Hingham Jany 4 1788 My dear Sir On my return a few days Since from a tour to the eastern part of this common wealth, where I am intrusted in land, and have a few Settled, I recvt your much esteemed favor of the 13^th of June last. I could not have been more gratified by a line from any friend than from you, who have not only a Sharer with me in the events and fortunes of war, but forgetful of your own Sufferings and Safety was anxious only for mine — Such commiseration even in a heart less forful tells must have made deep impressions than left on my breast were not only deep but remains So and with the remembrance of them I Shall not part untill that period when a new retrospects with prologue Shall be to broken that all we have left with its new all connexion between cause and effect — I am highly gratified that you have So agreeably connected your Self, So I Shall now feel my Self greatly interested in either ever Shall nearly interest you, the union which you have formed is an honourable one and it will open to you a Source of happiness, which you could not have embraced in the many — may the pleasures of affection offering them from ever dry up nor its joy, before you and when life Shall expire may you each glide into those Joys in which flow into that Kingdom where you Silently Shall be full and compleat the more they neither marry nor are given in marriage You offer after Baylies, Rice and my John Baylies and Price yet here but alas! my Son is no more! — The pain is distressing I write not would your feelings, by dwelling upon the melancholy want. Your mention that you have been fortunate enough to obtain about 60,000 acres of good land, this acquisition of wealth may lay a foundation for your future happiness as it may enable you to become more extensively useful in the world than without it as it may open to you a door for the full carriage of that Philanthropy which has marked your progress through life. I may however have its temptations and ills, will it not my dear friend betray you into the practice of that Slavery, which has been thought by Some to be justifiable — [strikethrough: it] Should will you be able to justify the matter and vindicate it with those tender feelings those at all times been alive in your breast and which have always led you not only to Suffer those around you to participate with you in your own joy, but you then from a kind copy and a preference Since more compelled them to partake with your Should you tell me that you are in the practice of Slavery and that you are convinced from the fullest reflection on the Subject that the practice is right I will thank you for these arguments in favour of it which gives conviction and Support to your own mind — Think not Sir that those observations are the language of gloom and misanthrope. I think you know me too well to be offended I think they certainly Spring from a very different Source from a conviction that persons are made capable of enjoying that name of happiness in this life. That those different habitations assigned them, that the benificent author you note they are fitted to the climate in which they are placed and that Heaven in the great Scale is not less anxious as me the perfect State of these, it ever were to be. Although under the former [undecipherable] the inhabitants are more Softly yet and improved art, compared with the inhabitants of colder climes but more we find little labor and forethought necessary for the earth brings forth Spontaneously most of the necessaries of life the wants of those people are few and are easily Supplied and if left to themselves would be happy — It will not be denied that the African can bear the fervoring rays of the Sun in your climate better than the white inhabitants but this will be urged upon that the inhabitants of Georgia are as able to perform that Share of labour necessary to that climate as well as a New England man can perform the quantity of labour necessary in this far this [undecipherable] trades the quantity is augmented by the former Savings, as there is that Georgia and would be as well approved with, if not better, in Georgia as in the [undecipherable] — I am much pleased with the account you give of your State I hope a peace on equitable ground might be Settled and that it might have all the advantages of reposing among the States into you Seem to think from its climate and feel it is entitled — I do not recollect Mr Gibbons I hardly think he was ever a member of my family had any thing very particular to take place while there be on his leaving it I probably think have received from [undecipherable] Y it —