I have already written you respecting the private business upon which I was commissioned by your father, and I enclose a duplicate of that Letter, to meet the case of miscarriage, that may happen to the original.1 But you will expect, and indeed are entitled to some more lines from me, though I have nothing interesting to say to you, except that we are well, and very anxious to hear the same good news from you.

Thomas tells me he has written you a long letter;2 I presume therefore he has related to you the most prominent particulars of our passage & adventures, from the time we left Boston until our arrival here. He has doubtless told you of our hair-breadth scapes, not in the imminent deadly breach, but from the treachery of a faithless bottom on the water, and from the ingenious contrivances of English Thieves on the land; and you know by this time, or will before this reaches you, that our voyage was short & tedious, pleasant & uncomfortable, which indeed is the greatest eulogium that can be past upon the most favorable passage across the Atlantic, that I ever made. It will be equally well known to you that we whirled round in the sling of London City for one fortnight, and then came from Harwich with a Captain, who before we sailed had preceded us by more than half the way, and a huddle of Passengers of all Nations, Countries and Languages, as if a new Babel had been building in England, and the workmen were all going home together. Of all these facts it is therefore unnecessary for me to repeat a detail which has already been made you, and I shall say nothing of them.

As to political intelligence you will no doubt expect much of that under an idea that we are now in the very center of information. 273 The truth is however that we have but little, and that is almost exclusively confined to the state of this Country itself in the part invaded by the French armies. In conformity to our engagement before we left America, we shall regularly send you the Leyden Gazette, which will give you most of the information that we could write. We Shall endeavor always to send it you as early as possible, and we earnestly urge you to make the same efforts in return. You will recollect, that personally your information to us, is of great importance, that the essence of valuable intelligence is its early reception, and that our channels of conveyance for American news, are much fewer in number & narrower in extent, than those that flow towards you; We ask not however for more punctuality than we shall shew.

I suppose you think we are at this moment swiming in the water, or under the command of Citoyen Pichegru, and I have no doubt but Amsterdam has been taken five times at least before this present hour, in the name of the French Republic, by all the Newspapers in the United States.3 This is not yet the case however, but if there is any thing in human probability, it will be within two months. Peace upon such terms as the French Republic shall dictate or the immediate interposition of more than human power, are the only things that can arrest the progress of the republican armies short of Amsterdam. In the mean time, we are as quiet and peaceable as we could be in profound peace. Excepting the addition of a few Soldiers, every thing looks exactly as it did thirteen years ago, and the inhabitants of the City, who you know were never very cordial to the cause of their present rulers, shrug their shoulders in the spirit of the gentleman in Phædrus who enquires, “num feram binas clitellas?”4

In the article of literature, this is the worst place where I could possibly be situated to give you any thing worthy of your attention. France is the only source from which any novelty of merit can proceed, for the public entertainment or instruction here, and all communication with her is interrupted. Old French publications are cheap enough at the present time, for obvious reasons. The circumstances are something like those in the dialogue between Falstaff and Prince Henry, when Land was as cheap as stinking Mackrel, and Maiden-heads to be bought like Hob-nails, by the hundred.5

This letter you see is not very Diplomatic; but it will serve my turn much better, if it proves to you, that I am with unabated affection your friend / and Brother.

This day compleats Ten weeks, since you sailed and I have had no opportunity before this, by Captain Scott, of writing to you, unless by way of Amsterdam, where I have little hope of finding you. The Arms of France have proved so powerfull, and their victorys have been so rapid, that I should not be surprized to learn, that they had renderd your commission Nul & void, by overturning the Republick, and Demolishing the Government of the Country to which you are accreditted; in that case, you will remain where you are, untill further orders.

You will be pleased to hear, as you will no doubt, from various quarters, that the Insurgency is suppressd in Pennsylvania. the determind spirit of the people Soon formed too powerfull an Army for them to make any Head against. they Soon Saw and felt, that they must submit. Numbers of them have been taken, and confined for trial.

Mr Findley in an interveiw with the President, told him, that the opposition of the people in the Rebellious Counties, was not a resistance to the Excise, or any other particular measure of Government, but an universal opposition to all Law, all Government, and all 275 Magistracy, and that rather than go through such an other Scene, as he had witnessed amongst them he should wish to quit the stage of Life. this from Findlay; looks as if he had been compeld to alter some of his sentiments by sad experience, and will I hope have a good effect upon a Man of real good Sense, and I hope Heart.

Mr Smith of S C. is Re Elected, by a large Majority. Mr Ames Election was carried with a firmness and Resolution which abashed all Jacobinism. if the Electors would bear a Scrutiny upon the Side of his opponent, they certainly would upon his. if any credit was to be given to the Chronical, we Should believe that Ames’s party had adopted the sentiment of Hudibrass, “To combat Evil, tis Lawfull to employ the devil” But he remains in full pay of the other Party, and can transform assignatts into Crowns or even Guineys.

The New Elections are generally Federal and our Government has taken deeper and firmer Root, for the storms and tempests which have assaild it.

Generall Waynes victory over the Savages has had a happy effect upon our Tawnny Neighbours and the Aspect of our Country, is Peace and Plenty. the view is delightfull, and the more so when contrasted with the desolation and carnage which overspread a great proportion of the civilized world.

I heard this week from your Father and your Brother and sister,1 all of whom were well. they will undoubtedly write to you, as vessels are going from thence

we have flatterd ourselves that you had a prosperous voyage, as the Winds from shore were favourable for a long time. I hope you will not omit any opportunity of writing to her whose happiness is so intimately blended with your prosperity, and who at all times is your / ever affectionate Mother