I have the Satisfaction of inclosing to You a Letter from our dear Daughter at Berlin, received Yesterday by my son Thomas, and the additional pleasure of assureing You of her confirmed State of Health.1 I have not any Letter myself, but mr T B Adams has one from his Brother of october 17th, which contains this agreable information, as well, as that of his own recovery.2

our pleasure upon this occasion is Mutual as water to a thirsty Soul; so is good News from a far Country I hope Mr Johnson and you will receive a fresh supply of spirits and Health. I sensibly feel that the Health of the Body depends very Much upon the tranquility of the mind.

I have to acknowledge the receipt of [tw]o Letters from You; and I have mentiond to the President Your communications.3 it would 111 give him pleasure to aid or assist Your family by any means in his power, consistant with the public trust which he holds. The late President laid it down as a Rule that during his administration, he would not appoint any person to office connected with him by the ties of Blood.4 from this rule I believe he never departed. I could not however think it one of his best Rules— very great delicacy ought undoubtedly to be preserved by every person holding a public trust; and it scarcly ever fails to excite jealousy and envy when the power of Appointments with which a Chief Majestrate is vested, is used in promoting either particuliar Friends or connections, tho they are well qualified for the trust reposed in them.—5 It cannot have escaped You, that a torrent of abuse was poured forth against the President, for only barely removeing his son from one court to an other, without the least additional sallery or emolument, but to his personal disadvantage the news papers for Months teemed with reproach lies and falshood one Member of congress wrote a circular Letter to his constituents, that one of the first acts of the President, was to appoint his own Son Minister abroad, and that he had received three outfits to three different courts, and a sallery for each; this Letter I saw in the time it was written. it was by a Member belonging to this State; a Man of considerable talents, who could not but know, that he was deceiving those to whom his Letter was addrest, by the basest falshoods;6 I Mention this to Shew, how eagerly the Jacobins Seize upon every shadow, untill they make it a Giant: and the people believe in the Conjurer.

The President would recommend to mr Johnson to write to the Secretaries upon the subject of any office he wishes to obtain; the Letters will then come regularly before him, and receive weight from the proper Channel.7 The President has n[ot] forgotten a negative upon a nomination of an officer, tho that officer was named and recommended by Gen’ll Washington, and that officer allowd by all Military Men, to be peculiarly qualified for the office to which he was named. It was alledged that he was a Bankrupt at the same time. others past, without objection, whose pecuniary affairs were not less embarressed. I Mention this to You in confidence, and to shew you how very Jealous the people are, least the President should excercise what they call Executive Patronage in favour of any person, how ever distantly connected. I have no scruple in telling you that in the List of officers named by Genll Washington, coll smith was nominated by him for Adjutent Generall— the senate 112 negatived him—and gave for a reason the one I Mentiond—8 I shall not dispute their Right, however I will arraign their judgment— all appointments must have their Sanction, which Your Friend the secretary of the Navy declares a defect in the constitution, for they have a power to which no responsibility is annexed.

My Kind Regards to every Member of Your Family. I shall have an exelent private opportunity of sending Letters to our Children soon and I will with pleasure convey any you may please to forward to your assured Friend

I have receiv’d two Letters from you since I wrote last. one contain’d the Border & Lace for my cap, & a cap for Mrs Norton—for which We thank you.1 mrs Greenleaf also for hers— how you do love to dress up your Friends! there is certainly More pleasure in it than in adorning our own Persons— we cant wear our Blue ribbons yet we are all in mourning— not a person in our Meeting house but has Some badge of Sorrow. We are as fanciful in our dress as with you. a Black ribbon through our Muffs—& ty’d in a Bow—roses upon the Shoulders & Some upon the left arm Black Bonnits & gloves & The companys Millitary dress in their uniforms with Black crape on their arms—& with Side arms, every Sunday & Sit together in the Side Gallerys. our Pulpit is hung in Black—three yards & an half of Superfine Broad clothe is put over it & drawn up each Side the 113 Cushin in a Festune with large Bows of Love Ribbon the corners which hang down at the edge of the frount of the Pulpit have each a large Black Tassels full of Bugles Suspended at the end of them. The Deacons Seat the frount of it is cover’d with Black Lutstring festun’d with Love Ribbon The edge of your Pew has a Band of Gauze all round it, drawn together at proper distances by knots of Love Ribbon & the lustrings cover’d with Black Flannel The clock has two large Vales put round the Frame & ty’d as we do a Looking Glass a larg Rose at the Top & a very large Bow of Gauze with ends a quarter of a yard long at the bottom Mrs Black Mr & Mrs Green-leaf & I dressd the Meeting House—& tis Said to look very elegant—but Sadly Solemn to me. the People expected a Funeral Sermon: but as we must have a Something on the 22d of next month, we thought it had better be defer’d it looks a little like praying the man thro Purgitary but as they like— I knew what you Meant, as soon as I saw the resolve of congress— it strikes every Body here in the manner it did you. So much has been done already that what remains must be flat

mr whitney will be ordain’d the 5th of February exactly 45 years Since Mr wibird was— captain Beal has taken him by the Hand again & invited him to dine, & nothing can be more gracious than they all are the others will come to of course they were nothing but an echo— The Publick entertainment will be at capn. Brackets I believe. I sent out a Subcription Paper expressing the wishes of a few of us Ladies to present mr whitney with a Ministerial Gown & have colicted about 40 dollrs. already— Mr w will have no reason to complain of Us. Mrs Black Subscrib’d 4 doll. & Mrs Beal 5 doll.2 ambition will answer a purpose in some cases as well as generosity the old Levite is not to be overlook’d a Russel with a warm Baize lining will do him the most good—3 I wish I may be able to get him here that he may be in a place fit to be seen—

Thomason Baxter has offer’d his place for 900 pounds but I cannot say free of all incumbrance, but mr Whitney feels affraid to venture So largely tis by much the cheapest place which has offer’d— I hope the Town will try to get it for him. he does not wish for so much land & they can sell the rest at any time—

I feel very glad I can inform Mrs Brisler that her Sister Mears has recover’d Surprizingly I sent the chaise for her to ride these fine day we have had, & she gathers Strength fast She has been about her House above a fortnight

Tell Cousen Louissa that her Bed has not been unoccupied. I went into the chamber the other day & to My Supprize found that 114 the counterpane was covered with Mice dung: I call’d up mrs Porter & we pull’d […] Bed to Pieces & found they had been between the […] & between the Bed & Mattress & under it. they had […] eat the Bed but had eat a handful of the […] of the Blankits & had eat the hair off a Small trunk in the closet. they came out of the Stove room— We put a cat in & Set some traps—

I went to Boston this week & found that tho Mrs Smith had sent your Gowns She had not sent Mrs Smiths work’d one. She thought it was yours & that you would not have occation for it there & would not wish to have it, but she will send it some way or other

I rejoice to find you have so much health this winter I have reason to be thankful for the great degree of it We have injoy’d—

I had a Letter from Sister Peabody last week they were all well— I have not had a Letter from her before since you went away. Sister Smith complains that Louissa does Not write to her

with Love to all believe me your affectionate Sister