A Letter which I had a long time wished for, I at length received from my Affectionate Sister.1 Every day I had been thinking I would write. But the round of duties that called for my unremitted exertions, left me too weary, or too inert to take up my Pen, for the company which our Boarders attract, demand polite & respectful attentions, from me, by their own obliging behaviour— And I thought there would be impropriety, & you could not thank me for calling your mind from things of real importance, to those trifling Affairs, which from local circumstances might interest me, but could not entertain my Sister, unless Judgment, & creative fancy had united to render the recital pleasing— And however my abilities in this way, 185 may be appreciated by my partial, dear relatives, yet I feel myself so deficient, as often makes me ashamed. Though at times I flatter myself, that if I had the leisure, which Ladies of fortune are blessed with, I should esteem myself happy, in devoting a large portion of time, to literary improvements, & make a more respectable figure in life, than I ever expect to now. Infirmities of body, dissappointments, & afflictions of various kinds, have damped the ardor of youth, depressed my genius, & extinguished almost every latent spark. For though sometimes a diamond may be found in a desert, & a “Rose to blossom” without one genial ray, yet, is it not on prosperous ground, in Idalion Groves, where the soil is enriched by the smiles of Fortune, & the mind inflated with the gales of Hope, that genious soars on fancy’s wing, & brings home the richest repast for the Sons of Science?—2

I have communicated your thoughts respecting your Grandchildren to our Preceptor, & they are now going again, over the first rules of Arithmetick. We intend having a Class study history, & examining them in this branch of knowledge; it is certainly a ligitimate Sister to Geography, & ought not to be neglected by any of those, who have time to pay her proper attentions. I have always been a great advocate for the study of History, I do not know but I have formerly said too much to my Son in its favour. For I would not have the Laws, Government, & Customs of Nations, so deeply impressed upon the mind, as not to leave room for things of as great, or of more importance—3

Your assurrance my dear Sister, that my Son behaved well in the office he sustains, & that he was free from habits of vice, brought forth tears of Joy. A Mothers heart, & thoughts are ever on the wing, spreading out in tender affections, ready to nourish the virtues of her Children; while their vices draw of the vital spirits, & their “grey hairs are brought down in sorrow to the Grave”—4

Knowing my Son was but little used to the world, I have ever been anxious, lest his unsuspecting mind should be led astray, by the false glare, & the artifice, of what is deemed the polite world. For, “how few bring back at eve, the manners of the morn immaculate.”5 Yet under your vigilant eye, excellent example, & affectionate Care, I have been happy; hoping that he who formed the heart, & gave it passions, would likewise infuse wisdom to restrain them, & preserve his feet from falling, when temptations from within united with the seductions of the world, to plunge him into destructive paths—

I received a letter last week from my Son informing me of the departure of your Daughter to the Camp, I wrote to her respecting her Children, thinking she was with you,6 they are very well, & contented, though they wish to see their Parents, yet they will submit to whatever you shall think best. They hope to see them at Quincy, if not at Newyork.—

My Dear Abby has not been so well for this fortnight past, all the Drs say I must try change of air.

When you return, & I hope it will not be long first, I wish we may both, be able to make you a visit— Your house was a cure to both my other Children—& perhaps I may be blessed with restoration of health to this tender Bud—but if not, may I be made willing, that her early virtues, should be trasplanted into happier Climes—though I feel, that it would rend the fibres of my heart— The sight of her feverish habit, makes my wounds bleed affresh—

Our numerous family have all been carried through the winter without sickness, or accident— I ought to be thankful for this—

Mr Peabody presents his best regards to the President, yourself &ce— The Dye is cast, I believe for Miss P.— Mr N. Peabody a senior at College has made overtures of Love, & inviolable friendship— which she has thought proper to encourage— As he is in the infancy of his education, there cannot be so speedy a settlement for her, as I could wish— He has merit, good sense, & something original in his genius—& will I trust make an handsome figure in life— He has an offer of taking the new Academy at Andover, in case of its being vacant, that is if Mr Stone quits his present station, for the ministry at Beverly, where he has now a call— The Institution calls for a Preceptor, & Preceptress—so he has spoke in season— And I think, if they must be together, it will be more eligible to be married—7 For her abilities, & manners are too fascinating, for the repose of others, & her heart too susceptive for her own tranquility in any other situation of life— I really think she herself, has improved as much as any Scholar we have— Ever yours affectionately, with / love to your Children, wherever / they may be

Since the date of my last, I have received none from you, though we are in expectation of arrivals from Hamburg, which we think must bring Some tidings of or from you.

I wrote a letter to Messrs: Marks & Co. very soon after the receipt of the papers of Mr: Engel, and in the course of a few days after, got an answer copy of which I now enclose.— I have put the business into the hands of Mr: Malcom, formerly Secretary to the P——t, who is in the practice of Law at New York, and who thinks something may in time be recovered, by a sale of the lands, though he could not say how much— He informed me that the affairs of Messrs: Marks & C°. have for some time been considered desperate, and thinks nothing more than the provision made for the German Creditors, could be secured by further process. Mr: Malcom has conversed with Messrs: Marks & also with their Attorney, who assured him that the tract of land was capable of division by the terms of reservation & the title Deeds are lodged in the hands of a very respectable Gentleman at N York for the benefit of the concern, in Trust.1

Congress are still in Session—nothing but hot weather will drive them off the ground. Measures of great importance have been agitated towards the close of the season, and some have been adopted, though not without a struggle— Such, for example, was the Bankrupt Bill, which long labored in the house & finally passed by the Speaker’s vote, though a majority of the Members would have voted 188 for it, had they been in the house when the question was taken. In Senate, Gentlemen were much divided, as you will see by the votes— it was not altogether a party question, but the Mercantile interest was generally unfriendly to the measure, because it will limit in a degree their hitherto boundless propensity to over trade, which has been attended with consequences of a most destructive nature to the Commercial prosperity of the Country. The Exports from the U.S. for the last year, exceed $70 millions whereas the Imports fell short of former years— A deficiency of revenue is the consequence & the Government must again borrow four or five millions for the service of the current year— If this state of things were to exist for any considerable time, we should have a debt to hang about our necks as the English have, though I believe sincerely it is not so much to be deprecated as it often has been—2 A Government certainly strengthens itself much by being in debt to the people it protects, rather than by their being much in arrear with it, so that I am tolerably sure, that the best & only policy of a Government like ours, is not to be oversolicitous to avoid borrowing from the public; however, to avow sentiments like these, would be at all times extreemly disgusting and odious to our sovereigns—not less so than to advocate a National consolidation of Government—both of which, in the opinions of many, are very desirable objects to be realized.

The Bill reported in Congress for improving the Judiciary System, has met with great opposition— It will not pass as reported, though a modification of it may— Consolidation of the States, is the bug bear so much dreaded, and private views in some instances got the better of devotion to the public cause—this is neither a new thing or an extraordinary one—though I think it grows more rapidly than heretofore— Nevertheless as much harmony & liberality have prevailed during this Session of Congress, as any I remember— The Demo’s have made two desperate attempts to rouse popular clamor—to interest the passions of the vulgar and persuade them that their dearest rights & liberties are on the verge of destruction, &ca: but with all their efforts, they were able, very seldom to get a full Gallery in Congress—

The Senate of the U.S. instituted process a few days since against Duane the Editor of the Aurora, for a contempt of their body breach of privilege, in publishing a Bill then before them, as having already passed, and making some false & scandalous remarks upon the same, with other representations of their proceedings, equally false & malicious— A Resolution was first brought forward to ascertain 189 who was the Actual Editor of the Aurora—which being done, other resolutions were proposed and passed, for bringing the said Editor before them— He was accordingly summoned to appear, on a given day—(Monday the 24th: March) which he did—the accusation being read to him, he addressed the Senate in a few words, the purport of which was, that he was no Lawyer & being fearful that his ignorance of forms, might establish a precedent unfriendly to the liberties of his fellow citizens, he beg’d to be heard by Counsel— This the Senate did not refuse, but judged proper to prescribe the terms on which his Counsel should be admitted to defend him—viz, not to question the jurisdiction of that tribunal, nor to justify the offence— Dallas & Cooper, who were both applied to, would not undertake the defence on such conditions— Of course he did not appear at the day assigned for his hearing— The Senate then proceeded to other steps for the purpose of securing his person, for a contempt, and passed the necessary resolve—obliging their President to issue his Warrant for apprehending the said Duane—which has been done, but the Culprit has seen fit to skulk & has either secreted himself in his house in the City, or fled from it, for the time being.3

The impudence of the jacobin faction, is almost beyond human patience to endure—it increases every hour in this state, which is beyond a doubt the focus of sedition. Our Legislature have adjourned without passing a law on the subject of Electors, which will oblige their being again convoked in the Summer, but no expectations are entertained that any mode will be agreed upon— There is more political trimming in this State than I believed possible to exist—the powers that be, carry all, like a torrent with them; only a few, will not bow the knee to Baal—4

I have done but little business of a professional nature hitherto, but yet more than I looked for— When I begin to grow hungry, it will be time enough to sell myself for a mess of potage—5

Our parents are well and have been so, generally, all the Season. As soon as Congress rise, they will leave me once more to bask in all the effulgence of a Philadelphia Summer, and all the tedium of cheerless celibacy— I may add however by way of consolation, with all the liberty of that condition—

We have passed a very pleasant & comfortable winter here, and you will believe me, when I assert, though perhaps reluctantly enough, that all the winters I spent abroad were not worth a week at home, though my personal anxiety & concern were much less then than now. The charm of self importance was unknown to me, ’till since I 190 began to retail the law to the few casual applicants at my Office—it taught me to think more & better of myself than I was wont, and you know what a fascination there is in this.

Farewell— I did not think to write more than a dozen lines, when I began; / Your’s