My Dearest Friend

Our Chariot is still fixed and cannot move. Petitions and Instructions are coming in from various Quarters: But those who have heretofore pretended that Instructions were to be implicitly  [illegible]  obeyed, now declare that they will disregard them.

It appears that Mr. Adams will not have a large Majority as Governor but whether the ardent Speech in Boston will not excite the envious, the malignant and the vindictive to petition against the Treaty, I know not.

Little Business is done. Every Thing Suffers. All Thoughts are monopolized by the Treaty.

My old Friend C. J. Mc Kean has had the Weakness to be taken in with the Flattery of Dollars and Swanwick and Gallatin to sign a Petition against the Appropriations.

Mr. Harper Spoke Yesterday for three hours and his Speech was very much Admired. I heard a little of it at the Close and was much pleased. He was in favour of the Treaty.

We are an unhappy divided People. We are making too much haste to prove that our Constitution is yet too popular. Three Mass. Men are among the most malignant and inveterate. Two of them Lyman and Dearbourne, are loose Characters. This however must be reserved to yourself.

Mrs A