Philada. Jany. 26th 1776 My Dear Sr.,

I recieved yrs. addressed to Mr. Langdon & my Self after Mr. Langdon he was sett out for home, & I must now assure you it was not for want of respect that I did not make you visit you in my . . . return. Mr. Langdon being on horseback set out before me & I followed him on the west side of the River & crossed the Country from Esopus; I am sorry to find we are not like to have yr. Company here soon & must most sincerely condole with you and yr. Respected family yr. the very melancholly & grevious occasion of your Sudden departure from Albany & absence from Congress; had I wrote you some time ago as I intended I should have found my mind overcharged to express to you my Sympathy for the with you in your Loss of the best of Parents & bewail with you the Loss of a Father of his Country in the Death of Judge Livingston; but how shall I now adress you? In vain do I seek Expressions suitable to my Greif when I attempt to lament your reiterated loss in the brave the amiable Montgomery1 nor is there any thing that in the least can divert my Sympathy Greif for you unless it be the sence I have of my own loss affliction in Cmmn. with America. Excuse me if my freedom should make cause yr. wounds to bleed afresh. I write not for ceremonious Compliment. You may not monopolize the Loss tho yr. endeared Connection may cause the deepest Wound; the Congress deeply impressed with the merits of their deceased General after mature consideration of the most respectful 144mode of doing Honour to his Memory have directed an Oration to be pronounced by Dr. Smith & a Monument to be erected with some suitable inscription. America recognizes his Worth. America will establish his memory, & Posterity will hand down his Fame when Statues are mouldered into Dust.

Pray make my sincere Compliments of respect & condolence to yr. amiable & afflicted family.

We have no foreign news here but what you will soon have in yr. York Papers. 57 Ton of Salt petre arrived here some time past from abroad. I send inclosed a paper containing an act. Powder Mills are wanted. I hope yr. affairs will not prevent you in Exn. yr. fathers intention of rebuilding the Mill. The plot thickens fast. A few more Struggles & then the birth day of American Liberty. Adieu my freind may heaven bless you & all yr. Connections & soon grant us a happy meeting is the sincere wish of Sr. &c.

Robert Treat Paine

Dft. ; addressed: “To Robert. R. Livingston Esq. at Claremont Hudson River.” Attached to this is a draft note to Gen. Philip Schuyler, see above under Jan. 3.

1.

Gen. Richard Montgomery (1738–1775) had been married to Livingston’s sister Janet. Paine noted in his diary, Jan. 17: “this day the Meloncholly news arrived of the Death of Genrel Montgomery in attempting the Town of Quebec.”