I have this Morning, filed in order your Letters and have now in one bundle before me from No. 6 to No. 23 inclusively and will take care they shall not be again Seperated.1

The Western Posts are all delivered, and the Commissions in a good Way.— Mr King and Mr Gore in England and I hope Mr Pinkney in France, will be your Friends bothe Personally and Politically.

You are destined to Portugal and will take with you, I presume an 393 help meet, and may God grant you and her a double Portion of his choicest Blessings

I am Still delighted with your Facts, your Opinions, your Principles and your Feelings. I believe them just.

Electioneering goes on, with as little Bitterness as can be expected, but exactly as you would anticipate.

If the President should direct you to charge your Brother with our affairs, I hope he will Stay at the Hague till he hears farther from me.2

I do not approve of your Projects of quitting the Diplomatic Career at present; much less of your Thoughts of settling in the Southern States.

You need not be anxious about the Succession to The Presidency, for whoever shall be chosen I dare answer for it, he will not disgust you, either by promoting others over you, or by any other ill treatment. No Man who has been mentioned or thought of, but has a just Value for your Merits. Even if your Father should be the Person he will not so far affect a Disinterest as to injure you. If Jefferson if Henry if Jay, Hamilton or Pinckney, should be elected your Honour and Promotion will be in no hazard

But you know, I do not allow myself to write you upon Public Affairs at present. I hope to be a better Correspondent, e’er long,— I am always / with a tender Affection your

How my much loved friend Shall I atone. for the uneasiness my last letter caused you— Could my picture at the moment I read those lines so descriptive of your affectionate pain have proved a true index of my soul it would I am persuaded in your gentle bosom 394 have procured my peace— Allow me to say I saw in yours, or thought I saw an inexpressible something that did not do justice to the sincerity of my affection, and anxious to eradicate every suspicion of being too much elated with your situation, induced me to be thus explicit, but a truce with explanations we are I trust equally convinced and I am certain mutually satisfied—

You have spoken peace and Oh may it prove our constant attendant— May distrust with all its baneful tribe be far, far from our hearts— At this moment look at my picture and if it expresses the feelings of the original, it greatly exceeds what my pen is capable of— You will ere this I flatter myself have recieved your dispatches, and may they be propitious to my happiness, for be assured my friend whatever declarations I make relative to our longer separation, though voluntary they are no less painful sacrifices, for be assured the world itself without you will ever be an aching void to your