Philadelphia 30 Nov. 1798 Dear Sir Mr. Liston, my neighbour, informed me this morning that y^o I left a letter with him for you this evening he wou'd obtain a passage for it to London tomorrow. I sit down therefore tho' very much fatigued to say a few words to you. Your friend Gen Pinckney, his wife and daughter are here and occupy your old lodgings. Gen Washington and General Hamilton are also here. I convened them to assist in forming a good selection of officers for the new army and to adjust arrangements connected with it. I keep them employed about five hours every day. The Speech, as the Aurora has it this morning, is on the anvil. I expect it will be what it ought to be. It will not disguise the Presidents opinion of the late conduct of the Directory. It will not promise any retrograde movement and will look toward war, tho it will not recommend a declaration by Congress. In a word you may venture to anticipate that the principles which have heretofore governed the Executive, will still pervade it, and that the people, generally speaking, are loosing their dread of war and have nearly opened their eyes to, and form a pretty just opinion of the policy and designs of the French Directory. The turn of the elections in South Carolina, as you will see by your paper, is more favourable to the federal cause than the calculation in my last letter. It is also expected that Georgia will not return Baldwin; but that he will be [undecipherable: succeeded] by Dawson & Milledge by Taliaferro. Virginia too it is thought will improve her representation by some new and disposed members. And yet [strikethrough: passing] the alien and sedition acts have thrown several Counties in Virginia and Kentucky into violent convulsions. The leaders of opposition in some quarters, through their agents, especially in Virginia, speak in all the bitterness of incipient rebellion. It may be however that this fermentation will work itself off in resolutions and remonstrances. Would you believe it, under all the threatening circumstances of a domestic nature, and a conviction that nothing but inability on the part of the Directory to carry war into the U.S. will prevent them from doing it and the policy of being prepared to avail ourselves of events, and secure an honourable treaty with France, if we are to have one, there are some good men, who are of opinion, all this may be accomplished by writing on paper. With true regard I am D^r Sir your ob^t hble s^t James McHenry [Hon. Son. M^r. [undecipherable: Gor]]