Indolence shall no longer prevent my acknowledging, the pleasure I felt (my dear Mrs Adams) from your kind & affectionate letter which I received some time ago.1

Your sentiments on the subject of friends are so congenial with my own, that I wish by every means in my power, to cherish with the warmest affection, the few that are spared to me.

The last respects were paid to our friend Mrs Stodart, the day after receiving your letter, I saw her about a fortnight before her death, she inquired with much anxiety after your health, & desired to be perticularly remembered to you.

It gives me great pleasure to hear that my Sister S—— has so surprisingly recovered from your account of her & Betsy’s the first of the winter, I was very apprehensive that I should never see her face any more; but I now anticipate the pleasure of seeing her & all my other friends, in six or eight weeks. It is not quite certain when Congress will adjourn, for you know, there are many who would spin out business till mid summer, rather than relinquish 6 Dll. There have been a number of ladies belonging to Congress here this winter, but I assure you, the Jews have but little dealings with the Samaritans.2

We are pleased with the prospect, of the Sun of fedaralism’s rising again in the east, and allso, that your Son is comeing forward in his political career.3

Mrs Daltons & Mrs Cranch’s family’s are well, the measles have been universial, but Mary has not taken them, for which I am sorry, as she is at a good age.4 Mrs Bayard is the only one in our house that has taken them, and she had them very favourably.5

I regret the loss which Mr Johnson’s family have sustained, I am told they intend remaining in Fredrick.6

Please to remember me to Mrs Cranch & Louisa. Mr O with Harriet & Mary join their best respects to you, & your Friend with / Your Affectionate

I received last evening your favour of the 20th: instt: containing the distressing intelligence of Mr: Johnson’s decease; which I had indeed been in some measure prepared to expect, by a letter from Mrs: Johnson to Mrs: Adams, received a few days before—1 I endeavoured to communicate the melancholy event to my wife in a manner which might soften as much as possible the shock— The agitation into which it threw her, was however so violent that she has been quite unwell last night; and has not yet entirely recovered— She had flattered herself lately so much with hopes, that the stroke was quite unexpected to her.— In addition to her distress at her irreparable loss and that of her family, she was extremely concerned on account of Mrs: Hellen— Your letter of the 22d: however, which I have just given her, has relieved her mind in a great measure on this account, and given her as much joy as she was at this time susceptible of receiving.— We both join in congratulating you upon this new accession to your family, and hope soon to hear of Mrs: Hellen’s perfect recovery.2

The situation in which Mr: Johnson has left his family is a subject of deep concern to our minds; and with you, I shall be happy to make every exertion in my power for their comfort— Just before he left England, he made a Will, in which he constituted you, his son Thomas (upon his coming of age) and myself his Executors for his concerns in America— Of this Will, I have a copy in my possession, and it is attested by my brother as one of the Witnesses— If there has been no subsequent Will, I presume it will be necessary to prove that, in the Maryland Court of Probate—3 I likewise suppose that you have a copy of the same Will, unless another has been 199 made, and will take such steps as will be necessary for the probate; and for making such dispositions with regard to his property as may carry the Will as far as possible into effect— The State of his affairs is much better known to you than to me, and at this distance, it will perhaps be impossible for me to obtain such a knowledge of them as to enable me to act much in the capacity of Executor— I shall however be ready cheerfully to join in any measure which you may deem expedient for settling the Estate in the manner the most beneficial possible to the interests of his family.

With regard to his demands against Messrs: Wallace and Muir, I have heard nothing since I left Washington— I never had an opportunity to go into a complete investigation of all the transactions, but as far as I was acquainted with them, it appeared to me he had suffered such gross and flagrant injustice, that a representation of it properly drawn up, and presented to the legislature of his native State, was the properest expedient he could adopt, and the best if not the only remedy remaining to him— The proceedings of the Chancellor in particular are of such a nature, that a statement of his own decree—with his allegation of motives, his hand-bill, and in short the whole course of his proceedings must I think produce a salutary effect, presented to the impartial view of an honest legislative Assembly, the common protectors of individual rights and of public Justice—4 I suggested this idea to Governor Johnson, when I had the happiness of seeing him at Frederick, and though he did not give a decisive opinion upon the subject, it appeared to me that he did not disapprove it.

If the suit has not yet been decided, his Executors must no doubt be now admitted to prosecute it, and for that purpose the probate of the Will must be made as early as possible— I shall be happy to hear from you on this subject, and to join in any possible effort to obtain that justice for his afflicted and distress’d family which was so cruelly denied to him.

With great regard, and attachment, I remain, Dear Sir, your friend and very humble Servt: