The official account is arrived and your Father and Mr. Jefferson are Elected President and Vice President1

In a letter from Mr J. to your father, he says “notwithstanding the efforts of his enemies to make the people believe otherwise, he aspires to no higher post than that of Vice President. that he will serve with pleasure under Mr. Adams, and he flatters himself they shall act together, with as much harmony, as they have done heretofore[”]2

Mr. Washingtons address on announcing the choice, is likewise come, but my father has not-yet seen it— The Merchants of Philadelphia, were to give a superb entertainment, on the day he resigned his situation, and became a private man—3

Mr. Hall means to write you shortly. he will inform you more correctly than I can of these Events—4

I suppose you have seen Mr. Pinckney— we understand by a Gentleman lately from Paris, that the French are determined never to recieve him as Minister—

Thank you my friend for your very kind letter of the 14th I am happy to hear that the society at the Hague is so pleasant were you to partake of the amusements it affords more frequently you perhaps might find it less insipid— you are I think too young a man to devote all your time to your books, and solitude, if you now indulge this distaste to society, what will you do some years hence, even your Louisa’s may then become irksome, and unpleasant. indeed my 53 beloved friend it is a dangerous indulgence, you know I think it prejudicial to your health, excuse me when I say hurtful to your temper— I should not have given my sentiments so freely my Adams, had I not observed the same expression, in two or three of your letters— I think it a pity that you so calculated to adorn society, should encourage a disposition improper, for the station in which you are placed, and in which you are likely to remain— the extreme dislike I have to what is called society, enables me to judge of its inconvenience, it is this my best friend which induces me to urge you to guard against this indulgence, knowing your excessive fondness for books, perhaps renders me too apprehensive— excuse, and do not think this impertinent, believe me it is dictated by the most sincere affection, and the tenderest anxiety—

My father yesterday recieved a letter from Mr: Humphries in which he mentioned his detention— he is not yet married—

Mr. & Mrs. Church embark for America in the course of next week—5

Adieu may you be as happy as I wish you

With my borrowed Money I have just paid the collector my tax Bill. I have the satisfaction to know that I did not borrow it to pay any expences of my own creating, but having been twice before 54 call’d upon, I could not submit to a third, without discharging it. I have not any Letter from you of a later date than the 17th nor do I expect to get an other untill the 4th of April. the weather is exceeding cold and sour. our dreadfull east winds prevail and Peirce one through and through. I have not been confined, but fear every day least I should. we are all in affliction. Polly smith is just gone. I do not expect she will continue an other week. her decline has been rapid, about two months since she was first confined. my spirits are low. I want something to Cheer them up. I think you are fastned to a spot which you cannot leave at Will, and I believe you want your Family more than when you was occupied by a daily attendance in congress Your Mind is however so fully employd that you cannot think much of it. we are suffering under the same apprehensions which have afflicted other places. the attempts to destroy Boston by fire are daily, or rather Nightly repeated. Patroles are constantly kept. they have detected but few. the vile wretches have got into the Country.1 at Milton they keep a Nightly Watch. it is really a Distressing calamity, but we shall be infested with more vagabonds, if the states go on to abolish capital punishments2

you write me that you shall not procure any furniture untill I come, but if it is to be made, it will require time. I have written to mrs otis to request her to go through the House with Brisler after you get into it, and to tell me what she thinks will be necessary.3 When an inventary is taken of what is in the House, I can judge better. I have not heard of the oats. I have got mr smith to inquire. Billings is at work upon the wall it takes an immence number of stones. our people have been several days carting them. it is so very wet, that they have only been able to plow a part of the ground, before the House the medow below the House is flow’d and the Brooks are very high. we have floods of Rain every day or two. the manure has all been pitch’d over some of it carted out. our people say there are two hundred load of it. the season is backward. when a fair day comes I am obliged to hire three or four hands to get any thing forward, and after all Your Eye is wanted, and your direction too.

I cannot mount on Horse back. I can only direct. I mourn the loss of a Man who had zeal in his nature, and activity in his bones, as well as Strength of Body, and was not a rum drinker. he however tells me that he will let himself to me an other year if I should want him Money will be of more value I trust. there is complaint of a 55 scarcity of it, Yet every thing is high, but Grain which is much lower. corn may be had at a dollors Rye & 6.8, flower 10 dollors and half— Provision is yet very high. west India produce also.

Yours as ever