I have been duly favoured with your letter of the 4th Instant.1 A warrant for 1000 dollars in your favour has issued. If any authorisation from you had been sent to your son or any one else, your signature on the warrant would have been unnecessary. But as it is, it will be indispensable. Perhaps however the Treasurer may pay in expectation of it.

The Question when the Vice President entered upon the duties of his office, is open at the Treaury; though an opinion has obtained that the taking of the Oath was the Criterion.

This has been founded on two considerations—analogy to the care of the President. The Constitution requires that he shall take an oath, before he enters upon the execution of his Office he cannot enter upon the duties of it, without entering upon the execution of it, and he can’t legally do the latter till he has taken the oath prescribed. The same injunction however is not laid upon the Vice President, and therefore except by analogy resort must be had to the second consideration namely that the taking of the Oath of Office is 137 the legal act of aceptance and may be supposed to date the Commencment of service.

But this reasoning it must be confessed is not conclusive and therefore the opinion of the Attorney General will be taken, both as to the President & Vice President—and I presume will guide in the Adjustment.

Twenty thousand dollars have been appropriated and the advances by anticipation may reach that limit.

You forgot that Mr Clinton could feast upon what would starve another— He will not however have an opportunity of making the experiment. And I hope the starvation policy will not long continue fashionable.

Your confirmation of the good disposition of New England is a source of satisfaction, I have a letter from a well informed friend in Virginia who says all the persons I converse with, acknowlege that the people are prosperous happy, and yet more of them, including even the friends of the Govt. appear to be much alarmed at a supposed sytem of policy, tending to subvert the Republican Govt of the Country—2 were ever Men more ingenious to torment themselves with phantoms?

Adieu my dear Sir & beleive me always very / Respectfully & Affectionately yr Obed sert

I have taken the liberty of presenting you with a copy of my inaugural dissertation which I published and defended on taking my Doctors degree in our University last May.—1 It appears in very nearly the original dress which it wore, on being presented in manuscript for approbation or rejection to the professors; having had but little time to pay any attention in correcting it. Considerable allowances must therefore be made for the inelegance of style, or choice of words, which appear in the work.— At the request of my friends, and in pursuance of my own inclination I have settled in this city, 138 and if business continues to increase in the same proportion as it has began, I shall have no reason to complain. This you no doubt will think a bad sign, but as it happens that people will be sick, it is well that I have my share of the business.—

I hope Sir You will excuse the liberty I have taken in thus addressing you. Had not an absence from this City, and numerous avocations prevented me, I should have taken that liberty before. Be pleased to accept of my most grateful thanks for the attention you paid me, in the application to the secretary at War. You no doubt have seen by the papers that I resigned the commission,.—

To Mrs Adam’s my best respects are likewise due for the politeness she has always shewn me.— I am sincerely sorry that the air of our city has so far disagreed with her as to induce her to forsake it altogether. Please to present my compliments to miss Smith.—2

With every sentiment of / respect, I am Honored Sir / your obliged, & very humble servant