I have received your favors of the 6th. & 10th: instts:— 1 The little schism which took place among the federal people at their late meetings, & which was detailed in one of my late letters, has terminated to general satisfaction & from the turn it has taken will probably very much promote a union of interest & exertion. Every measure, which was pursued to modify the proceedings of the majority at the public meetings, was done in private meetings of the two Committees, & when the result of their conferences was to be laid before the general assembly for their approbation, no notice was taken of any difference having existed. Every thing went on smoothly & with greater unanimity than at any former meeting. You will see by the papers that my name has been brought into public for the purpose of attesting these proceedings.

There is nothing of a public nature to excite much observation at this time, other than the Electioneering warfare, which is carried on with much warmth & some accrimony. The Newspapers here publish 401 no such speculations as those of Junius Americanus & Massasoit, (a foolish & absurd signature by the way.) voluntarily.2

The Mission to France excites enquiry—there seems even to be a great degree of impatience discovered, because the Executive has not thought fit to divulge what has been done & what is likely to be done further; & moreover what the Envoys were instructed to do. I am, for my own part, so indifferent upon this subject, that I feel a secret pleasure that this whimsical, womanish curiosity, of the people, should has not been gratified, as indeed I see not how it could be, consistently with prudence. But the high-flyers are by far the most eager to come at the state of the business—for no other purpose than to cavil and growl at it. The reports which circulate so freely on the subject of the speedy return of the Commissioners, are intended to worm & worry out the secret; at least they have this appearance. I scarcely know what creed is best on this occasion, for my data are no more authentic than those of other people, & yet my doubts are strong as to a satisfactory adjustment.

Upon the subject of your favor of the 10th: I have nothing to add, except to concur with you in deploring the calamity which seems so inevitably to await us. Your determination concerning the unhappy object & cause of our affliction, is righteous & just.

I am, dear Sir / Your Son

I inclose you the Aurora of this morning which is pretty rich in contents. For some time past it has been too flat & insipid to compensate the trouble of sending it to you. I observe that the pieces under the signature of Decius are ascribed to H. G Otis— I have 402 read but a few of the numbers, but I have no doubt the Author is clearly & rightly designated. The story he tells in his No 15 of the Caucus, is not quite correct— Mr: O—— should have dared to avow, that all except one agreed, “as far as their advice & influence would go,” to run Mr: Adams & Mr: Pinckney, both “fairly” as President, and that the one who differed from the rest discovered, that this fair proposition was both artful & insidious, because all the Gentlemen upon their return to their Constituents, “as far as their advice & influence would go,” might endeavor to undermine Mr: Adams for the purpose of promoting the choice of Mr: Pinckney. This he must have foreseen & although the gentlemen professed an intention of “supporting Mr. A—— fairly as President,” he well knew that very few of them had any intention of doing so; and the fact has since been amply verified— Mr: Dexter differed from all the rest of the federalists. Mr: D—— understood the party he was dealing with.1

The Jacobins here, & in Virginia are very sanguine in their expectations of success— They are very quiet & still about it, but their activity & zeal is unabating. Corresponding Committees exist in every State and information is regularly circulated from the extremities to the center. The grand Committee is at New York. This is no visionary thing I can assure you— They count upon Connecticutt or Rhode Island to give them votes by withholding them from Mr. Adams.2 I rather think it is Connecticutt. New Jersey & Maryland are yet doubtful, and some talk revives of convening the new Legislature of this State for the purpose of prescribing a mode of chusing Electors. If the complection of the Legislature should be more democratic than the present, it will be convened—otherwise I think not.

Why dont you find out who writes Chatham, Cato, Junius Americanus &ca: 3 I should know if I were acquainted with the Printer. There were three papers under the signature of Matius Scavola, giving an history of the Aurora lately published in Wayne’s paper Gazette—4 Did you read them?

I am dear William / Your friend