I have this moment received your Letter of June 25th.1 I wrote to you by the post of twesday, and told you that from a Letter received from mr Adams I thought it would be impractable for Thomas Welch to go out.2 I now inclose you the Letter and you must judge what is best to be done mr Adams will undoubtedly give Thomas his Board if he goes but you see the expences of his going to him, and of his return must be from the Sum allowd. mr Adams finds the court of Berlin so expensive that with the utmost oeconomy he can but just Live within his means. The President says if Thomas and his Friends conclude, that it will do for him to embark upon those terms, the sooner he goes the better. if he should think the terms inadequate, the President says he will make him midshipman on Board Captain Sever, or any other vessel, or give him a commission 164 in the Army if he raises one. he will leave it optional with him. I wrote you on twesday respecting the Loan office and am happy to find that you think in the same manner The President considers himself as trustee for the publick, and his conscience responsible for the Charge committed to him. he yesterday conquerd all his own personal feelings and inclinations in an appointment of collecter of this port. the most respectable & responsible Merchants came forward in favour of an upright honest Man a firm federilist, a good citizen, who from his connections & his misfortunes claimd every attention, and for whom the President felt his Heart greatly interested, but he dared not commit the publick interest into the Hands of a Man whose private affairs were desperate, tho he no ways in fault. accordingly the speaker of the House of Reps of this State was appointed, mr Latimer a Man in good circumstances, who did not need it, as a support but who is very respectable—3 it is an old Proverb, [“]Let the Shoemaker keep to his last” it would be well for many if it was more attended to—4 in his Professional Line the President will serve him when ever opportunity occurs—

You will write me the determination as soon as it is made—

it is really a fine way of fortune making, plundering ones own Countrymen. what an infernal scene of iniquity has been practised by the French & the wretches who have united with them. I do not doubt but many vessels have already gone out with these commissions. I was told a number were hurrying away from Nyork. the Prohibition should have taken place as soon as the Bill past, but it seems as tho it was deferd to give time to them to get away— they have Priviledged merchants here—and many of them are known—but we shall never be free from these intrigues untill the Treaties are declared void.5 this city is a fine Situation. the Blacks whites & Grays are come from the Islands, here, and be sure we must let them Land and take them into our Bosoms because they have fought for Britain, and they chose to come here, and really peter is advocating their admission, tho cursing incessently every Frenchman— Peter never shewd himself a more bigoted English-Man, yet there exists no authority to exclude them, or any others6 whilst the treaties are in force. by them they have a right to come. I do not know what will be done. they are bold dareing and Insolent I hear.

In short we must have more decision.

I mourn with you the heavy loss sustaind by the death of our worthy and excellent Friend Dr Belknap. at any period it would have been cause of regreet, but at this more particuliarly so. a Clark & 165 Belknap, are not the Growth of every Age— as Men of Learning Piety, pure and undefiled Religion Benevolence and Candour, I know not where can be found their equals.

all these things serve to wean us from the world & will lead our minds I hope to place our trust, not in Man, not in an Arm of flesh, but look to the great first cause, with Humble hope, and trembling pinions Soar to the first Good first Perfect and first fair.

Kind and affectionate Remembrance to mrs smith cousin Betsy & all our other Friends

From your &c

I received your two Letters of June 18 & 22 yesterday.1 The expences upon the out House I wish to have in a seperate account, the painting the dewelling House & any repairs made Else where in 166 the General account. you will therefore Credit me 500 dollors upon account of the out Building, and what remains I will either remit or Settle when ever I shall come, which I hope will be in the month approaching. Yet it does not seem as if the President could be absent but a very little while. every day brings up something He is now embarressed with Ship loads of French West Indian Blacks & Molatoes as well as White People, who are now lying below at the Fort. they had taken part with the English, against their Country, and have chosen to come here as a place of safety. the citizens are allarmd, and justly they apply to the Govenour. he finds he has not power to restrain their landing after their quaritine is perfomd; he therefore applies to the President. Congress have given him no power. he therefore lays the Letters before Congress—2 the Alien Bill will not extend to them they say. we come as Friends, in distress— the Bill for making void the Treaties, has not yet past the House. whilst that is not done, there is no authority to restrain the landing of any Number of French people in any part of the United States. we have in Congress very Good Men for calm & peaceable times, but not one who is bold and intripid enough for the Present, who is a Federalist. they do not get on so fast as the exigencies of the times, and the critical state of the Country requires— if mr Fosters resolutions, had been committed when he offerd them instead of postponed, these people could have been immediatly orderd away— they suffer no doubt, but under existing circumstances, to permit them to land would endanger the peace of the Citizens, for such men are fit for any evil work—and we have in this City & in N york, and I presume in all our Capitals, more or less of the spirit of Revolution & insurgency You will see by the papers that Bache is at length taken hold of. it was done by the Attorney General of the State, and not at the Instance of the President who was not knowing to his arrest untill it had taken place, but not a paper has he publishd for six month I believe a year, but what would subject him to a commitment.3 Greenleafs paper, I am told is worse than Bache, if that can be. I think the Attorney Gen’ll of the states ought to procecute the constant libellous publications which issue from those fountains of Corruption.4

you will see by mr Gerrys Letter the situation in which he is. if the envoys had all returnd together they would have conducted like Men, like the Representitives of an independant Nation— now the Jacobins circulate an Idea that mr Gerry will make a treaty. they do not doubt it. it is therefore madness to persue measures which lead to 167 war Such language is held in senate in the House, in Baches & Greenleafs paper, and I am told the President accused of wanting to have laws enacted to make crimes, to erect the Goulitine, to destroy the Liberty of the Press, and that nothing but the Militia keeps him in any Awe— Such I hear was the contents of Greenleafs paper of this week.5 what can we expect should the French send an Army here? the Body of the people are of different Sentiments I know but we cannot have safety, or security whilst these things are permitted uncheckd

I am well acquainted with mr Goodrich and will make the inquiry you desire. the Army & the Navy will give our Young Gentlemen an opportunity to display their Love of Country. in the civil department, there are always more applications, 50 to one than offices— Worthy men whose circumstances are distresst, and whose property is lost, are frequently urged upon the President for offices in which the publick Revenue is concernd, but he has made it a rule against his personal feelings and wishes, to put no such temptation or trust into their hands. upon this Principle he made an appointment in this city of a collector for this port, yesterday, when a strong & powerfull interest was made for an unfortunate Man whose Character was fair—but his circumstances desperate— but the publick credit must not be hazarded for private friendships— it is indeed a painfull task assignd the President, and his Patronage will not weigh against the pain and anxiety and responsibility of it— we Have not yet see mr Soper—6

The President is rejoiced to hear any thing respecting his Farm— which he longs to see & walk over—

I mourn the death of dr Belknap as one of my worthy Friends, as a man of virtue piety & Religion Leaning & Science. it is a loss to our Country to which he was an honour and an ornament. in such times, as these to be deprived of one such Man is a calamity to be deplored many of our props are removed, and we have Cause for Sorrow lamentation & mourning and the inquiry, “wherfore we are thus contended with” should induce each individual to examine himself.—7

The season is becomeing very oppressive and sickly—but we must take our chance— I do not fear for myself so much as for the President, whose mind is over burdend with publick cares.

My kind Regards to mrs Tufts and to all other of our Friend

Yours &C