I was a little disappointed in not finding a letter for me in the Post Office of this place upon my arrival here yesterday— The arrangement, of the Posts is rather inconvenient in all the towns I have yet visited where there is any— In West Chester there is none, in York & Lancaster there is but one Mail Pr Week, as also in this place— the Mail arrived here yesterday from Philadelphia & another will not arrive till monday next— By this arrangement I fear I shall miss another letter— Your’s directed to me at York—I recd: yesterday by a Gentn from that place—1

There was much business done by the Court at Lancaster during the last week—no trials of any great consequence, if the value of the property in dispute alone is estimated—but the length of time that many of them had been upon the Docquet & the expence of the parties made it a considerable object to have them swept off— Lancaster is said to be the largest inland town in America— I believe it is—2 the people are industrious, & of course wealthy— The richness of the land in this County affords ample compensation for any labor that is bestowed upon it— It must be a great advantage to Philadelphia to have so large a town dependent upon it for every article of foreign Growth;—

The farmers have heared that the Embargoe is not to be continued, & the price of flour in the City; this has put them upon the move with their Flour, & I presume we did not meet less than 50 waggons heavily loaded on their way thither—many of them from this side of the Susquehannah— Our ride from Lancaster to this place, about 53 miles, was the pleasantest part of my journey— The people have got into the practice of raising Rye within a few years, instead of wheat— with this they feed their horses and make whiskey; It seems to me no very favorable symptom; & I think the change, much for the worse—3 We crossed the River about three miles below Harrisburg— The town was visible from the Ferry, but not distinctly. The Country for 14 or 15 miles on this side the River is beautiful beyond description— within the distance of 8 or 10 miles 187 from each other, there are very considerable streams of water, which turn a great number of mills of all kinds—

Lands on this side of the River 15 years ago sold for £5 Pr Acre— they now sell for £15 tho it must be the best kind of land to command this price; Round Carlisle good land [may?] be bought for £7–10—

My next remove will be to Reading, nearly seventy miles from this; If convenient, I shall be pleased at finding a letter for me there upon my arrival which I expect will be on Monday next—

I am / sir / your son

I last evening received yours of the 12th and 15. the weather for several Days past has been extreem Hot, and as to the drougth it is much sharper than last year we have not had half an inch of rain for two Months & Scarcly a sprinkle for more than a month. neither corn or potatoes can get up, & the few things in the garden wilt like july. I am most discouraged at Farming. I have however Succeeded tolerably in keeping of the canker worm, tho some few have eluded all my vigelence. the caterpillar are also very numerous. every day convinces me of the necessity of an over seer for all the Farms. Faxon or some other Pirates, have made sad havock with the fence. we have already been obliged to carry up loads from here, and every day, new wants arrise, and every Neighbour is preying upon us— this place I can command but the other place has been too long free plunder to be easily relinquishd. we have attended to the salt Meddows, and been obliged to sit a fence against Jonathan Baxter.1 The embargo is a very popular measure here and there is much anxiety 188 least it should be discontinued flower & Grain have risen in a few days as well as Lumber. there will be speculators whilst there is Commerce. the report respecting the Election of mr Adams is I believe wholy unfounded. I never heard such a suggestion the people were much united in him, and those who did not wish him to be Govenour voted for him as Leiut Govenour the Jacobines have carried their points so far as to get Several of their Friends chosen Representitives for Boston the meeting was thin, and but little pains taken by the Friends of good order who always rest too secure in the justice of their cause,2 yet having had a full view of Southern politicks and Southern Elections, I begin to th[ink] we are much the purest part of the union. much as [they] hold Britain in disdain & abuse her constitution, they have adopted the most pernicious part in its most corrupted Stage— a pack of Negro drivers, they deserve chains themselves. I think you must be near exhausted by the length of the Sessions and your constant attendance

I am glad to learn that Thomas is gone into the Country upon a circuit. I hope he will get into Buisness

Your Mother remains much as She has been for some time past; Remember me to all inquiring Friends. mrs Brisler and Family are well, his Boy half Grown up—

I hope Congress will soon rise, and that without doing any more mischeif—Yours affectionatly