which runs between our house & our Neighbours. it was wet by lying at the Edge of a gutter which passes through the passage. the Girl finding it in this way opend the Letter, and read it, but being allarmd at the contents knew not what to do. her mother who was absent at the Time, returning & finding what she had done, directed the Girl to bring it herself & relate the circumstances. the purport of the Letters was to inform the President that the French peeple who were in this city had formed a conspiracy, with some unsuspected Americans, on the Evening of the day appointed for the fast to sit fire to the City in various parts, and to Massacre the inhabitants intreating the President not to neglect the information & the warning given, tho by an Annonimous Hand, signd a Real tho heretofore a misguided American. the President conceived it to be an incendary Letter written to allarm & distress the inhabitants. an other Letter of the same purport was sent ten days after, thrust under the door of mr Otis’s office.1 these with some Rumours of combinations got abroad, and the Mayor Aldermen &c kept some persons upon the watch through all parts of the City, & the Govenour gave orders privately to have a troop of Horse in case of need. the Young Men of the city as I wrote you, on Monday to the amount of near Eleven Hundred came at 12. oclock in procession two and two. there were assembled upon the occasion, it is said ten thousand Persons. this street as wide or wider than state street in Boston, was full, as far as we could see up & down. one might have walk’d upon their Heads—besides the houses window & even tops of Houses. in great order & decorum the young 24 men with each a black cockade marchd through the Multitude and all of them enterd the House preceeded by their committe, when a young Gentleman by the Name of Hare, a Nephew of Mrs Binghams read the address—2 the President received them in his Levee Room drest in his uniform, and as usual upon such occasions, read his answer to them, after which they all retired. the multitude gave three Cheers, & followd them to the state House yard, where the answer to the address was again read by the Chairman of the committe, with acclamations they then closed the scene by singing the new song, which at, 12 oclock at night was sung by them under our windows, they having dinned together or rather a part of them; this scene burnt in the Hearts of some Jacobins and they determined eitheir, to terrify, or Bully the young men out of their patriotism. Baches publishd some saussy pieces, the young men resented and he would have felt the effects of their resentment, if some cooler Heads had not interposed.3 yesterday was observed with much solemnity the Meeting Houses & churches were fill’d. about four oclock as is usual the state House Yard which is used for a walk, was very full of the inhabitants, when about 30 fellows, some with snow Balls in their Hats, & some with tri coulourd cockades enterd and attempted to seize upon the Hats of the young men to tear out their cockades a scuffel ensued when the young men became Conquerors, and some of these tri coulourd cockades were trampled in the dust. one fellow was taken, and committed to Jail, but this was sufficient to allarm the inhabitants, and there were every where large collections of People. the light Horse were call’d, out & patrold the streets all Night. a Gaurd was placed before this House, tho through the whole of the Proceedings, and amidst all the collection, the Presidents name was not once mentiond, nor any one grievence complaind of; but a foreign attempt to try their strength & to stire the inhabitants if possible was no doubt at the bottom. Congress are upon an Allien Bill.4 this Bache is cursing & abusing daily.5 if that fellow & his Agents Chronical, and all is not surpressd, we shall come to a civil war I hope the Gen’ll Court of our state, will take the subject up & if they have not a strong sedition Bill, make one—6 Before I close this I shall send to the post office

Quincy address and a Letter from Brother Cranch News papers but not a line from my sister.7 well I trust the next post will bring me some;

I must now close my Letter or the post will be gone. the Nurse & childern and Nabby Hunt are all going on Board this morning. Nabby 25 holds me to my word that I would let her go home this Spring. no difficuly or uneasiness on either part. she is wrong for herself— I have given her a dollor pr week ever since she has been with me paid her doctor, and she is now going to ——— she will find the difference. I suppose she thinks she may get a Husband—at home. here there is no chance— your ever affectionate

mr Black was here & well to day—

I can never sufficiently thank you for your Letters & the communications you so frequently Supply me with I am considered as the fountain head from whence truth is to be looked for. I have read parts of your Letters till I have them by heart & can preach very well without notes now— wherever I go I am Scarcly welcome without I bring my pocket full of Letters— I was last week Several days in Boston with mrs Black. We went to make a consolatary visit to mr & mrs Smith. Poor mrs Smith is in great affliction & is very unwell besides her Frame has been Severely Shock’d her nerves are much agitated & She Scarcly speaks. but I hope She will be more compose’d when She has got rest & can sleep. this is gone from her. mary was a Sweet child every thing was gentle & amiable in her— It must be very hard I think to part with Such a child

your Freinds in Boston had heard of your Sons & mrs Adam’s Sickness long before you did—but did not tell you of it. I had my first inteligence from you. what a Situation the poor woman must have been in & how distress’d her Husband, & yet the silly world are envying them— I long to see their Letters. you will bring them with you. & if not new as to date they will always be valuable—

I do so rejoice that the President has found Such support from the People. I rejoice for him & I rejoice for My Country— these addresses give the lie direct to France & the Jacobins here, & even general Heaths Letter milk & water as it is—shows that he wish’d to have the People of Roxburry consider’d very good Friends to goverment

The address from your own Town tho Short was not I trust unacceptable as it was an exception to the rule being a general one, “that a Prophet had not honour in his own country[”]1 it would have had many more Signers if opportunity had been given them—but we were in a hurry & wish’d not to be in the rear— I propos’d mrs Black Should put her name as her Husband was not at home—& Black would have look’d very well, & she was willing provided she could have been assur’d her Husband would not have cry’d her down—

I write So often—I believe I Some time write the Same things twice. I do not always remember when I did write— Doctor Tufts is better. I am sure I cannot Say that too often. he was here a Teusday—& Says your work will be accomplish’d by the time you return 200 dollars is all he wants at present mr Black was gone before I had your orders to injoin Silence upon him about the Building— you have given him the hint no doubt. your closet Shall be done & dry’d if I can possible have it & all the other painting you mention mr Lane is spoken too— I receiv’d the Ten dollar Bill & will apply it as you direct—2

tell mr Black mrs Black was here last evening & was very well. She is quite a chearful gay Widdow but tis all founded upon the thought of a reunion with her departed Friend

I have not heard a word from Atkinson Since I wrote last—& I confess I am affraid to hear from Betsy Shaw. She has never been well Since her fever in the winter & her cough & fever was So bad the last time I heard that I think her very critically Situated. her mother Says She is in good Spirits but that does not please me. She has fever enough to keep them up— Cousen Betsy was shock’d when she arriv’d & found her So ill

Judge Dawes told us he had receiv’d a letter last week from mr King who was full of fears for our envoys— I hope you will hear soon that they are out of the Clutches of France

I hope you did not think I wanted a drapery dress for my self.3 mrs Black wanted the patters [. . .] carry’d hers all with her— I inquir’d of mr Smi[th] about the Box he had heard nothing of it. I wrote him that you Said the vessel was arriv’d— I hope he will find it— the Smoke is not to be seen upon your chimney peice & the paint looks beautifully—

with Love to the President Cousin Louisia & all Friends / a tender adieu is bid you by your / ever affectionate Sister

I wish I could have been with the excellent Lady of the excellent President when the excellent Song was Sung the other evening I am sure I should have shown an april face whatever you did