I received on saturday Your kind favour of Feb’ry accept My thanks for the orations.1 I send you in return Major Jacksons, which was very handsomely deliverd, and is as highly spoken of as any amongst the Multitude. I think it will not lose by a comparison with any which I have read, and I already have enough for a vol’m. Messengers is the Wildest Raphosody of any I do not esteem the whole; more than I did a part. Some of the orators have been unjust to their Country, no one of them which I have read, more than mr Paine— misirable would our Country have been and scarcly worth Saving, if its fate had rested upon the Breath of one individual. we have no reason to think that we should have lost our Liberties, or our Independance, if Washington had fallen in Battle that he was a Great a Good a Brave Man, that in him were concentered qualities which were peculiarly suited to the important Stations in which he was call’d to act, every tongue must acknowledge, and that he 162 discharged every trust committed to him for the best interest of his Country: and would have laid down his Life for it—We all believe and his Mourning gratefull country now bear full testimony to his Services—a Testimony which in Many instances will do them immortal honour—

I thank mrs smith for the ornament sent me, which I shall place round My Arm the next drawing Room. they are pretty devices— I saw the Death of our venerable Aunt in the News paper— she is the last of the Ancient stock of Worthies, whose memories, we can rise up and call blessed, and this is a sweet and cheering reflection—not a single stain upon all their Characters

Blessed are the dead, who dye in the Lord—2 She had out lived all her Mental faculties, and her removal may be considerd as a blessing to herself and Relatives. it used to be a petition of My Fatherss that he might not out live his usefullness— his Prayers were answerd— and I think it would be the wish and desire of every good Christian—

You inquire my dear sir if I want any thing from Boston: the season is so far advanced that I believe it will not be worth while to import any thing unless it be Some cheese which I have regreeted not sending round. I do not mean English but good American— I shall write to Dr Tufts and request him to send me a Barrel— I will thank you to engage of mr Hall a dozen of his best Hams & a cask of Tongues against I return3 Mr Otis’s Motion will not make Congress rise, but I wish it would expidite them.4 they are now troubled with the Ghost of Nash, and how long he is to be allowd to haunt them I cannot determine. the Antis who brought the subject forward, merely for Electionering purposes—now want it postponed So as to leave an implied censure upon the President, but they will not be let off so—5

adieu my dear Sir. I hope the federilist will not split with respect to their Govenour. Mr Ames mr Cabot and Many others would make good Govenours, but mr strong I think has equal pretentisions, and greater if the people will think So—

Mr shaw says the post is going / Yours &c

I received Your Letter of Febry 23. and was glad to learn that you were well, for from not hearing from you from the time of ordination I was fearfull that the fatigue had made You sick. we have now arrived to the 5th of March with a small quantity of snow upon the ground and the weather mild. with You I suppose there is much more; Congress might easily accomplish the buisness necessary for the benifit of the Nation, but I Must say their is a most shamefull waste of time. the Antifeds have brought before the House the delivering up to Justice, Thomas Nash which in strict conformity with the Treaty with G Britain was done. the Antiparty, have by every subterfuge mean art & declamation Wasted the time of the House upon that Subject more than a week, and I dare answer will keep the buisness more than a week more before them. the Jacobins are a very wicked unprincipeld set of Beings. this whole affair is brought up not from a Love of Justice, or apprehension that a fellow creature was unjustly punished, but merely to hold out to their Party, that the President had Encroached upon the Judiciary; and assumed an influence which was unconstitutional. the whole corespondence is before the public and every candid person must see, that the delivering the Rascal up, was in conformity to the Treaty which is the Law of the Land, and the President is Sworn to see the Laws executed, but Electionering purposes are answerd by the gloss put upon 164 the transaction by the Jacos, which is carefully retaild in all the Democratic papers.1 the replies and confutation of their arguments are carefully conceald from the party who these people wish to lead blind fold— I have not a doubt but their will be a Majority in the House who will approve the conduct of the Executive; one or two more Elections will be quite sufficient I believe to convince this people that no engine can be more fatally employd than frequent popular Elections, to corrupt and destroy the Morals of the people— 3 years are now past, and we have enjoyd as much peace quiet Security and happiness, as any people can boast of. in the same period of time much more than for the three years which preceeded—our National Character has risen in the public estimation, and the public confidence has in no ways been diminished— faction has not been so turbulent nor Malice so active— the Electionering campaign I presume will bring all their forces into action—

I send you an oration of major Jacksons, with which I think you will be pleased—and now as you observe, I hope the good Mans Spirit may rest in quiet for America has testified her gratitude & her Grief in the fullest manner, and I firmly believe with more sincerity than any people ever before felt for any Man— but when the collection of Sermons Eulogiums Poems &c are collected, more than two thirds of them will be found to have originated in N England— there from thence, did he derive his chief aid in War, and his chief and principle support, in the administration of the Government at a late festival in Kentucky, amongst a number of Jacobin toasts is one to the Memory of Genll Washington to the years 1779, and no longer by which they mean to cast a slur upon the whole of his administration of the government—but Hence wretches, to your native dens—the bogs of Ireland, the dens of scotland, and the out casts of Britain—2

Mrs smith and my little Caroline left me yesterday, to go to scotch plain’s I was very loth they should go, but could detain them no longer— I hope dr Tufts will send us his performance. I dare say it was a very judicious one—

I have written to the Dr. I hope the Building will go on with all speed— Mr Porter the dr writes inclines to leave us this spring.3 I had rather they should remain untill the fall of the year—but if he determines to go, can you think of a Man and Women to take their place untill the fall I hope to return by the time their year expires, or that at all events they will stay untill I do—

Louissa is very well and desires me to present her Duty to you. Remember me affectionatly to all my Friends— I see by the late 165 papers that mr Gannet is Married again. I hope miss Gannet will strive to obtain and preserve the regard of her Mother, whose Character stands high, and who will do justice to the charge she has taken upon her, from what I have heard of her—4

adieu My Dear sister my best regards to Brother Cranch, in which I am always joind by the President

ever your affectionate / Sister