I had flattered myself all the last Week with the Hope of a Letter on Monday: but when Yesterday came I found in the Door Keepers lodge of the Senate, no Letter for me, though the Post was arrived, and the other Gentlemen had their Letters. Disappointed, mortified, sometimes half resentful, but more often anxious and Apprehensive that you were sick, I passed but an unpleasant Morning: After dinner your Letter of the 6th. was brought to me in my Chamber, having been left with Mr Francis, I know not why, by one of the Presidents servants.

Callendars “Political Progress,[”] is a Part of a great System of Reform or Sedition, which made a great Noise in Scotland, and has 308 occasioned the transportation to Botany Bay of Muir, Margarot, & Gerald;1 a sentence of High Treason against Wat and Downie, &c &c.

Self created Societies are setting all Mankind together by the Ears. They will not cease in other Countries till they are laid aside in France, where they begin to be found inconvenient and to be thought dangerous. The popular Society of Caen resolved “We Acknowledge none but you for the Chiefs of the State: We own the national Representatives as the only point of rallying, and the People alone for sovereign. We Swear to be always faithful to the Convention. We will regard as the Ennemy of the People every Man who would rouse, near you, any Rival, insolent and usurping Authority.” Bache’s Paper tells Us it is The Spirit of the times to Support the constituted Authorities against all self created, usurping rival Pretensions.—2

Whether The French or the Dutch are Uppermost in Holland our Sons have nothing to fear: I hope in a month or six Weeks We shall hear from them.

Solus has it right— I want my Wife to hover over and about me.

I hope Shaws Yard and Joys Yard, are or will be fill’d with sea Weed as well as mine. The Business has gone on charmingly— dont forget your Daily or Weekly Chronicles of Farming.

As Dorothy has hitherto had only a peevish, fretful feeble Child for an Husband, I congratulate her on her opening Prospects of Advancement in the World, to the Arms of a generous, cheerful, good humoured, and able bodied Man. As the service of the People, according to modern Principles is no honour, Hopkintonianism in Politicks being the orthodox creed there can be no distinction between a Governor of a State and a Commander of a ship, except such as The Nerves confer. I suppose he has Property, which Added to hers will make their old Age comfortable and that is enough. Literary Taste, intellectual Joys, Delicacy of the Sense of honour, and Reputation are about equal. I am not censorious. Not I. As Governors Wife, like her Husband, she has been an unprofitable servant and has no Merit— Why then should she have any Pride or Ambition?—

The Weather has been so fine, that I hope Eames has Arrived with your Flour seeds and Medallion. I hope you will consent to request Ceracchi, to give that Image to Harvard or the Accademy.

Love & Duty. Adieu.

This morning I received your favour of the 13th. and wonder not that your honest heart is disgusted at the Iniquities always practiced at the New York Elections, where I Suppose Lord Nugents Maxim is adopted, that “all Things are lawful at Elections.” This moral Aphorism he once alledged as an Apology for having once at an Election at Bristol, when his Lordship and Alderman Beckford were Competitors, dressed up an Effigy of Beckford as a Negro and carted it about the City, with the Cry in the mouths of his Mob “No Negroes” “No woolly hair”! An Artifice which his Lordship Said carried the Election.1

It is not unnatural that the Livingstones should acquire the Character of Democrats.— You may recollect the Family of The Medici. The Family of Cæsar, and as many other Families as have become Royal in the World. Every One of them became Supream by obtaining the Character of Democrats. The Family of Orange, have always had the Character of Democrats. So have the Family of Hanover and even the Family of Bourbon. An Oppulent and ancient Family will ever affect Popularity, when their Rival Family, and they always have one, are possessed of Places.

You are not alone in your Inclination to adhere to Mr Jay: but I am convinced he will not be here, in Season for your Election. Your independent Resolution to be no Party Man, is amiable and wise as well as honest. If you cannot fly upon Party Wings, which are but wax and are obliged to walk and that but slowly, you will be in less danger of having your feathers singed melted, and of falling, and you will advance the more Surely.— But why is not Jay as much a Livingstone as Hamilton is a Schuyler?2

Elective Governments will forever be in a Struggle between two oppulent Families. Services, in an aweful Crisis and a dreadful War, are now pleaded with Some Success in favour of some Old Men, but when these drop off it will become chiefly a Contest of Wealth and Connections, and a pitiful despicable Scramble it will be.

As I crossed the North River, I was told, without Reserve by a very respectable Gentleman, that he believed Mr Clinton the richest Man in America; that he was immensely rich: and that Mr Burr, was also very rich: and Some others. Let no one see this Letter and never mention my name: but enquire into this and inform yourself how it could happen.

You did not mention the Baron. Let me know the News you have of him.

Self Created societies in Rivalry with the Elected Representatives of the People, are likely to occasion all public Events and to make all the History of Nations for sometime, and I therefore Advise you to read all the Tryals you can find. I have several to send you, which I pray you to read with Attention. I dread the Consequence of those which have already happened in Scotland England and Ireland.

In the Tryal of Mr Walker, the Speeches of Mr Law and Mr Erskine are Models of Eloquence for the Bar. Mr Law I heard on the Tryal of Mr Hastings in Westminster Hall— He has a Brother a Nabob, now in this City, who has purchased largely into the Fœderal City.3 The Tryals I shall send you will shew you, as well as popular Elections the Nature of a Party Spirit. deprecate & avoid it, as the Dæmon of Discord, Mischief & Malevolence.