I have your favor of the 23d: inst: before me. The Country looks so pleasant and inviting in the vicinity of this City, that I have no difficulty in conceiving the beauties of Quincy farm, at this moment. I have lately passed some days, at different intervals, in the Country, and found much benefit, from the change of air. As to the accident, which befel me, I should scarcely have thought it worth while to notice it, if I had not apprehended the news might have reached you from some other quarter, with exagerations. I feel, at present, no ill effects from it, though the wrist of my left hand is yet somewhat weak. It was no vanity of horsemanship, that caused my attempt to ride a vicious beast; he carried me out very quietly, and I had no suspicion of his unfair behavior, until it was too late to think of any thing, but how I should save my neck. Few people, I think, would 209 have got off better, or with so little injury, as I did. This, you will say, is a proof of my vanity, but I have suffered so slightly, that I must be indulged in a little boasting. One of the evils of poverty, which I experience is the want of an horse. I was compelled to retrench that expence, a twelvemonth ago, and shall not encounter it again, until I can better afford it.

It gives me pleasure to hear of my brother’s good health. His cares are much lessened by being relieved from the arduous duties of a foreign Minister, and finding himself once more in the bosom of his family, among friends & relatives, who take an interest in his affairs. I believe he will prosper very well, where he is, and nothing ought to persuade him from remaining there. It is no privilege to be a Senator in Congress, in these times. Let those who aspire to the honor, take their turn in laboring for the public.

You will hear of Mrs: Washington’s death before my letter can reach you, and mourn, in common with all, who knew her.1 She shared largely in the esteem of the public, both for her own & her husbands merits; and she has left to her descendants a rich inheritance, in her “spotless reputation.”2

The death of Mr: Johnson is an overwhelming calamity to his family, and I am utterly at a loss to divine the consequences, which must attend it. I hear the family intend removing to Frederic, where the greater number of their relatives live.

I send you herewith the Aurora of the day, just as a specimen of his baseness & impudence.3 I do hope it will fall to this villain’s lot to be hanged.

With love & duty to all friends I am, dear mother / Your son

If your two letters of 16 May, and 3. instt: have hitherto remained unanswered you must impute it to a multiplicity of occupations, which for the last month have so entirely engross’d my time, as scarcely to leave me a moment for the pleasure of conversing with my friends either by word of mouth or by epistolary conveyance—1 The address to the fire Society, you doubtless received as soon as was practicable after its publication, and if you have had the patience to read it, there is no occasion for me to say any thing further to you about it— Of its reception I have no reason to complain— But as owing to the Bostonian love of Orations, which Oldschool told you of, there have been two public discourses delivered there already since my address; this as you will readily imagine is now sunk deep in the vale of Oblivion—2

From the 26th: of last Month our General Court have been in Session, and you will find the temper of their politics, in the answers of the two Houses to the Governor’s Speech— You will observe I was not upon the Committee of the Senate for drawing up the answer— There was not much debate except upon the clause which declares so decisively in favour of an independent judiciary.— This was objected against, as containing an oblique censure upon the famous Acts of the late Session of Congress— The clause was however retained by a large majority 19 to 11.—3 Indeed out of the 40 Senators there are only 12 of the established political church— The rest are all of the Sect.— In the house of Representatives the majority is likewise decisive, and larger than it was the last year.4

The people in general are however warmer than the legislature, and in their disposition of disgust against the federal administration require a curb rather than a spur— If the Majority in Congress continue to drive so like the driving of Jehu—for two years more; they will find it necessary to raise troops again, and the more or less General, will have occasion for all the precision of his military powers.—5 Yet hitherto there is not an idea formed of organized resistance, nor is there the remotest danger of any such attempt, 211 unless the Church should continue its career of violence not merely against the sect, but against the territory— The sentiment that New-England is systematically degraded, injured, and contemned by the federal administration, is that upon which our people feel the sorest, and indeed the thing is so obvious and so glaring, that the jacobins themselves can scarcely have the face to deny it— Most of them indeed feel it as much as the federalists, and the church unless it shall reform its practice, will certainly not be able to keep them within the pale.

Thus you see what has become of my resolutions to renounce the career of politics— I must confess it, with some confusion of face— I have again suffered myself to be launched upon the tempestuous sea, contrary to the dictates of my better judgment, and my full conviction that it is all vanity and vexation of spirit—6 My private affairs must suffer of course, and my professional pursuits will be much impeded, if not altogether arrested.

Oldschool I observe is publishing Bülow’s tour at full length; and from the large portions which he admits into every paper, I presume his assistance from other quarters is very small— I think his cause is irretrievably gone, and question whether he will be able to complete the year— I wish it were in my power to give him more effectual aid, but for the present I find it utterly impossible— He has not yet publish’d the letter from old Franklin which I sent you— I will send on some more as soon as I can, but Shaw is just now so busy that he has not time to copy.7

Your’s affectionately.