The Day before Yesterday I recd. a Letter from Col. Isaac Sears dated the 25 March last,1 covering one from you of the ^dated^ the 27 Nov. 1782—2 The You evidently mistook the Year, and if the month be right, you have either been lazy or your Letters very unlucky—^I suppose the latter to have been the case^ The only Letters I have recd. from you since I left America are—30 Octr. 1781 1781 which arrived the 7 Decr. following—27 Augt. 1781 which arrived 8 Jany 17823 and the one above mentioned which arrived 24 August Inst—

From your account of the Vermont Business, it has ^appears^ to use a vulgar Expression, to have been bitched ^in its last as well as first stages—^ In my opinion you shd endeavour ^Obsta Principiis4 tho an old and wise^ maxim was neglected—but as Putnam used to say, “it is not worth while to cry about spilt milk” The calfs however that ^have^ kick’d over the pail may yet be sorry for it and there is an End of the Matter— You have other Lines still to settle, and the sooner it is done the better.5 Every good American will zealously endeavor to remove every ^all^ ground of future Dissention at between the States—our Power Respectability & Happiness will forever depend on our common Union—all ^many^ foreign Nations would rejoice to see us split to pieces—^because we shd. then cease to be formidable and^ such an Event wd. abate their Fears, and afford a fine Field for their Intrigues— Let us keep peace among ^amg. ourselves for whenever^ the members ^quarrel^ [illegible] the whole Man ^Body must &^ will suffer—

my last Letter from Fredk. is dated the 1 Decr. 17816 and ^it^ arrived here the 24 Inst. ^18 Ult^ and makes the fourth Letter he has I have recd. from him since we parted— Tell me something of Peter and Nancy—assure them of my fixed Resolution to return and spend the Remainder of my Days with them—they are never out of my Mind and Heart— I hope they keep up their Spirits and are careful of their Health which I am very anxious about, on my ^own^ acct. as well as theirs for as I promised myself some [hours?] ^the prospect of^ ^some^ happy Tranquil Years with them, & will ^always^ be among the most ^forms one of the most^ pleasing of my american ones ^the prospects I have left ^— I have desired R. Livingston, thro’ to pay (thro’ you) ^to them & to Fædy^ one hundred & fifty pounds ^York money^ to them and to Fædy vizt. fifty pounds to each—a He is also to place fifty pounds in your Hands for the occasional Relief of such of our old Servants as may from Time to Time want it Of t This Necessity may not arrive and therefore unless it shd. ^it may not perhaps prove necessary if not^ say nothing of the Matter—

Inform me of the Time and Manner of my Fathers Death— I feel too much to enlarge on this Subject—

Sr. James is in England, but I know not in what Capacity I have not had a Line from him since I left Philadelphia

Remember me ^present my best Compt.^ to your Mother & Brothers—7 Tell Doctr Van Wycke I remember him with Gratitude— Your Govr. owes me some Letters—but he has my Esteem & Regard— I have written two or three Letters to Cha DeWitt, but none from him ever reached me

We have all (except my Nephew) been very sick, but are now thank God better— God bless and preserve You