I acknowledg myself indebted to you for two kind Letters,1 both of which found me in circumstances of distress; the first which came to me before I went to Philadelphia, I fully intended to have replied to at the Time, but the many cares and avocations which at that time occupied my mind, preparitory to my going, and the peculiar melancholy circumstance of the Death of my Mother and Neice within a day or two of each other, not only arrested me in my journey, but added to the cares with which I had before felt myself opprest. to you therefore, who have so frequently been summoned on like Solemn occasions, I need make no further appology.

your Last kind Letter, which I had no right to expect, and was therefore received as a pledge of a Friendship which bears the stamp of Time, and which I hope will endure with our Lives, however we may discent upon some Subjects, upon that of Mutual good will esteem, and real affection I trust we shall be ever united, and your Letter expressive of it should have met a ready reply, but I was dissabled both with my Eyes and Hands, having met an accident in a carriage which like to have cost me my Life— I have however recoverd so as to leave only a small scar behind.

Your kind invitation to visit you in the, only stile which can ever be agreable to me, that of Hospitality and freedom, would have given both mr Adams & myself great pleasure. a promise which he made to the secretaries, of not being absent from Quincy more than one day at a Time, that their communications might always find him, has confined him to this place ever since his return. one only visit have I made, and that to my sister in New Hampshire. I fulfilld two duties, that of visiting a very dear sister, which I had not done before, since her residence & Marriage in that state, and placing my two Grandsons at an accademy there, and in her Family and under her inspection, that they may receive a Genuine New England Education which I am Yanky enough to prefer to any other I have yet seen.

We leave this place in a few days, without knowing where we are to Stop.2 the distrest state of a city which seems devoted to Calamity, and the Pestilence which still rag[es] there, renders it Dangerous to enter it at this Time, and the certain clamour which will be raised if Congress are convened at any other place, renders it 248 difficult for the President to know what is best and most for the Good of the Country, & the safety of its Members; without being much nearer, where a more accurate statement of Facts can be assertaind.— The Philadelphians will complain & say there is no danger, tho at Present their city is deserted of two thirds of its inhabitants

I received a Letter from Mrs otis a few days since.3 she with her Family are at Bristol about 18 miles from the city, and were all well.

When I was at Providence I took Tea at the late Govenour Bowens. they inquired kindly and particularly after you & your Family, and desired a particular remembrance to you.4

The President joins me in an affectionate remembrance to his old Friend the Genll and to Mrs Warren both of whom it would have given him pleasure to have Seen at Quincy.

I am dear Madam with sentiments of / Regard and esteem / Your affectionate Friend

Since I came to this Country, two of your kind letters have reached me; one dated in June & the other in July; the latter came by Genl: Marshall, but by some accident was not forwarded at the same time with your letter to my brother of the same date.1 It has only this day come to hand.

Contrary to your expectation, as well as my own, your letters find me still in Europe, and about to embark in a few days, with my Brother, upon his mission to the North. I am somewhat apprehensive, from the repeated recommendations which are contained, both in yours & my mothers letters, for my return, that this deviation on 249 my part from my original purpose, may not meet your approbation. I cannot say indeed that it entirely meets my own, for I had made up my mind to return home in the course of this fall, and make some permanent establishment for my future life, and my diversion from this plan, has been rather a sacrifice to the earnest wishes of my brother, than to a conviction of its ultimate benefit to myself. I do sincerely wish to see once more my native land, my family & my friends, but I have consented to defer the gratification for some period further; I hope & expect it will not exceed another year; if within that period some young man can be found to take my situation with my brother. He cannot be alone, without losing half his usefulness to his Country & the service in which it employs him. I do not mean by this, that the Secretary is of equal importance with the Minister, but at least an embassy is incomplete without one.

I feel grateful for your kind offers of a situation with you in case of my return, though I am not sure that my ambition would lead me to embrace it. Upon this subject however, it is not necessary at present to decide.

It is with much regret that I learn from your letter the difficulties & embarassments which imprudent & unsuccessful speculation has brought into the families of some of our near relations. I had not forgotten your oracular predictions upon this subject, and the anticipation of such an issue, however painful it might have been, had in some measure prepared my mind to hear it with composure. I think I can venture to assure you Sir, that these examples, and your admonitions will not be lost to experience.

My Brother has copiously detailed to you, since our residence here, every thing that relates to the political concerns of our Country. The facts are serious, and the events of which they are probably the precursors, will not I trust surprize our Countrymen or damp the ardor with which it is their duty & their interest to meet them. Our Commissioners have reached Paris, but I do not expect that they will be there long. Since the recent revolution, every thing looks dark & hollow, & if justice be done to any earthly power, by the triumphant faction in France, to accident, not design be all the honor & all the praise. What sacrifices of interest, our Country & fellow-citizens may be prepared to make, to their peace & neutrality, I am unable to conjecture; it is more easy to conceive the extent & magnitude of those which will be demanded of them. Our national dignity & honor must not look to a foreign power for patronage.

I have a task upon hand, which compels me to shorten my letter. You will I hope by the next or perhaps by the present opportunity become the depositary of it.

Present me affectionately to my mother; I shall endeavor to reply to her kind letter of July 14, before we leave this Country.2

With fervent attachment & respect, I am, Dear Sir, / Your Son,