The last Letter which has come to hand from you, was dated 27 July, now four Month.1 I begin to grow impatient to hear from you. I have lately sent my Letters by Way of England, where it is confidently said you are, and from whence I expect, to hear from you

I wrote to you not long since by a private Hand a mr Wilder from N Hampshire. by him I sent you some of Websters papers containing col Hamiltons Defence of the Treaty, under the Signature of Camillus.2 By mr Stone, a Gentleman introduced by mr Jeffries, who is going to return to England in captain Scott. I send you the remaining Numbers.3 Your Father Sits out tomorrow Morning for Philadelphia. The Galleries in the Senate Chamber have been finished and the senate is no longer to be a secreet conclave, as it has been stiled.4 Whether the publick will be benifitted by the alteration, Time must determine. The Virtuous Ten, as they have been call’d will not I presume be gainers, unless they adopt the wisdom of solomon, and hold their Tongues. It is very certain that all the Eloquence, and most of the abilities, are monopolizd by the majority. Burr, excepted, they are all, Mediocer, save in Bacons left handed Wisdom.5 Burr, has address, insinuation and intrigue, sufficient for a pupil of Machiavilel

It is thought the senate will have Some difficult discussions before them. there Judas may not pass uncensured, and the Chief Justice may possibly receive a Negative. the Appointment was extrodonary. some person ask’d General Knox how the P——t came to make such an appointment left of God, replied Knox. for the first Time, the circumstances which took place after ward, were not foreseen 74 by the P—— and I must suppose that he was ignorant of the present Character of the Man. I am sure the P—— never adopted the sentiment, of a Southern Writer, who in aiming to defend his Character, asserted that a Mans Moral Character, had no connextion with his political Character. a Judge like the Wife of Ceasar, ought not to be suspected.6

The ex Secretary of state, is writing a long defence of his resignation. there are many reports in circulation.— Something all agree must be wrong. What? is not yet disclosed to the publick. When Congress meet, the Truth will be disclosed

The Jacobins have excerted every nerve to allarm & terrify the people into measures disgracefull to the Country and dishonorable to them Selves. in some of the large Towns and cities they have so far succeeded as to get partial resolves, and censures past upon the Treaty, and upon the Senate whilst the flood gates of scurility and abuse have been opend by hireling writers, upon the President and mr Jay, exhibiting a mortifying picture of the Depravity of the Humane Heart, & of the prevalence of the most Malignent passions, which like the ostracism of the Athenians, is sufficient to undo a state, by preventing those who most excell in wisdom and virtue, from undertaking the Arduous and important offices of Government, and rendering all those who Serve the publick, desirious of retireing to the private walks of Life, when they find their own wisdom and virtue, turned into weapons of offence, and that it is almost as safe, to be infamous as renouned. these observations will occur to every one who read the attacks upon one of the Fairest Characters, which ever gave Fame to a Nation—

our Friends here are all well, except Mrs Tufts who lies Dangerously Sick and deprived of her senses.

Your Minister, mr Clark spent a Day with us, not long since. he askd to read some of your Letters and exprest himself much informd by them. he promised to write to you. mr Hall a Brother Lawyer took Letters to you and is gone on to N York where he will embark.7

Heaven preserve You my dear so[n and] make you usefull to your Country and to Mankind, i[s the] / prayer of your ever affe[ctionate] / Mother

I Love to receive a Letter from both Brothers at once, and I suppose each of You like to have a Seperate Letter. I write all my politicks to the Minister and then am as much at a loss, what to write to you, as I Sometimes am, to find conversation for a company of Ladies.

I go but little from Home, and many interesting events, pass unnoticed. of Domestick occurrences I believe I wrote you, that Peggy smith had suddenly married a Handsome young! Frenchman! by the Name of St Hillair and James smith that he might keep up the Farce, Run with all speed, and Married a young girl of 16. against the consent of her Mother, who would not receive her into her 76 House again, and this Without a House or Buisness, or any Thought of the Morrow. I believe the grace of consideration has been but spairingly bestowed upon any Member of the Family. The rage is French. Mrs Flucker is going to marry monsieur Beauma.1 Genll Knox and Family have spent the summer in the Province of Maine, and have just returnd to winter in Boston.

Mr Ames, I am sorry to inform You is in a very poor state of Health. he had a Billious fever in the summer which reduced him very low. he has been out of spirits occasiond by his ill health, and thinks he Cannot go to Congress.2 his absence will be a loss indeed, and the more So as mr Dexter lost his Election.

Several of the virtuous ten have made excursions through the states Butler & Burr have been on to Boston, Langdon has had his Tour, even Blair McClenican wrote to his Countrymen mr Black to see if he could not excite a revolt in the little Town of Quincy, but Black returnd for answer, that his Farm and not politicks occupied all his attention. considering the exertions made by the Jacobines, the pains they have taken, the falshoods and Slanders they have made, and circulated, and the money which Fauchet Charges in his account as having circulated, very little impression has been made upon the Yeomanry; they are for Peace & a good Market for their produce.3

The Miniatures oh the Miniatures a Blundering Captain forgot that he had such a precious Charge. after waiting a reasonable Time to receive them, I wrote to request mr smith to inquire for them.4 the Captain recollected that for better security he had put them in to the bottom of his Trunk, which Trunk he had sent to Nantucket, and there they still are to my no small mortification

The Holland merchant Charges me for a Doz table cloths, and puts up but 8, and those very poor make Minhere, rectify the mistake and send me 1 Doz of a larger and better sort, and put the four in which he has charged. the Box was full so none could have been taken out. the cloth and sheeting were excellent. I wrote to your Brother Something about a cloak, but he understands negotiations better I suppose than traffick. You should have been the Merchant. do you ask that Delightfull miss copley to get a winter cloak for Louissa, such an one as she would chuse for herself, and Mrs Copley to get one for me. she may go as far as 5 Guineys for mine or Six Louissas must not be so costly. if your Brother advances the money, I will pay it to Dr Welch on his account, or I will give him an order 77 upon Willinks I should like to have them by the return of Scott.5 any new publications would amuse us.

When I was in England I used to seek the Boston captains & invite them to my table. I could get much information from Some of them. Scott is a Man of intelligence I believe he is not married this trip. present me kindly to mrs copley & Family to Mrs Hollowell & Family & the old Maiden Vassels—6

I am My Dear Thomas most / affectionatly your Mother