Our Newspapers have announced to us the Choice of a President of the United States and that it has devolved on You. I congratulate You on this Occasion. as an American I feel highly gratified—as a Friend I confess that I feel some Deduction from my pleasing Sensations, when I contemplate the Fatigue Anxiety & Vexation to which you must be expos’d; this is indeed a Misfortune annexed to every exalted Station, I will not however admit this to be of Weight sufficient to deter or prevent a great & good Man, from undertaking the arduous Task when Providence points out the Way, and a Field for the most extensive Usefulness presents itself to his View—

Your enlarged Acquaintance with the World, various & continued Employments, in the great & most important Concerns of the public, have taught You how to calculate the good and the evil incident to the highest Station, and I may add, qualified You for bearing its Burdens & discharging its Duties with the greatest Facility to yourself, and advantage to the Community—

Should You undertake the Administration of Government, You will My Dear Sr. have my most fervent Wish, that it may be attended with the greatest possible Ease, & advantage to yourself, and the greatest possible Good, to the United States of America—

Some Days since I applied at the Loan Office, for the Dividend on 519 your funded Stock, but could not obtain it, for want of a sufficient Power, the last which you gave me extended no farther, than to my receiving the Two Pr. Cent Principal then payable. By a Law of Congress, or order of the Secretary of the Treasury. Powers of Attorny must express an Authority to receive, “the Dividends which are or shall be payable according to Law”— The necessary Powers you will forward if you think proper—

We have had a fine Winter for Business the best of Sledding in Roads, Woods & Swamps for Five Weeks past and still continues Snow level, not exceeding 12 Inches in Depth till Yesterday & the Day before 3 Inches were added Cold in general steady, but some Days severe Viz the 24th December, My Thermometer1 in the open Air at 8 oClock in the Morning stood at 8. below 0 the 4th. of this Month at 2 below 0. the 8th. at 10 below. 0. the 9th. 8 below. 0.—

With Sentiments of Respect & Esteem / am / yours—

I am to thank you for your obliging favour of the 30th: of last month, which I received a few days ago.—1 I have given due attention to your observations contained in it.— If the approbation of my Countrymen were the only motive which I felt myself obliged to compare in the sacrifice of domestic happiness which I find myself obliged to make, I should not hesitate a moment in taking a different course. Dearly as I value that approbation, I am fully sensible of its uncertainty, and besides, I know it is more easily and more certainly attainable at home, in my own Country, than in any distant and foreign region. As long however as I serve the public in any official station, [the] duties of that Station, are inducements to my conduct, to which every other consideration [must] give way, and in collision with which, my domestic happiness cannot weigh the [dust] of the balance.

At the same time, if I were at Liberty to withdraw at this time from my Post, I should not find myself any more advanced at least for the present towards the object of my wishes in a domestic point 520 of view. My absence from home has taken from me all the benefits of my profession, nor could I expect by an immediate return to it such a support as would make it possible for me to charge myself with a family.— Time would necessarily be requisite for me to find out and improve some view of settlement, and of security for an independent maintenance, without which marriage would be at once folly and cruelty.

Since I began this Letter, I have received your favour of the 13th: together with one from your amiable daughter.2 I learn with the highest satisfaction from the latter that she has recovered her Health.

I return you many thanks for the papers and other articles which you have had the goodness to forward to me.— The Box I have not yet received but suppose it will reach me in the course of a day or two.

The french Newspapers announce that Mr: Jefferson is chosen President of the United States. From the statement of the votes in the Papers which you sent me, the circumstance appears probable.

I am with affectionate esteem, & respect Dear Sir, your very humble & obedt: Servt: