I went on Fryday night with Mr Storer to the Drawing Room, where the Warmth of the Weather increased by a great fire and a Croud of good Company, gave me one of my annual great Colds. The Same Evening the large Lutheran Church in our old 326 Neighbourhood took fire and was burnt down.1 The next morning Mrs Otis was brought to bed and the Mother and the Daughter are very well.

So much for News good and bad.

The Weather continues very moderate: but the old Adage a green Chrismas makes a growing Church Yard, or a fat Church Yard as the various readings have it, is a damper to its Pleasures. Our Country is not yet sufficiently drained, for these warm Winters. Cold Weather is necessary to confine, or kill the putrid deleterious vapours, which Arise from uncultivated forests and undrained Marshes.

Parson Osgoods Sermon makes a great Noise here.— What Says The Governor to his Share of the Whipping?

The Clergy of New England have trumpetted Paine and Robespierre, till they begin to tremble for the Consequences of their own Imprudence. Did Mr Wibirt in complaisance to the Proclamation omit the national Government?

Old Men Say that time flys faster and faster every year. if I concur in this Observation it must be when I am at Quincy. Here my moments are long and slow. I read my Eyes out, and cant read half enough neither.— The more one reads the more one sees We have to read—

An horrid Journey of 3 or 400 miles, before I can get home lies before me like a mountain.

Charles has lost his Friend Steuben— I have written to him a great many Letters: but I can get only a line in Answer. At one time he says he has a Witlow on his Finger at another he is very busy. This is good news. I have invited him to come and Spend a Week with me in January if his Business will allow.

I have bought the Tryals of the Scotch Jacobins, and sent them to him as Presents. They are in the Way of his Profession and will be both Entertainment and Information to him. Self Created societies in Switzerland, England & Scotland, dont come off with a gentle rap over the knuckles in a Speech or a sermon: but they promote their Members to the Cord or to Botany Bay, to Banishment Transportation or Death.

The Mildness of our Government is a pleasing delightful Characteristic: and although it will probably give Encouragement to some Disorders, and even some daring Crimes, it is too prescious to be relinquished without an Absolute Necessity.

Have my Mother with you as often as possible and tell her I hope to see her again in two months

Adieu

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letters accompanying the trials of Gerrald Muir and Margarot. I am perfectly of your opinion that Gerrald’s is worth all the rest, his defence is able eloquent and pathetic. Muir also discovers marks of a great mind Posterity will give very little praise to the independence or candour of Scotch Judges. In a former letter you ask why I suppose Mr Jay less a Livingston than Hamilton a Schuyler. I beleive you could answer that question much more satisfactorily than myself. Whatever influence the agrandizement of one’s family may have on men yet it would be looking too much on the dark side of the picture of human nature to suppose that every man would give up honest principles to attain their objects. Mr Jay is an object of envy to the Livingstons he is an outcast from the family a circumstance which as much as any other raises him in my opinion I should acquiesce in the Government of Mr Hamilton Yet I do not think it derogatory to his character to say I prefer Mr Jay.

Governor Clinton Colo Burr Pierpont Edwards and others hold meetings in which not only business of election is transacted but also matters which concern their private interests. Clinton is the channel through which all applications are made to the land office for the purchase of the very valuable lands belonging to the State. McComb purchased four millions of acres some few years since at a very triffling rate.1 The late disclosure of his affairs did not disclose who were his copartners there was a certain share not inconsiderable for which an owner could not be found. It has been proved that much greater offers were made for this tract of land than McComb gave. People reason in this way Gov Clinton when he came to the 328 Chair was worth nothing. He now owns lands in every part of the State. How does it happen? Mr Burr preys like a vulture upon the pockets of his Clients; in his family he knows no bounds to profusion. Mr Burr has lately made a large purchase of lands. More than one person have expressed ideas to me which this line from Juvenal will convey. “Consumtis opibus, vocem Damasippe locasti.”2 I beleive notwithstanding the great virtue of Americans that French gold has and may yet do much harm—

You may well suppose that I write in confidence Such suggestions are not to be published to the world without proof. When however we hear such insinuations we are naturally lead to enquire into the possibility and practability of things of this nature.

With sincere affection I am your son