Notwithstanding my arms are so stiff, that I can scarcely move them, occasioned by cutting venson for twenty eight very hungry men, yet I must write a few lines to my aunt, before I sleep.

We were made very happy this morning by the receipt of your letter of the tenth of Dec to the president. You do not say a single word, whether you have receiveed the newspapers, which I have sent you regularly, every day, since I arrived in the city.

Yesterday we had some indians to visit the president—five large, tall & as well built men as I ever saw.1 I do not know, what Buffon and the Abbey Raynal would have said, had they have been present, to their foolish and absurd hypothesis “that man was belittled in America.[”]2 Their speech was lengthy and full of repetitions. But there were a few sentences which for their simplicity and sentiment struck me very forcibly— they were these. “Brother, Although we are in your house, and sheltered from the cold winds, still we are in the presence of God—from his view we cannot hide ourselves, nor can we deceive him. Every deception will fly directly to his eye.” I have given you the words as well as I can recollect, but not exactly—they were much more beautiful. After presenting to the president great quantities of wampum & the calumet of peace, out of which we all smoaked, and drinking a glass of wine they marched off appearing to be well pleased.

Bache’s paper is carried on with more virulence than ever if it is possible.— they do assert the most abominable and hellish lies you 318 ever heard. they published two or three mornings gone, that they had the pleasure to inform their customers, that a vessel had arrived in the Deleware from France, with commissarys, who had dispatches from the Executive directory to our government, and that they did not doubt that peace and harmony would soon be restored between the two countries.3 When I read and hear of such abominable impudence and wickedness, I am all most compelled to cry with a certain philosophic great man, Oh that I were a dog, that I might not call man my brother.4

A committe from the house of representatives from Pensylvania have waited on the president this evening with a most excellent address, and the president intends gives an excellent answer tomorrow at 12 Oclock.5

Long before this reaches you, you must have received the presidents speech, I want to hear every word that is said in its favor and against it. The jacobins here say that the speech—the answer of the Senate and house are the most moderate they ever remember to have heard.— they dont say much against them. I can tell you the reason. Knowing the firm and intrepid policy which the president has always recommended and pursued and moreover convinced of what ought to be done, the jacobins have thought & I believe expected that a declaration of war between America and France would be recommended by the president and echoed back by the two houses— they are very agreeably disappointed and to be sure they have reason to be pleased.— they can now still pursue their tampering and lullaby policy.

It is most admirable slaying here and excessive cold. Please to remember me respectfully and affectionately to Uncle & aunt Cranch & to give my love to Cousen L—

With affection & respect I am sincerely your

I believe our Legislatures when they made the House tax were not aware of the trouble attendant upon the execution of it.1 to measure every House Barn out House count every square of Glass, collect every peice of Land, and its bounds—and then apprize the whole, is a Labour indeed. I have had the Gentlemen here the last week, and they have with the assistance of your Brother gone through yours— Major Millar and Abel Alleyne were the persons Authorized2 the Major requested the assistance of your Brother. I sat a silent hearer upon all but one subject, which was the apprizement of this House. the Major was loth that it should appear that the President had not the best House in Town. I laught at him and told him I should have no objection to owning the best House, but if the fact was otherways, did the Law say, that the owner of the House was to be taken into consideration, or the House prized according to what it would in his judgment sell for. now if he could say this House was equal to our next Neighbours and some others, why then put an equal value upon it. Captain Beals was prized at 3000 dollors, this at 2000, with the outhouse— the Houses which French and Clark live in at 400 each, Belchers at 200—and Phebys at 75, the land upon the opposite side of the way—40 dollors pr acre the whole including mr Cranchs Farm; I do not recollect, what other lands were apprized at, but I did not perceive any disposition to overrate or over value the Lands—

what the tax will be in concequence I know not— Sole is gone— he did not incline to stay unless he could have the same pr month within half a dollors as he had for eight months— I think his wages 320 for Eight Months much too, high as it brought it to december— I requested the Dr to settle with him and dismiss him, and I would take my chance. I have accordingly hired a man for the three winter months, a much better wood cutter at 8 dollors pr month—near six dollors pr Month lower than sole— Mr Bass has also done, and I had resolution and firmness enough to withstand the old Mans intreaties tho I confess he stagerd me several times. he begd I would let him stay for his Victuals, which he said he could not possibly earn at Home, that home was renderd a scourge to him by Seth, that his wife must suffer this winter, & he should starve— I however did not believe all. I told him he should not starve, for I would always give him a meal of victuals when he was in danger— he soon let himself to Faxon, but met with an accident from a log of wood which will disable him for a Month, if not longer— we have snow storm upon snow storm. it has been snowing all this day, wind at North East— alass poor Thomas, how my Heart beats, as the winds Roar and the storm beats; I know all my anxiety is of little avail, yet I cannot divest myself of it. I have I hope relieved your mind of two anxieties the one for Brother Cranch who is spared to us a little longer, and the other for B Adams, who is also recovering. the Widow Adams has lost her youngest son the last week with the fever which is still lurking about in Boston.3 he was brought here and buried in the Night; I have been out half the day to meeting, tho it was not very pleasent. mr Whitman preached—

You complain that you are Solitary. I know that must be your lot frequently. it is then you want the relief that your talkative wife used to afford y[ou] when I first got down stairs I felt so too, but I enterd as mu[ch] as possible into my Family affairs, brought Porter to consult me daily upon all his movements, and as I could bear it read workt or wrote, and so reconciled myself to myself—sometimes sighd when unpleasent reflections of those connected, with me excited them what right have I to be exempted from trouble of some kind or other, when a whole world is filld with evils of all sorts

This Letter may serve in lieu of the talkative wife. I hope you put them all in the fire after you have read them. it would mortify me to have one of them found upon your table— adieu for the present. did Logan really visit you—?

Yours affectionatly