The ice in the Delaware having delayed the post beyond it’s usual period I had not the honor to receive your esteemed letter of the 8th until this moment, but my respect for the writer constrains me to acknowledge it’s arrival before I can be prepared to give an answer to its contents.

in a free country it is so important that the people shou’d entertain just sentiments respecting their public affairs, that I feel myself much more indebted to those who contribute by their labors to rectify public opinion than I do to those who immediately share the administration of the Government, and upon this principle I have expressed very freely my obligation to Columbus.—

as I beleived that the peices under that signature woud be useful I have made it a practice to circulate among my friends the Newspapers which contained them, & thus it happens that at the moment I wish to review them they are not at my command.— I have hopes however that the Vicepresident has them, & with this expectation I have engaged Mr. Otis to procure them.— when this is done I shall reexamine them for the purpose you have suggested & shall shew you by my frankness & sincerity that I am ambitious of retaining the confidence you have so generously bestowed.—1

it was natural enough that Mrs. Cabot shoud be a little alarmed at 42 seeing me read, with a pleasure which I coud not disguise, a letter from a Lady with a feigned signature & without the date of place—but as she discoverd that you expressed all your affection for her & only respect for me, her agitations subsided & she desired me to send back an unfeigned assurance of both2—in which I might join / with every consideration

Your obliging favour of the 17 of Jan’ry reachd me a few days sine the polite and Friendly manner in which You communicate Your inttentions call for my acknowledgment. our Legislators never having considerd our Sex sufficiently dangerous to enact a salique Law or perhaps entertaining too good an opinions of us to suppose we would encroach upon their establishd perogatives have left us to the fre excercise of our judgments and opinions upon political subjects fixing however a sutle Stigma upon the character of a Female politician to deter us from entering too far into the character. At such an Aeon as the present who can be an unconcern’d Spectator? of the mighty Revolutions which are revolving round us—in which kingdoms Principalities & powers are shaken to thir center, when the shocks of the old world extend their agitations even to our peacefull Shoars and would envolope us in the general Crush if the matrials of which we are composed were alike combustible.

Heaven avert the dangers which threaten us, and as we reside in a glass House, may our politicians beware of throwing stones

tell mrs C. that I am no Friend to Favoriteism, yet in this instance she will permit me to unite with her in those Sentiment of respect and esteem which long ago attached her affections to a Friend who has done much honour to her taste and judgment that she must now be satisfied to share with all those who must not resuse others an attachment from the same source

and to whom she will not refuse the plasure of Subsribing with renewed assurences of Regard / his Friend & Humble / Servant