As there is some Probability that Thomas Welch will Embark before I shall return to Quincy, I write from hence; I shall esteem myself peculiarly fortunate to see you again in your Native Country. a longer residence abroad in your situation, would be wholy incompatable both with your interest and future establishment in Life, as you will have to commence again in your Profession— you may also find it necessary to take an active part in defence of your Country. I should like to see you enrolld in the Grenadeer Company of this city. I send you by this opportunity what I presume he will not himself neglect too, your Friend Quincys oration deliverd upon the fourth of July. it is a very handsome performance, and does honour to him—2 I hope it will bring him forward in Political Life. I wrote you the loss he sustaind in the winter past, by the death of his Mother. Never was Parent and Child more cordially united. his marriage previous to her death to an accomplishd and amiable woman, is in some measure a compensation to him— you will learn from the Papers I send, and have forwarded allready, in the week past by way of Hamburgh, the temper and disposition of our Country, that she is approaching to very serious times, when every citizen will find it necessary to exert all his Energies to preserve, and secure the Liberty and independance of the Country. Congress have risen this week after a session of Eight Months,3 the first part of which was neither employd to their honour, or the benifit of the Country. their last deeds may be ranked amongst their best, an Alien Bill a sedition Bill, and a Bill declaring void, all our Treaties & conventions with France, are of the Number.

you who were here at the Time of the insurrection and was witness to the apathy which for a long time possessd this City, would now be gratified to see the Martial Spirit which exists here. all the young men of the City are training to Arms. they have at their own expence put themselves in uniform, and are about four hundred in 202 Number, beside a Grenadeer Company and a company of Cavilery—4 Genll Mackpherson commands them. a Company of Artilliry is forming. Mackpherson expects soon to have a regular Legion— for a time, they excercised every morning, now twice a week.5 Some young Quaker have joind them, as they say, to prevent War— 6 Many More would, if they could obtain the consent of their Parents. the Quakers are more united in opposition to France than they ever were in any former War— whilst this state have come forward and retreaved their Character by active exertion, and a firm spirit, the City of Nyork manifests a coldness and an apathy, quite astonishing, as they have all at hazard, and are in a very exposed and defenceless situation. the Levingstone Aristocracy, their corruption & venality, is a mill stone upon the federal part. there is as much of Jacobinism there, as in any other state in the union, and I would hope more. even Virginna is assumeing a more cordial & candid asspect. the Members lately Elected to Congress, are said to be six out of ten, antifederal from Nyork7

N England behaves well. with few exceptions they have done themselves great honour at the late Session of the Legislature mr Dexter is Chosen senator to Congress in lieu of mr sedwick, resignd. it is the exchange of one good Man, for an other, but that is not always the case Freeman, will not be reelected. I wish I was as certain that Varnum would fail.8

I inclose to you the list of Nomination for the staff of our Army you will naturally ask, where is the Col.? Gen’ll Washington who was consulted, Named him for Adjutent General. he was nominated to the senate but decidedly negatived, for prejudices which as an officer I think ought not to have influenced them. it was done in a hurry, without proper inquiry, and upon the last day of the session. thus is one of the best officers we have, rejected for Reason’s which would have equally applied to Lee of virgina, and I Shall be glad if at the winding up—it will not be found to apply to many others9 a Military Life I have ever considerd him as peculiarly calculated to shine in. he has fought and bled in the service of his Country, and I believe would have cordially done so again, if call’d to the trial— I expect it will compleatly depress him—and tho it was done by Friends as well as foes, I cannot but think, better information would have exculpated him from “charges which would have been proved unfounded.[”] You know, and the world know, that in pecuniary affairs he never conducted with the approbation of his nearest Relatives, 203 but the school of adversity is a usefull one, and tho not pleasent, her paths are strewed with instruction.

I hunger for Letters from you. we have not any intelligence to be relied upon since the Month of April, from any quarter, Rumours only that mr Gerry had left Paris: Mrs Johnson desires me to present her Love to you. she Says that she was mortified that you did not mention her in Mrs Adams’ Letter that you was much of a favorite with her. Mrs Johnson is not fixd in the most agreeable part of Ameria. Mr Cranch has removed to George Town, and is very intimate with the Family. our Friend are all well, who survive, but we have lost many valuable ones in the year past. Dr Clark and Belknap, are of the Number who will long be rememberd and regreeted—

I am my dear son with the / tenderest affection your / Mother10

I have coverd to you the dispatches which are for Thomas Welch to take with him. I hope in the course of the present week to set out for Quincy, but cannot depend upon any thing, as we know not what a day will bring forth, and it is high time Something of concequence should reach us—

You will see the appointments for the staff of the Army, and will hear of a Negative I doubt not. When the secretary of war went to Mount Vernon a List of some officers were sent for the Gen’ll’s selection and Approbation & arrangment. in the Return, he had Named col smith for Adjutent Generall the President accordingly sent his Nominations to the senate. in the Evening three Memmbers calld upon him, and requested him to withdraw that nomination He inquired for what Reason? the Replie, was because the col had been a speculator and was a Bankrupt, and an Antifederalist. the President desired them to look at the list, and they would find many upon it who had been equally speculators and some whose circumstances were not more Eligible, that no pecuniary matters would fall under his care or belong to it, that the publick service could not be endangerd, that he was universally allowd to be a Brave officer, that he had fought & bled in the service of his Country, and that as to the Charge of his being antifederal, he was perswaided there could be no solid foundation for it, that Genll Washington had assignd to him that department. he knew his abilities as a soldier, and that having made the nomination he had not done it without previous consideration, and that if the senate chose to negative him they had a right so to do, but he would not withdraw the nomination. they all accordingly negatived him,—& I believe have discarded a man of as much military skill and knowledge as any upon the List. it was the 205 last day of the session & their were many secreet springs at work. some were made the tools of they knew not whom, and some were glad to retaliate for their dissapointment in their commander in Chief—others glad to do any thing which they thought would wound the President, and some I should fully believed, acted from Principle, if they had not voted for Lee of Virgina. a Report had been circulated, I fully believe without the least coulour of truth, that col smith was active in the late Election of Levingstone— this I never heard of before—1 I know that he has been into Nyork but twice or thrice since he returnd home. I cannot however say but what much of the unpopularity in which he is placed, is oweing to his own folly and indiscretion, which has ever been condemnd by the President & by me, as fully as by others— yet as an officer he was beloved and would have served I doubt not with as much Zeal Bravery and skill, as he who is the Idol of a Party, and whom they are striving to exalt beyond his deserts. No man half so voilently opposed the col as mr Goodhue who is equally an Idolater of the other, receiving however his cue from an other hand.2 mr Goodhue tho rough and Blunt, is an honest man, warmly attachd to the honour and independance of his Country—and would not do a thing which he thought would injure its interest for his best Friend, or his Right Hand. yet certain partialities will bias the mind when we have a good Opinion of the Judgement and understanding of an other, and by that of an other I believe him actuated without knowing it. I cannot say but that I regreet the opinion—as I think it will wound & hurt the col more than any thing he ever met with; tho he has not solisited nor askd for any appointment. He has said he was ready and willing to serve his Country if he should be call’d into the service— These matters are in confidence I believe if more time had taken the result would have been different.

we hear not any thing to be relied upon respecting mr Gerry. Bache, says he is negotiating successfully—3 from the last European accounts, I believe the power of the French Armie’s to have been at the Zenith. their numerous Possessions will give them employ enough to keep them. if we are in a state of preparation, we may be secure, but weakness & disunion will invite them, and destroy us— the united and formidable appearence of Great Britain keeps them in Awe, nor do I believe they will ever attempt an invasion unless it may be partially. they may send a small fleet here and greatly injure and harrass us— I wish there Emissaries were all known and Sent into their own Country— N York behaves very democratically very 206 Antifederal, and individual exertion does not get the assendency over the intrigues and machinations of the Jacobins— Virgina has in many Parts of it exprest more harmony of Sentiment, more confidence in the Government and more determined resolution to repell agressions. such have been all the addresses from that quarter, with two exceptions—and their have been many both from citizens & officers—4

My kind Love to mrs Smith and the / Children from your truly affectionate / Friend