I received your two kind favours last Evening of march 2d & 8th. the seasons I belive have been very near alike both here and with you. we have had several days of warm & muggy weather, the Ground thawing the slug & miller very industerous, and as the Scripture assures us that tis Lawfull to do good upon the Sabbeth,1 my people are employd in Annoying these destructive Enemies, who make not the Sabbeth a day of rest; I hope our care and early attention will put an effectual stop to their career. our Neighbours are pretty generally taking the same precaution, tho they have been too neglegent of the season; I wish you to enable me as soon as possible, to send out for stock. Cows are in such demand that they rise in price every day. Col Bass of Randolph is after 20, and many others are in quest of them2 I should have sent the comeing week if I could.

I am much dissapointed at your loss, as I know not how to help myself here I want about 3 hundred Dollors. one hundred & 50 I shall send out for stock. we cannot expect to get Cows under 20 & some have been sold at 23 dollors. we have two calves which we are raising— I have got a Barrel of Rum and a Barrel of Molasses a hundred of sugar, which come to 54 dollors all these articles have risen since I first sent to ask the price of them. I want 50 weight of Coffe & some Chocolat I wish to know whether you would not think it best to get an other Barrel of Rum? there is a strong talk of a 118 General Embargo— whether Congress have such an object in contemplation I cannot tell, but trade is much distress’t. Rye has fallen in Price and as the Spring advances will be still lower. of that I would purchase 12 Bushel flower for what reason I cannot tell has risen three shillings in a Barrel. veal is currently Sold at 6 pence pr pound good Mutton and the best of Beaf at the same price so that the Farmer need not much complain. Hay keeps up at 7/6 & 8 shillings & Butter at 1/4 pr pound. these things must soon fall, if the Spring comes forward with a good Prospect. Cider I bought, drawn of at 2 dollors pr Barrel, which is said to be as cheep as 10 shilling would have been in the fall, considering the waste there always is in a Barrel—

what you mention respecting L——n I am sorry to learn. I always had a good opinion of him. poor Humane Nature, How few of they ospring are “firm and steady to their trust, inflexible in ill and strictly just”3

I never knew so little of what was passing in Congress. we have only mutilated speachs and as to the Senate we are not informd of a Single movement how was Gallitan Election determind?

I am like to be in trouble in my oun Family Polly Howard is taken sick with the prevailing Lung fever. I hope a well timd bleeding may save her.5 I have hopes of the Recovery of our Parent “let none despair she says, if I recover, it may be calld a Resurection from the dead.” I cannot say she is out of danger, but she is certainly better, tho her cough is still very bad, and she is extreemly weak and low—

My Love to Thomas I have so many cares upon me that I do not get time to write to him so often as I wish. I am my dearest Friend most / affectionatly Yours,

Your favour of 8. March is just put into my hand.— My beloved Mother is very near my heart and has Spread a gloom over my Days from the first of her Illness. I must resign her to the Disposition of the supreme Ruler and prepare to follow her Example if I can in Life and in Death. My Love to my Brother and his Family who will be sincere Mourners with me and you upon this occasion. It grieves me to think that you are called to go through this melancholly Scene without the Participation of your Partner: But the Distresses of our Country have often destined Us to such Misfortunes for which We have little praise and less Thanks. The Prospects of our Country at this time are far from being bright. The Infatuation of our People has I fear brought upon them Resentments, more lasting and more fatal than they are aware. I still hope however that We shall not be involved in War: but our Madmen will provoke it if they can.

Brisler is this day beginning to Ship our Goods on board a Vessel that is to carry them into Qumcy Creek if he can.1 they must be carried on shore in the Scow I believe. I shall send you 500 Dollars by our son Thomas to his Brother John to Morrow perhaps. This must last Us till June, for I fear I shall be compelled to spend all the rest here if not more. I am most tenderly / yours forever

My last Letter to you was of such a nature, that I can easily persuade myself no matter arose out of it sufficient to furnish an answer. the subject was personally interesting to me alone, and as 120 such, it deserved only to be dwelt on by me. I am manifestly also in your debt for your agreeable favor of the 18th Jany:.1 You ask me to “let you know the State of Politic’s at the fountain head.” Alas! I am not a Physician; and if I were, my chance for accuracy of judgment would be no greater than that of others; and when I tell you that scarcely two people judge alike of the actual State of the public pulse; that the most skillful differ materially in their conclusions, whether it beats the standard of health & tranquility, or indicates a latent disease, the first symptoms of an approaching eruption, or the sure prelude to actual tumult; your surprize perhaps, will be exceeded, only by your conviction of the falibility of human skill—nor will you tax me with a deficiency of discernment above the ordinary run of geniuses, when there are so many professing themselves equally bewildered with myself.

The crisis is thought to be near at hand, when the American council must pronounce how far they will tamely submit to insult, depredation, & unlawful spoliation from the powers of Europe— English pollicy is more blind & besotted than ever it has been heretofore— they are streching on the rack, the cool and collected spirit of American Independance, whose sinnews will bear but little more tension before a total dissolution must ensue. “O cæcas hominum mentes, O pectora cæca.”2 Their policy may be good, but our partiality will suggest its apparent fallacy so far as our interest is affected by it. It has long been in the power of Great Britain to bind America forever to her interest, without any uncommon share of favor extended on her part; instead of performing those friendly offices, usually practised among civilized nations, her system has been that of an overbearing, insolent, & haughty Nation, swallowed up in her own self sufficiency, & confiding in the brutal arm of force to procure advantages, which she is too proud to reciprocate. To this conduct we may object, but if breach of faith had not been added to the Catalogue, we could hardly be justifyed in a formal complaint. An Independant Nation may refuse to another privileges of intercourse & may abridge the advantages of a Commercial connection; but if the advantages are reciprocal, the door is open for similar conduct on the other side. This appears to be nearly our situation at present with reference to England— Mr: Madisons Resolutions, which have made so much talk in Congress and in all parts of the Union, contemplate something similar to this mutual restriction. They have met a violent opposition, more from the Idea that they were premature, & probably would be ineffectual for the 121 accomplishment of the object that produced them, than a conviction that our wrongs called not at this time for redress. Every American heart I am fully persuaded palpitates opposition to British insolence; but that we are in a situation to avenge our injuries at this time, if pacific measures should prove fruitless, is a question that excites no small degree of embarrasment by the doubtfullness of its nature.

War is become a common topic in the Seaport towns; it is in a measure familiarized to all classes, by the frequent meetings of Merchants that have been convoked. For the most part, the result of these Assemblies, by the aid of those not so immediately desirous of violent measures, has been favorable. It has been thought prop[er] to leave the business with those, in whom the regulation of Nati[onal] measures is legally vested.3

In this place much pains is taken to inflame the public mind against England; you may easily immagine that our National prejudice requires little provocation of the artificial kind; the spur to our antipathy need not be sharpened, for the mettle is genuine, & to have been once sorely pricked, is sufficient to persuade us, that the part is tender. With me, you will join in an earnest prayer that we may neither suffer too long, nor resent too hastily the oppression with which we are threatned. That we may be as terrible in our resentments, as our forbearance has been magnanimous.

Your’s