[M^r M^cHenry a^a] —30, Jan^ry 1799. 38 My dear Sir As I mentioned in a few lines in d^r from the 8 Inst via the end, I am out in the, reached me safely For any motions of my letters in any respect, my friend Itho whom I begged of you as my Secretary Dandidi I know gone by my consent in life to M^r K home — M^cFarrin taken a temporary Secretory for fine me on the eulogy M^r D. McHenry assisted sooner — This Temporary Secretory— I took (Major Maxwell Claime) from Gen^l Pinckney's who I dit is in a because he had been very faithfull to Gen^l at the worst of Times — I continued been late 20. Dec^r. M^r M^cTh. not coming — Continues him till 20. Jan^ry — then till 20. next month — always under the terms Cap^tn unless M^r M^cth di — amidst Service — after the 20. Feb. I will not have any Secretary, unless Ithan Seims, as I sincerely hope he will — I think he had written five Lines, by five Ships, Some on a have got to me — but I every day expect to see him enter a announced by old bill — It will be quite at home with the warm recall more ideally me pleasant evenings at your house — ah Philad^a. that charming city is dear to my memory. what dreadful affliction it has defied! — M^r Hills. I hear is dead — Miss Creek — Miss Willing — good old M^r Anthero — and for Seano — Back too has still kept him company vis a vis — But donothing many other have gone them I believe — here I know nothing of what Passes except by your letter a one I had at the same time from M^r. Bingham — I see a letter yesterday from my position of a d. May 1799. a I hear by a dutch gentleman not long from S^t. Thomas: that the Delaware is a bit you frigate was there as [undecipherable] — He seems almost as much disguised as I was — I from Smith at Lisbon — I hear to day that a new 38 was launched & appeared at Newbury Port in 76 days — from Chamburgh I learn also to day that on the 7^th Dec^r. the President was too much indisposed to meet the Honorable of course. no direct then. I sincerely hope that he has reco— --- M^r M^cHen^ry n^a 30. Jan^ry 1799. ed a been strong enough to look them full in the use a give them a firm determination — — My dear Sir me half of the miseries which is brought upon the So nations whose peace from has swallowed up, has been owing to the timidity of the Executive power — It is true that generally that was the nature of all powers on this continent — The reason only serves to illustrate more strongly the folly of timidity at all, in gov^t — the reasons that I have lately disgraced the very species of man are in a great degree the consequences of their timidity in the [underline: head of the Gov^t] — That timidity, temporizing, shuffling & rank cowardice would but be seen by those in places of high trust as in the administration — discerned, a new principle of calculation was gradually formed in minds, long created by a philosophy that refines away the coarser but more valuable properties of our nature, and each man becoming a Politician, in the low & selfish sense, balanced, doubted, feared the descent of French enterprises, & gradually was prepared to to be set before hand as to be in a sort of character, by & the might avail himself of embracing extremeism, if they came on — thus treason is really now a moral than a political disease in many of the public functionaries all over this continent! — The [underline: People] — on the contrary true to nature, are willing & anxious for that energy in their protecting gov^t &^d would save them from Foreign domination — The gov they, call them [underline: noted], in general, destitute of energy, seem to me incapable of high spirited action — of course when a moment comes, like that the other day at Turin & all over Piedmont, in the Roman — Neapolitan Territory all was, policy without energy — a submission ¬ salvation! — We know nothing Official of the Neapolitan army since 3 Jun^y is — Then Mack will fully in Capua had offered an armistice to Championnet & was haughtily rejected — It is believed that there has --- been immense Treason in the g^t army ! — That the French S^d have retired from the Tuscan Territories, & it is believed they have more is a singular thing if true — & leads some to believe that the Empress of France will get again — a thing it seems to me almost impossible! — We have as yet no things official on these things. The insurrection in Belgium will rage — sometimes in battles of 3 & 4000 — will fought — often in skirmishes from woods & [undecipherable] better managed — The dear dirty party are only the shuggle — but they will not escape — Several money rich men have been taken of — about & Paris on suspicion of secretly aiding the insurgents, who are literally from a handy peasants, fighting with the crops marked on their clothes — The french suffer exceedingly in this kind of dealing — tory was at the soirees more any out of battle to that with which they are reputed if they show themselves in smaller parties — if this not one could give them a plenty — I had written thus far Jan. colonel Hitchborn 431. 1512. 123D. 1246. 1681. 710. was announced. He is just from Paris. He seems much altered in his Opinions as he now most heartily curses them. My particular reason for mentioning him here is this — a circumstance that has made me think with rapidity & pain! — He says that after he a then withdrawn he appearing of our country [underline: there that the proposals were] S^t [undecipherable] & M^r Gerry every out last summer, he a they recommended as the person to whom government S^d. send a commission minister was named! — I regret this whole affair so to this time — I know the state of parties — I know their ways of thinking on hearing of such, [undecipherable] uncaught unthought of things — I feel that it is due to you KGJ3. 1663. to declare solemnly that 1960 — never hinted with you — thing — never expected it — & [underline: NEVER WISHED IT!] And that it is to — --- totally without a word or hint from a to me 1050. ! — This is from you upon my honor! — In fact I have but one character in this poor system particularly — Those of both Parties, who know me, know that it it — To make knowable to the great cause of own gov^t. own country, Independence Idea certainly may my small means occasionally & adapt them as far as I can penetrate to the character of those whose I would send if possible a bring over — but not a moment do I disguise my opinions — This gentleman passed a week here on Sep^t. on his way — I had heard of his violence of our gov^t &c — he paid me a visit — I took him with politeness, & after that often canvassed things with him. I found he differed — but whether his politeness shortened the difference or whether a knowledge of what he saw here had worked he spoke rationally & apparently with sound views — I then pointed out what I believed to be the intentions of France as to general Dominion, at least in Europe — He did not think with me. Since to has — he has declared to me that he is now convinced of that Fact! — Stated to please a weapon & dominion on [underline: from] [strikethrough: from] — in land has [undecipherable] 9^dB. 1459. 1005. been lately put in the Temple at Paris, & G^dS ordered to quit Paris — he stay but Paris a few days. — As these letters from that party at Paris may reach your case I thought it due to you my dear sir & to my giving & the Gov^t to make this explanation — & Col. Pickering who will have the goodness to decipher for you will also do me justice in sending this Letter — Happy him thinking stirring against ands, my ambition you out Before you so not read such demands — delicate — but in such circumstances, I am always & I not get at the intelligence & I have troubled you with. I am always my dear Sir most truly & affectionately