Since the date of my last letter, I have received none from you, of course I do not feel very culpable in having suffered so long an interval to elapse without writing, though, if a direct opportunity from this place had offered, I should not have neglected it. In my last, I 86 promised to make out my Account at the commencement of the next Century, & this I intend doing, to accompany the present No 12 having written to Dr: Tufts requesting him to transmit me his account, which I shall incorporate with my own, when I receive it.1

Our latest intelligence respecting you was contained in a letter from Mr: Pitcairn of the 18th: September, wherein he informs me you were well on the 15th: of that month.2 When I wrote you last, I was on the point of joining my father at Trenton and did so, a day or two after— Our good mother arrived about a fortnight after, bringing with her our Sister Mrs: Smith, who passes the winter with us, intending to join the Col: at Camp in N. Jersey in the Spring. My Mother’s health is better this winter than it has been for several years, & notwithstanding the fatigues of business, my father retains his usual health & spirits. This minuteness cannot be displeasing or uninteresting to you, on such a subject; I believe no body writes to you from hence, but myself, of course, you are not oppressed with this sort of news.

To preserve the thread of my movements & transactions, I think proper to inform you, that I returned to this City the first week in November, took possession of my Office, which I was so fortunate as to obtain in a very eligible situation, my abode, in my fathers family, and until this time have pursued a pretty constant system of Professional attention; “Pangloss’s occupation,” I might say, has begun, with more flattering prospects than he had anticipated.

Even the slight encouragement I have received, has made me feel of more weight in the community, than I ever did before, and I hope in the course of a twelvemonth to consider myself settled for life. How so, say you? Are you about to become one of us? I answer—No promises—But stranger things have happened— Dont be alarmed though, for, unless I marry for fortune, I shall remain as I am, for some years to come.

We presume our Envoys to France, who sailed early in November have, ere this, safely arrived somewhere. They had an absolute controul over the destination of the Frigate in which they embarked, and nobody knows whence we may hear from them first. Their departure was at a fortunate moment, when the tide of prosperity had materially turned against the Republican armies, and when rumors prevailed, though destitute of foundation, that the Coalition had resolved to compel an universal combination against the french Republic. The story was circulated with great zeal, that previous to the 87 sailing of the frigate United States, the British Minister had strenuously remonstrated against the departure of the Commissioners for France. This was untrue, though there is room to believe, that the mission was regarded with a jealous eye by the British Cabinet. Since the affairs upon the Continent have reassumed a more favorable aspect for France—the total failure & we apprehend, the disastrous issue of the expedition to Holland; our advances, to meet any disposition that may discover itself on the part of the french Republic, towards an adjustment of difficulties, are viewed with much greater approbation than at any period since the Envoys were appointed. The strain of invective in which some people had indulged against the measure, has in many instances been converted into applause, and except Fenno’s Gazette, there is not, to my knowledge, a newspaper in the Country, that does not speak of it in the style of encomium, which I always thought it deserved.3

I hope you are supplied, from the proper department, with the public papers, for it has been impossible for me to furnish any thing of the sort. I purpose, nevertheless, by the first opportunity for Hamburg, to send you some pamphlets &ca:

Congress assembled at the Constitutional period. The Speech adverted to the departure of the Commissioners for France—to the suspension of the boards of Commissioners under the british treaty, and to several objects of inferior magnitude. It was well received by the public. By the house of Representatives it was answered with uncommon cordiality & unanimity. By the Senate, with indifference if not coldness. No laws of much consequence have yet been passed, nor is there any subject likely to occur, unless indeed it be the renewal of the Alien & Sedition laws, that will give occasion for any great political animosity. A revision of the judiciary system was strenuously recommended in the speech, and some improvements may be hoped for. The old standing dishes of Militia & uniform Bankrupt systems will be brought out in course.4

The friends of political decorum & integrity, who advocated, in our late election for Governor of this State, by all lawful & constitutional means, the cause of the unsuccessful candidate, are likely to feel the effects of their opposition to him, whom the sovereign people have chosen to rule over them. The Offices throughout the State, such as depended on the will & pleasure of the Executive, are to change hands, wherever the occupant is known to have been inimical to the election of the present Governor, or where by bargain 88 & contract, prior to the result of the struggle, the Office was promised as the reward of faithful exertion, should success crown the event.

Here is a specimen of the purity of Republican principles; the party, styling itself Republican, have gained their point, in a great measure, by this infamous barter of Offices, this traffic of place & pension. The Prothonotaries of Counties, Registers, the departments of the land Office, and various other places in the appointment of the Governor, are to undergo a thorough purification, &, graduated by the scale of Republicanism, are to be filled with the most devoted partizans of the Reigning potentate. The present occupants were all appointed by the predecessor, in his best days, & are generally men of character, understanding & capacity for their employments, but having the usual concomitants of these qualities, a sense of independence, superior to the allurements of a temporizing policy, they voted & used their influence at the election against the Man of the people; for this offence they die— No plea of honest exercise of opinion; of services faithfully rendered during a long course of employment; of hoary age; of numerous & dependent families; of upright character; nothing of all this can save them from the proscription of antecedent promises & engagements contracted by the Governor.

Here is a faithful portrait, though moderately coloured in comparison of with the reality, of an Administration which commenced ten days ago. From such a glorious outset, how resplendent must be a career of three years continuance! The popular branch of the Legislature is of a similar kidney, by a majority of two members, but the Senate is differently composed. Here is the Ark of our salvation, & we have reason to think it will outlive the deluge. As I shall have occasion to return to this subject at a future day, I will dissmiss it for the present.

It will not be from my letter, that you will first learn the event of General Washington’s death, nor is it necessary to say to you, that all America mourns, with unfeigned grief, the loss of her brightest ornament. All that can be expressed by solemnities of an outward nature, has been employed to commemorate this national calamity. The devotion, which was shewn to his character while living, the praise which was tributary to his rare virtues, and the admiration which his name alone extorted, all shrink from a comparison with that consummate honor & adoration, that is now paid to his memory. I leave you to collect from Newspaper detail the particulars of this occurrence; that the man whom United America gloried in 89 pronouncing, “first in War, first in peace, & first in the affections of his Country,” is now no more, is all I can add.

With the warmest affection I am, / Your Brother

Your Last Letter was dated in july No 45, near Six Months since. the secretary of state has one, in sep’br Since that period: a very long one to me, not a word have I heard from You I learnt from your Brother Thomas that you had been sick of an intermitting fever, that Letter was also in sep’br.1 I have myself been very deficient in writing to you; My mind revolts at looking back to the period of my last date. I hoped Your Brother would Supply all My deficiencies, but upon inquiry of him; he too confesses that he has been tardy; but of one thing You may be assured my dear son; that not a day passes in which You are not many times the Subject of my Thoughts; you will See by the date of this, that I am again in Philadelphia. I arrived here in Nov’br as soon as the fever was sufficiently subdued to make it safe to return; My Health which had been so greatly impared, has been gradually restored, and I have been as 90 well as I usually was in former Winters. Your Father spent Six Months at Quincy in as much tranquility as the public buisness of his Station would permit; that annually increases as our connextions extend, and our Country increases. with the rural occupations which his Farm affords, he recruits his spirits and his strength for the six Months Severe duty which falls to him during the session of Congress.— altho it is a Month Since Congress met, very little buisness has been transacted; The afflicting, and unexpected stroke of Providence which has taken Washington from us—has Made a whole Nation mourners. the Respect paid to the Manes of this Great and Good Man has been sincere, affectionate and Respectfull, all Party ceased and every description of persons have united in expressions of Regreet for his Death; and in acknowledgment of his worth.

e’en Envys self is Dumb.2 I inclose to you one Paper which contains the Resolutions of Congress, the orders of the President to the Army and Navy, the address of the Senate & House with the Presidents Replies—3 I shall be collecting Papers for You, which I will send to You by way of Hamburgh, I mean that this Letter shall go by the Packet. You will not expect any thing confidential. the speech of the President at the opening of Congress has been highly spoken of, and is said to have given universal satisfaction; there are however some, who do not approve the sending the Envoys to France. I think it a happy circumstance that the President was independent, and determined enough to send them when he did, at a period when the French were daily loosing ground; and when their Arms were unsuccessfull in almost every quarter. some persons here indulged themselves in the Idea; that before this Period, the stateholder would be reinstated in Holland, and Louis the Eighteenth upon the Throne of France: to these wild vagaries of some who have thought themselves statesmen; and who wisht the Envoys to be delay’d for this Event, the P. replied, You might as well make me believe that the sun Moon and stars would fall from their spheres as that concequences of this nature will speedily take place. a Writer in the Boston paper, who I know not, in remarking upon the speech Says, [“]It unfolds the reflections of a Mind superiour to the Sordid occurrences of Life, and which seems indeed to “come occasionally into our system to counsel and decide” unmoved by the fluctuations of opinions, on the one hand, unallured by flattering appearences, and on the other undismayed by difficulties he holds “on the 91 Majestic tenor of his way“ his Country’s good, his constant aim, the object of all his Labours—”4 You will see in the Replie of the House, a full and decided approbation of the late Embassy the result is, and Must remain for the present in the dark—

I presume you have learnt before this time, that the annals of this state can boast a McKean for its Govenour, and that virgina has rivald it, by a Munro for theirs5

Is not the Post of honor, a private station?

No Man says McKean [“]may hope for employment or office from me, who is not a friend to republicanism. I will not put a dagger into the hands of an assassin.” accordingly he has made a sweep of 22 at one stroke, assureing them that their commissions will not be renewed.6 his rashness and imprudence has made Enemies of many of his former Friends—

Every Day is producing Such astonishing Events, Such Scenes of carnage havock and devastation of the Humane species, upon the Theatre of the World, that we stand agast at the desolation, and think our “blindness to the future kindly given”7

May the thunders which rool around us, and the lightnings which flash, Still continue to pass over this part of the Globe, without kindling it into a Blaze: and whilst with a pittying Eye we behold at a distance, the horror which it spreads May we with gratefull hearts asscribe praise unto that Being who maketh us to differ from other Nations—who still permitteth us to enjoy in Peace the fruits of our Labour.—

Your sister and her little girl have been with me ever since I came here. the col is with his Regiments in the Jersies. Thomas lives with us this winter, and is a great comfort to us as you will readily believe— he has taken an office in this city, and I hope will get into buisness here.— o that I could Say to you what I wish, of those who bear a similar relation shall I receive Good, and shall I not receive evil?

William shaw is private Secretary; here, he is now gone to Mount Vernon, the bearer of Letters and the Resolutions of Congress which You will see in the papers. I have written to Mrs Johnson by him. I heard from the Family a few days since. they were all well.8 My Love to my dear Louissa whom I wish daily to know; I hope her Health as she grows older will become more firm

Remember me to mr Welch his Friends were all well last week—

Inclosed is a Letter for Tilly9 by the way, did You ever hear of a 92 runaway match of a Count Tilly with the youngest Daughter, of Mr Bingham— Tilly Made a good speculation, for mr Bingham gave him ten thousand dollors to relinquish all right and tittle to her paid down; ten thousand dollors Bills upon England; and 500 Guineys for Life to quit the Country, which the count complied with; the young Lady goes by the Name of Madam de Tilly.—

Thomas is writing to you: from him You will learn with more accuracy the state of public affairs

I am my dear son / Your ever / affectionate / &c &c—

Your Brother Says I had better omit sending papers by the packet on account of the postage. Tillys Letter Must go also to Hamburgh