This day twelve months I arrived at Boston from Europe, and when I consider that I have never written to you since, I am almost ashamed to do it now; indeed I shou’d be quite so, if I did not recollect that you yourself have been guilty of the like omission towards me. Being persuaded that neither of us have waited for the ceremony of a first address from the other, before we renewed our correspondence, I have resolved to do it without any further delay. As some sort of an apology for the above omission on my part, as well as for another, I beg leave to so acquaint you, that a few days after I had reached home, the effects of disorders contracted in the North, broke out upon me in so violent manner as to unfit me for writing, or any business, and to confine me to my house more than three Months, except one excursion, which, wrapped up in my Russian Furs, I made to Hingham to seek a place for my Son’s instruction.1 But for this misfortune I shou’d most certainly have written to you shortly after my arrival. A strong inducement to me to venture abroad before I had wholly recovered, was to pay my respects to Mrs: Adams, whom I had only once seen on the day of my arrival at Boston, and with whom Mrs: Dana & myself had intended to spend one night on our return. But Mrs: Adams having called at our door, I think, the morning we set off for Hingham, on her way to Haverhill, was so kind as to promise to spend a night with us on her return. To have the pleasure of her company we hastened back, but to our extreem mortification Mrs: Adams found herself under the necessity of passing thrô Cambridge, without being able even to call upon us. Thus our meeting was prevented; and I was immediately after taken very ill again. The short time I was able to be abroad before I set off for Congress, was too fully occupied to admit of my visiting her at Braintree, and she had sailed before my return home. Thus much by way of exculpation.

Charles stopped one night about three weeks since, on his way to Haverhill, when I had an opportunity to tell him I had fulfilled my part of our old contract, and that he must stand ready, in time, to fulfill his part. Charles smiled, but made no new promises. He is still that amiable Lad he was when I first knew him. Our daughter was born on the 29th: of Septr: last. She is not named Hariot, as Mrs: Adams requested, but Martha Remington after our much esteemed 458 late Aunt.2 I have told Charles he must make our house a resting place in passing from Braintree to Haverhill or vice versa:— Master John seems wholly to have forgotten me. He shou’d now & then, when you are too much engaged, entertain me with a Mess of European Politics. By our late public accounts they begin to assume a very serious aspect, and to be between the Emperor & the Dutch wrought up into a Crisis, so that a feather wou’d seem sufficient to turn the scale. Shou’d a War break out between them, I think, there can be little room to doubt but all the principal Powers of the Continent will fall into it one after another. Thank Heaven whatever may be the event there, our distance puts us out of the vortex of their politicks or quarrels, and we may rest in Peace thô Europe shou’d be involved in an universal conflagration.

To leave their affairs & to give one short word upon our own. My indisposition prevented my reaching Congress so soon as I was anxious to do, and before they had finished their foreign arrangment which you have receiv’d by Mr: Jefferson, but, in the language of the sportsmen, I reached them early enô to be in at the death—of our political Monster—who was devouring all before him— Our Assembly had given positive instructions to their Delegates to do this, and to put the Treasury into Commission;3 which was completely effected before the adjournment of Congress; but every manuevre has been practised by him & his friends, to bring him & the Treasury affairs upon the old ground. Two of the Three Comissioners I am told have resigned, and I begin to fear that when Congress assemble (of their doing so, we have yet no account, thô the 1st: of Novr: was the time appointed) they may be brought to reappoint Mr: Morris and even to return into Philadelphia. Two events which I most fervently deprecate. The Impost has not yet taken place, Georgia have never passed upon the Resolutions of Congress respecting it, and Rhode Island has rejected the scheme, owing to the obstinate opposition of a few leading Members in their Assembly: so that our National Debt is wholly unprovided for. It is some little consolation to this State however, that we have continued the Impost, and are applying the proceeds of it to the discharge of our particular debt. I have not room or time to add any thing further on political subjects. I shall hope for a letter from you upon European Politicks, & particularly what will be the probable issue of your last Commission.

In your letter of the 1st: May 1783. receiv’d at St: Petersbourg, you desired me to acquaint you what money I had advanced for your Son. In mine of the 23d. of the same month, I gave an incomplete 459 Acct: because the value of the Bills sold to discharge his second & last receipt at Hamburgh, was not then known to my Bankers. I now enclose you an exact Account of the whole I have advanced for him.4 I shall not draw upon you for it before I receive your direction to do so— You may remember in compliance with your earnest request I gave you my sentiments respecting the character & abilities of a certain young Gentleman; I then begged you to destroy my letter as soon as you had read it. If you shou’d not have done this, I have stronger reasons than ever for having it done, as I now learn that you, by a letter to that Gentn:, have consented to the connexion.5

I am, Dear Sir, your much obliged Friend & obedt: h̃ble Servant.

We are assembled under our new Commissions, and have begun our Negotiations at least by announcing our Mission to most of the Courts through their Ministers at this. As We were not limited to any Place, it may be Supposed in America, that the first Question would have been, concerning the Feild of Battle. But, circumstanced as We were, this Could be no Question. Dr F. was So bad with the Stone that he had neither, been to Paris or Versailles for a Year, and could not ride a mile in a Carriage, without Torment. this 460 is increased So much that he cannot ride at all. Yet he proposes, if the British Ministry insist upon it, to go to London either by Water, descending the River Seine to Havre de Grace or in a Litter.— We Soon found that Spain and England would refuse to treat here.— Spain has appointed Mr Guardoqui as Charge des Affaires to Congress, with a Commission as Ministre to be displayed, in Case Congress appoints one to Madrid.1 So that probably, the Negotiation with Spain will be conducted at Philadelphia. This affair presses almost as much as that with England.— The English will never treat here. So that We must all go to London, or Congress must Send a Minister there. This last the Duke of Dorsett has formally proposed from his Court. The British Cabinet dont appear to have any fixed System, towards America. Perhaps they may be convinced of the Necessity of becoming more liberal. this however is uncertain. We shall soon reduce to a Point all the Questions between them and Us. We have offered to go to London. if they accept the offer We go. And Shall Soon decide the Question whether they will make an equitable Treaty with Us or not.— if they do not, We shall return to Paris, and inform Congress of what is passed, and Congress will take Measures to do themselves Justice, by Counter Proclamations, Navigation Acts or such other Measures as they have in their Power. if We go to London however I have good hopes We shall Succed better than many expect.

The Affair of Masts is in Agitation here. Captain J. P. Jones has presented a Memorial to the Marquis de Castries and Mr Tracy has done the Same. both England and France either really are or affect to appear, lukewarm. it is made a Serious Question here, even at Court, whether the English ever used American Masts on board the Royal Navy.— The Marquis de Castries, told me he was informed they did not.— He Said further that the English were now endeavouring to make a Contract with Russia for Masts. I have done all I could to undeceive him But I should be obliged to you for every Information you can give me on the subject of our Pinetrees. The French Officers appear to be prejudiced, against the Pine timber, which they procured for their ships in America. They Say it is Spungy and Shrinks &c. I have explained this as well as I could, in a Letter I wrote last Week to the Marechall de Castries at his desire upon the subject.— I introduced Mr Tracy to him, who understands the Subject better than I can pretend to.2 But I should think it would become the Massachusetts Government, to appoint a Committee to enquire into this Affair and state the whole Facts to 461 Congress or their Ministers. it may be sent to any one of the Ministers merely as Information.— I should be glad to be informed where the best White Pine Trees grow. what is their Quality? of what Sizes they may be had. What Plenty of them there is, or is like to be?— What Sort of Trees were used on board the Royal Navy of England. What Number of Mast ships were employed in transporting annually. What were the Prices nearly of the Trees in Proportion to their Diameter. &c. and in short every Thing which may be usefull in my Station to know. English Officers have Spoken Slightly to French Officers and Gentlemen of our Pine Timber I Suppose with design. for these Nations have a surprizing Inclination and a more wonderfull Faculty of deceiving on another.

My Friend Mr Oswald, upon whom I depended, for a good deal of Assistance, in reconciling the two Nations to a good Treaty of Commerce is dead,3 and now what may be done about the Boundary at St. Croix, I dont know, nor when they will evacuate the Posts upon the Lakes. But Surely the Ministry cannot seriously pretend to violate the Treaty, So essentially as to keep Possession of them, because this must produce War.— I dont think We need to dread a War with them. for their trade all over the World is so exposed to our Privateers and our Trade is now so little exposed to them, as it may be carried on, entirely by foreign Nations, that I really dont know whether it would not be Advantageous to Us, to have a War with them.— Sure I am it would be ruinous to them.

They are so bent upon encouraging their own Whale Fishery, both in England and Nova Scotia, that I really dont know what they will do finally about the Duty on Oil.— Will not our People find Means of Sending their Oil to Nova Scotia, and So evading the Duty? it is a Folly to think of establishing the whale Fishery in England or Nova Scotia, in opposition to that of Massachusetts, I think, because it is impracticable, and because they had better take the Oil of Us as a Remittance if it were practicable.— But old Prejudices, hot Passions and ill Advisers delude that nation more than any other.

I beg your Pardon Sir for not having answered your excellent Letters to me before.— You will laugh when I tell you, I have written and burnt five or Six Answers.4 no Letters I ever received let me so deeply into the Politicks of Congress. they opened Such sceenes to me, as I could not think or write of with Temper. I could not write a Letter upon the subject that upon a review I thought it prudent to send I was determined if the Proceedings of Congress did not 462 indicate a different Spirit, to cut and run home as Mr Jay did. another Time however I will at least answer you, if I cannot enter into Particulars. Your obliged Fnd & humble / Sert.