My dearest Friend

I shall inclose with this, some Letters between Randolph and Hammond which will shew you how quarelsome they are. Poor Fellows! They both desire Peace, but think themselves obliged to wrangle for their Countries.

It is fashionable to charge Wars upon things; but I think Le Peuple Souvereign is as inflamable, and as proud and at the Same time less systematick, uniform and united; so that it is not so easy for them to avoid Wars. We have laboured very hard to preserve our Tranquility; but the Peuple Souvereign is continually committing some Intemperance or Indiscretion or other tendency to defeat all our Precautions. If We are involved in a War, my head, heart, and hands shall be guiltless of the Crime of provoking it. But it will be my Duty to Submit to the Legal Voice and Decree of my Country.

We have fine Rains here, for three days past, and I hope you enjoy a similar Blessing.

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I shall take Leave on Saturday 31 of May! but cannot hope to get home before the 10 or 12th of June. The Journey lies before me, like a Mountain. I am too old and too feeble for these long Journeys, dry sessions and uncomfortable Scenes. I am at an Age when I ought to be at home with my Family.

I Sent 600 dollars to John last Week, which is our whole Allowance till September.

I wish you an agreable Election. Who will be Lieutenant Governor Gill or Gerry?

I wrote to Dr. Willard, sometime ago a Resignation of the Chair of the Academy of Arts and Sciences. It would be a farce for me to hold it any longer.

My Duty to my Mother. Tell my Brother that I suppose he was for War to make himself popular; but I am very sorry to find that warlike sentiments are popular in Quincy. I am glad he is chosen however and hope he will get our Town back to the County of Suffolk.

Mrs. A.

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[Endorsement -- see page image]